Testimonials

T e s t i m o n i a l s

We are carrying on with the Artha Gallery's Testimonial page. It validates the reasons why these ebony weapons are some of the best, and why I have continued to practice with them for many years.

I just wanted to tell you that I got the new ebony-bokken that I ordered from your website in the U.S.
And Man!... Am I satisfied with that bokken!!! :) I must say that I have never seen a more beautiful martial arts weapon than this (in wood material that is!) ;) Before I was ordering my bokken I was reading the testimonial´s of the site and saw that there was some really satisfied customers there. So I thought, what the heck - I'll order too! :)
It is looking more nice than on the pic´s on the site so I am more than happy that I found your site in time - when there still was some bokkens to purchase in stock.
You can gladly put my review on your site, so more people can get the opportunity to buy these fine piece of art! It is now "resting" between the practice-times on a Katana-rack over my other bokken in red-oak (it´s a rack with room for 2 katana-swords in general), and I can hardly wait for the reaction of my Hae dong gumdo-instructor when he see it :))
Thanks again for a very smooth and good handling of my purchase of your website!

With warm and best regards from Mr Peder Nilsson in Sweden.

As you know I purchased two bokken from you with the dragon carved in the tsuka. I have had so many compliments on their beauty and feel. I have only used them once while performing kendo kata and that was during my promotion exam for 4 dan last year. Of course, somewhat in part to your bokken, I was able to pass. I also have another plain ebony bokken you made which I display in my living room. I have used that bokken on several occasions for kendo kata and the weight and feel is excellent for my taste.

I feel that you must have poured a great deal of your soul into the making of these fine instruments. I can feel the "ki" that is bound up in them. Please accept my congratulations on the making of such graceful and beautiful (yet functional) weapons.

Sincerely

Brian Olson
1st Vice President, SCKF

The weapons we ordered are great; my students couldn't be more pleased with their purchases. The wood is beautiful and the weapons are strong and well-made. I am generally leery to purchase weapons for students without seeing them first, but your products are excellent quality and competitively priced. I hope to continue business with you in the future.

Jon Reading
Emory Aikikai
Atlanta, Georgia

From the Aikido-L Mailing List ...

Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2002 06:06:18 -0500
From: btdiffin@hotmail.com
Subject: good weapons online

Hey all,

I, along with several others in my dojo, just purchased some weapon sets (bokken, jo, tanto) from a company in the Philippines called Artha Gallery. They did good by us so I thought I'd tell some others in the aikido community about them.

The weapons we ordered were all made of macassar ebony and are absolutely beautiful, just as much works of art as functional practice weapons. Their contact person (Steven Martin) was very patient with my ignorance of international shipping and overseas bank to bank fund transfers. He helped me out and walked me through the steps and answered all of my questions quickly and completely.

I think they would be at Aiki Expo this year so if you see them stop and take a look at their stuff.

Bronson Diffin

Ok. Ok. I'll admit it. I was wrong. The bokken does make a difference.

When I first took the bokken you sent for a spin I knew I was already going to eat my words. I know I'm no authority on bokken considering I'm just starting with my aikido training. But comparing with the bokken that I've been practicing at the dojo, I can tell that there is a difference both in the tool and in the desired effect.

My aikido-mates who collect Japanese swords have noted that the weight and balance (of the bokken) are strikingly similar. While I also commend the aesthetics of the bokken you sent, I am happiest with the results it gave.

I believe that since the bokken's chacteristics/virtues meets international standards, I have been able improve on my movements and techniques faster than with the bokkens I've been introduced with initially. My advice to novice practitioners of aikido: If you fall in love with the art/way of life of aikido, don't scrimp on your tools! Equate your budget with your need for quality equipment.

Lastly, dude, I wonder why your enterprise is known more abroad than locally. Maybe its time to market the bokkens here - unless you want to keep it as one of Manila's best kept secrets.

Jomar Lacson

Just received the bokkens and the kodachi. They are really beautiful. The dragons on the ebony bokken are really a work of art. I certainly appreciate the workmanship and the effort that Artha Gallery puts into their products.

It has really been great doing business with you. I will certainly recomend you very highly, and look forward to doing business with you in the future.

Take care
Sincerely
Lew Young

Just a quick note to let you know that we did receive the ebony bokken, and that we like what we see -- it appears to be a high quality piece! Thanks for your efforts to make and get it to us. It is a gift for someone, but we haven't had time to present it yet (but we're sure he'll approve!).

Domo arigato gozaimashita!
Marlene & Jeff H.

We did present the ebony bokken to our instructor. He had pretty much guessed from the box that we were giving him a bokken, but when we slid it out to present it to him his jaw dropped, he loved it.

Also we had a number of other instructors and students ask where we got it, so who knows you may get more orders from Arizona. In fact, I may have to save up and get one myself.

Thanks again for making such a fine bokken.

Jeff H.

P.S. Apparently we did cause some problems in his homelife, his wife just doesn't understand why he wants to bring the bokken to bed with him.

I just wanted to let you know that the package arrived this morning. They arrived in perfect shape and are beautiful just as I knew they would be.

This will be a wonderful gift for my husband. He is an avid Martial Arts participant in Aikido, Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryyu Iaijutsu and other sword arts. These swords will have many proud years of use.

I'm sure you will be getting orders from us in the future. I really appreciate all you've done for me on this order and I will definitely pass the word to other enthusiasts that we interface with.

Best Regards.
Marsha Pokorny

The Dragon Sword set arrived and we are very pleased with them. Thank you.

Many of the students are looking at them and I keep giving out your web address so I hope that you will get more orders via the dojo.

Best wishes
Deb Ezra

Just to let you know, I received the bokken. I am very pleased with it. It is both beautiful and functional and it is the sort of product that is all too rare in these days of mass production. Good luck and keep me posted with your work.

Regards,
Alec Corper

My Ebony Dragon Bokken arrived today. I am very impressed with the bokken. The ebony is very attractive, the balance and weight feels a lot like my katana, (although a little lighter) and the dragon carving not only looks great but will help provide a good grip. I'm at work now, but I'm excited about trying out the bokken as soon as I can. You have an excellent product here and I wish you good fortune and success in your business. Thank you.

Pete Merrow

I received the wakizashi and tanto today and I thank you very much for your consideration.

The wakizashi and tanto complete my set, and I must say the quality of workmanship and carving is excellent on all three pieces. The dragon shrinks down well to fit the smaller pieces and the smooth finish is excellent. The dragon provides just enough friction for a good grip, and of course it looks great. The dark wood and interesting grain patterns and colors make them stand out from ordinary oak bokken and I'm sure they will become conversation pieces.

Thanks again and best wishes.

Very truly yours, Pete Merrow

I received the bokken yesterday and was thrilled! I cannot begin to tell you how amazing it looks and feels!! I knew that I would be pleased with one of you bokken but after seeing and wielding it, that is a drastic understatement.

I took the bokken to my martial arts school last night and not only were the other students in awe but so was my teacher. He was not only impressed with its fine appearance but also with its balance and overall fine craftsmanship. It is significantly different than his custom bokken and, I suspect, he likes mine more! For a brief moment I was not certain he was going to give the dragon back!! I just had to let you know how much I appreciate your work and pass along the appreciation from my schoolmates and teacher as well.

As soon as I have a little more saved money, I will probably also order the complete Ebony Dragon set so that I have them as well for my collection. In the future, when I open my own martial arts school, it will be wonderful to have them on display for all to appreciate.

Thanks so much again!
Alyson Hamm

The Bokken are beautiful. Each feels alive and unique, having its own personality. Thank you. We will definitely be ordering more in the not so distant future, and get the word out about your site and products.

Thanks again for the quick service and phenomenal bokken.

Best,
Cat Fitzgerald

The weapons are so beautiful!!! Now I want to find a display stand so that I can display the Jo, Boken, Kodachi, and Tanto on one stand...I will use them on special occasions when practicing with my Sensei...otherwise I will display them for their wonderful beauty...thanks so much and good luck in the future...

Jim Lee

I wanted to let you know that I received the weapons and book this morning, in perfect condition. Although I was expecting excellent quality, I have to say that my expectations have been exceeded! These are fantastically beautiful! On a scale of 1 - 5, I have to give Artha Gallery at least a 6! The sticks and bokken are truly works of hand-crafted art!

Thank you,

Walt Nixon

Portland, OR

Back
Updated Mar. 20, 2010


T e s t i m o n i a l s We are carrying on with the Artha Gallery's Testimonial page. It validates the reasons why these ebony weapons are some of the best, and why I have continued to practice with them for many years.
I just wanted to tell you that I got the new ebony-bokken that I ordered from your website in the U.S. And Man!... Am I satisfied with that bokken!!! :) I must say that I have never seen a more beautiful martial arts weapon than this (in wood material that is!) ;) Before I was ordering my bokken I was reading the testimonial´s of the site and saw that there was some really satisfied customers there. So I thought, what the heck - I'll order too! :) It is looking more nice than on the pic´s on the site so I am more than happy that I found your site in time - when there still was some bokkens to purchase in stock. You can gladly put my review on your site, so more people can get the opportunity to buy these fine piece of art! It is now "resting" between the practice-times on a Katana-rack over my other bokken in red-oak (it´s a rack with room for 2 katana-swords in general), and I can hardly wait for the reaction of my Hae dong gumdo-instructor when he see it :)) Thanks again for a very smooth and good handling of my purchase of your website! With warm and best regards from Mr Peder Nilsson in Sweden. As you know I purchased two bokken from you with the dragon carved in the tsuka. I have had so many compliments on their beauty and feel. I have only used them once while performing kendo kata and that was during my promotion exam for 4 dan last year. Of course, somewhat in part to your bokken, I was able to pass. I also have another plain ebony bokken you made which I display in my living room. I have used that bokken on several occasions for kendo kata and the weight and feel is excellent for my taste. I feel that you must have poured a great deal of your soul into the making of these fine instruments. I can feel the "ki" that is bound up in them. Please accept my congratulations on the making of such graceful and beautiful (yet functional) weapons. Sincerely Brian Olson 1st Vice President, SCKF The weapons we ordered are great; my students couldn't be more pleased with their purchases. The wood is beautiful and the weapons are strong and well-made. I am generally leery to purchase weapons for students without seeing them first, but your products are excellent quality and competitively priced. I hope to continue business with you in the future. Jon Reading Emory Aikikai Atlanta, Georgia From the Aikido-L Mailing List ... Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2002 06:06:18 -0500 From: btdiffin@hotmail.com Subject: good weapons online Hey all, I, along with several others in my dojo, just purchased some weapon sets (bokken, jo, tanto) from a company in the Philippines called Artha Gallery. They did good by us so I thought I'd tell some others in the aikido community about them. The weapons we ordered were all made of macassar ebony and are absolutely beautiful, just as much works of art as functional practice weapons. Their contact person (Steven Martin) was very patient with my ignorance of international shipping and overseas bank to bank fund transfers. He helped me out and walked me through the steps and answered all of my questions quickly and completely. I think they would be at Aiki Expo this year so if you see them stop and take a look at their stuff. Bronson Diffin Ok. Ok. I'll admit it. I was wrong. The bokken does make a difference. When I first took the bokken you sent for a spin I knew I was already going to eat my words. I know I'm no authority on bokken considering I'm just starting with my aikido training. But comparing with the bokken that I've been practicing at the dojo, I can tell that there is a difference both in the tool and in the desired effect. My aikido-mates who collect Japanese swords have noted that the weight and balance (of the bokken) are strikingly similar. While I also commend the aesthetics of the bokken you sent, I am happiest with the results it gave. I believe that since the bokken's chacteristics/virtues meets international standards, I have been able improve on my movements and techniques faster than with the bokkens I've been introduced with initially. My advice to novice practitioners of aikido: If you fall in love with the art/way of life of aikido, don't scrimp on your tools! Equate your budget with your need for quality equipment. Lastly, dude, I wonder why your enterprise is known more abroad than locally. Maybe its time to market the bokkens here - unless you want to keep it as one of Manila's best kept secrets. Jomar Lacson Just received the bokkens and the kodachi. They are really beautiful. The dragons on the ebony bokken are really a work of art. I certainly appreciate the workmanship and the effort that Artha Gallery puts into their products. It has really been great doing business with you. I will certainly recomend you very highly, and look forward to doing business with you in the future. Take care Sincerely Lew Young Just a quick note to let you know that we did receive the ebony bokken, and that we like what we see -- it appears to be a high quality piece! Thanks for your efforts to make and get it to us. It is a gift for someone, but we haven't had time to present it yet (but we're sure he'll approve!). Domo arigato gozaimashita! Marlene & Jeff H. We did present the ebony bokken to our instructor. He had pretty much guessed from the box that we were giving him a bokken, but when we slid it out to present it to him his jaw dropped, he loved it. Also we had a number of other instructors and students ask where we got it, so who knows you may get more orders from Arizona. In fact, I may have to save up and get one myself. Thanks again for making such a fine bokken. Jeff H. P.S. Apparently we did cause some problems in his homelife, his wife just doesn't understand why he wants to bring the bokken to bed with him. I just wanted to let you know that the package arrived this morning. They arrived in perfect shape and are beautiful just as I knew they would be. This will be a wonderful gift for my husband. He is an avid Martial Arts participant in Aikido, Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryyu Iaijutsu and other sword arts. These swords will have many proud years of use. I'm sure you will be getting orders from us in the future. I really appreciate all you've done for me on this order and I will definitely pass the word to other enthusiasts that we interface with. Best Regards. Marsha Pokorny The Dragon Sword set arrived and we are very pleased with them. Thank you. Many of the students are looking at them and I keep giving out your web address so I hope that you will get more orders via the dojo. Best wishes Deb Ezra Just to let you know, I received the bokken. I am very pleased with it. It is both beautiful and functional and it is the sort of product that is all too rare in these days of mass production. Good luck and keep me posted with your work. Regards, Alec Corper My Ebony Dragon Bokken arrived today. I am very impressed with the bokken. The ebony is very attractive, the balance and weight feels a lot like my katana, (although a little lighter) and the dragon carving not only looks great but will help provide a good grip. I'm at work now, but I'm excited about trying out the bokken as soon as I can. You have an excellent product here and I wish you good fortune and success in your business. Thank you. Pete Merrow I received the wakizashi and tanto today and I thank you very much for your consideration. The wakizashi and tanto complete my set, and I must say the quality of workmanship and carving is excellent on all three pieces. The dragon shrinks down well to fit the smaller pieces and the smooth finish is excellent. The dragon provides just enough friction for a good grip, and of course it looks great. The dark wood and interesting grain patterns and colors make them stand out from ordinary oak bokken and I'm sure they will become conversation pieces. Thanks again and best wishes. Very truly yours, Pete Merrow I received the bokken yesterday and was thrilled! I cannot begin to tell you how amazing it looks and feels!! I knew that I would be pleased with one of you bokken but after seeing and wielding it, that is a drastic understatement. I took the bokken to my martial arts school last night and not only were the other students in awe but so was my teacher. He was not only impressed with its fine appearance but also with its balance and overall fine craftsmanship. It is significantly different than his custom bokken and, I suspect, he likes mine more! For a brief moment I was not certain he was going to give the dragon back!! I just had to let you know how much I appreciate your work and pass along the appreciation from my schoolmates and teacher as well. As soon as I have a little more saved money, I will probably also order the complete Ebony Dragon set so that I have them as well for my collection. In the future, when I open my own martial arts school, it will be wonderful to have them on display for all to appreciate. Thanks so much again! Alyson Hamm The Bokken are beautiful. Each feels alive and unique, having its own personality. Thank you. We will definitely be ordering more in the not so distant future, and get the word out about your site and products. Thanks again for the quick service and phenomenal bokken. Best, Cat Fitzgerald The weapons are so beautiful!!! Now I want to find a display stand so that I can display the Jo, Boken, Kodachi, and Tanto on one stand...I will use them on special occasions when practicing with my Sensei...otherwise I will display them for their wonderful beauty...thanks so much and good luck in the future... Jim Lee I wanted to let you know that I received the weapons and book this morning, in perfect condition. Although I was expecting excellent quality, I have to say that my expectations have been exceeded! These are fantastically beautiful! On a scale of 1 - 5, I have to give Artha Gallery at least a 6! The sticks and bokken are truly works of hand-crafted art! Thank you, Walt Nixon Portland, OR
	Back	Updated Mar. 20, 2010