Whilst doing the correction and revision of my Index of Japanese Swordsmiths, I arrive due to the larger font and the modified layout at a considerably larger number of pages, in concrete terms about 1,500 instead of the about 900 pages of the initial version. This raises the following question: Should I stick with two volumes, i.e. with the initial format of the index, what means a A-M and a N-Z volume but each now about 700 pages? Or should I instead go with three volumes each about 500 pages? At the same time, I am thinkin about adding some pictures, oshigata, signature details, or photos and photos of swordsmiths here and there where they might be useful supplements to the text. This in turn would mean in any case a three volume set as Lulu sets the limit of a single hardcover copy at 800 pages. In any case, I will try to set the price noticeably lower than the 280 USD (260 Euro) for the initial two volume set as the royalty/costs are far better at Lulu than at BoD where the initial set was print.

I can’t decide yet and want to start a poll to see where this might go. So if you have a second, please vote below. Thanks a lot!

And tomorrow I will post the last part of sugata-kantei before the Kantei series continues with jigane and jihada.