Justin Grant

Uwe, it’s a court hat eboshi. Not a kabuto. Sorry for lack of clarity.

Thank you so much. I’ll print this up and stick it in the box and when my kids sell my stuff when I’m gone, some history will not need to be retraveled. Much appreciated.

Thank you SteveM and Uwe! Steve, based on your expert translation, do you think maybe it had two sale dates, once in 1875 and another in 1927? Seems like a long time to have an item on a merchant shelf. Thanks again!

Is the 4th column Suzuki Kingo? Maybe? Maker?

Not sure why it rotated my image. Sorry

I have an eboshi court hat that arrived today. I’m trying to read the bottom of the bitsu (box). I think the first line is Meiji ( cant read next kanji) 8 year (1876). Next column is something 3rd month, lucky day and don’t know last kanji. Third column is Showa, don’t know next two kanji, 4 month 17 day, don’t know last kanji. Then the last two columns I don’t know at all. Can you help me?

The translation you seek is a date, unrelated to the Armor, it’s a date the leather pattern design was approved, Shohei (era) 6 year, 6 month, etc. again, all armors with this pattern of leather have this on it.

They are simple, the urushi is flaking off, and will continue to do so. The bottom lame on the hanpo looks broken. They are nothing unique, but it is important that YOU LIKE THEM. Collecting is a personal choice, and you can't spend your life chasing someone else's taste. I can't afford 30,000$ armor, but that does not prohibit me from collecting lesser, but quality items, that I ENJOY. So don't worry about what others think. If you have real concerns about an item, ask, if you want to know age, school, etc., ask, but don't worry about our opinions. They are like butts, and everyone has one and they all stink.

Could be wrong, but looks like fiberglass.

Jan I thought a practice gun or child's gun.

I will post my thoughts, and they are just mine. The odoshi on the tare is "aged" and mucky and dirty. Look at some of the cross-knots and how nasty filthy they are. Now look at the pristine bear fur. Makes you go hummmmm. Makes me think a restoration or change has occurred post original production.

I'm just north of you. Interested if you have pictures.

John, I see a well used ukebari, one with sweat stains, rips, frayed sections and threadbare in others. However, I think, like the rest of the unit, it was made to look old. I can't tell, but it looks like the mei is carved into the urushi only? If so, very odd in my opinion. Very interesting piece.. Ichiro certainly comes to mind.

The Zunari is nice, but over priced in my opinion. But value is based on what someone will pay. Time may prove me wrong.

I believe the question is answered as such. With the new exotic nation opened, and the world enthralled by the new wonders , would a simple item or one decorated to appeal to this craze sell? The Victorian era was one of elaborate colors,ornate design, and exotic natures. I think the Japanese, already aware of what sells to the Dutch at Dejima, appealed to western people. But I'm sure it was trial and error. The emperors logo was used a lot during this time, so it adds some reason to the free for all theory. My Dad has a set of plates purchased in Japan in 1900 by his Grandfather. They have Tokugawa's kamon on them. They were new when purchased. His father, my grandfather, was an Admiral in WWII and part of the occupation. He purchased a lot of items my dad has that are covered in various mons. But, serious study is needed.

Hawley and Chappelear have a book on Mons. They indicate that in 1688 the restrictions on mons fell apart, and by 1703 Merchants were using them and you could put any mon on anything, but you could not claim it as your own (meaning exclusive use) unless you could prove an ancestor wore it. They claim that by 1751, books were published for anyone to pic a mon from to decorate your personal clothing and items, and it would not have matched the family you worked for. They claimed that their sources are Kansei Choshu Shoka Fu, Bukan, Kakei Jisho, Nihon Monsho Gaku, and many others. Sasama also claims that Kamons were removed from armor at the end of the period and redecorated with others for resale. Most of the text is in Japanese and you'll need to read there. Again, it is commonly held beliefs based on their research of their heritage and history. I encourage serious study on this, as I believe it is light. But unless there is extrinsic evidence that suggests they are incorrect, we have little purchase to counter the argument.

Argument cuts both ways. It's a well established customary belief based on current commentary out of Japan and the establishment that adjudicates these matters for public opinions which are contracted for based on their perceived expertise . You are welcome to dispel their currently advertised position for the betterment of understanding by conducting serious research to counter their long standing positions. I for one believe it's a good path to research.

I had a barrel with this bad of red rust. You need to get boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits (Home Depot or Lowes - I even found it at Walmart). Mix 50/50 and coat barrel. When it is wet, use a deer antler cut at a 45 to mimic a chisel. Scrape the barrel to remove the red rust. Use a cotton rag with fresh mixture to wipe away the residue. You can get antler in a pet store, it's sold as dog treats. This will darken the metal and help loosen the red rust while you scrape at it with the antler (if you have ivory, use it, but the antler works for me). This mixture will also help keep it from reforming. Warning, mix very little at a time, and don't discard rag in trash. linseed oil has a tendency to heat up when the rag is balled up, and can ignite. Rare, but possible. I lay the rag out to dry and then toss in the weekly pickup. I pour the excess liquid out in the garden (wife wonders why plants won't grow there)

Yup. Spoke to him a few years ago. He is around.

Julien, The menpo in the current condition is about $800-$900 at most. The Kabuto is badly laced and has many blemishes. I would not expect to pay more than $1,000-$1,200 for it tops. To re-lace the pair you are looking at $1,000-$1,200 all in. So you see, considering the damage and present state, this is why many are telling you to pass. Based on it's condition, and for the asking price of $3,000, you can do much better. If the seller would come out of the clouds and place a realistic price on it based on condition, maybe, if you wanted to preserve and clean it up a bit, but it will always be blemished. If you are looking for one center piece, I would take the advise given above by Geraint and negotiate on a quality piece of armor.

Updated list? I'm interested in some that have several posts of interest.

I can do it. Central Indiana. Justin

Use caution when dealing with "inexpensive" suppliers because of quality control on the colors. I've ordered 10mm, only to have it arrive at 7-10mm wide, and even the color will vary on the same strand. I ordered 60m of blue last year and a 1/3 or better was black, the rest had lighter and darker sections, all on the same 60m strand. Most farm this work out, and have no control on the color or width. Not saying all are bad, but I've ordered from two Japanese suppliers in the past several years to see the same result. One supplier told me, hey, I don't make it, I just sell it.... Telling....

Rob It's listed in a book I have, but just the name, no attribution to a family.

I am not an expert by any means, but I wonder why the fabric is stained and faded, and with fold line bleaching but not on the mon its self. I have seen many for sale in the recent years where old asa fabric is used to make sashimono and chalky black paint is used to form the mon. Accounting for the provenance, maybe it is old, but the black looks too new compared to the rest of the fabric. I base this on the one I own, and the one I bought that was a modern fake, and how my armor's fabric as a whole has aged in unison and not individually like this piece seems to have done. As for the mon its self, as you know, in the late EDO, it as a fee for all on usage, so we would need to pin down age to a better period before you can assign heritage. Additionally, families were granted rights to mons, and not necessarily a family member, other branches modified the mon to show heritage and connection, but preserve their own identity. I'd ask the person you got it from to tell you where it was found and with what other identifiable items and maybe you can pin it down to a region and then work backwards on families in that area. Again, it may be real, 100%, I'm just talking out loud.