IanB

Roy, One small indicator is that the mail on your tatami hitai ate is namban gusari hence must be post 1543. But in reality, its is as Eric said, Edo period. As for the guys in the picture, remember that the Japanese did at least issue their common soldiers with armour, however notional, and much of it is actually quite good. Ian Bottomley

Andy, Please forgive the delay in answering, but I did not see your posting until today. A considerable time has now elapsed since I made the comments I did and I cannot now recall what I was thinking at the time. I take your point about the partial re-lacing of the armour and I would suggest that the textiles may have been replaced as well. I suspect my suspicions were raised by having seen so many pieces go through major salerooms with glowing descriptions that were so obviously false. One I remember was a helmet with the front modelled as an oni's face. The original is in the Watanabe Museum in Tottori and I had seen it there the year before. I was rather taken aback to see it was apparently been sold off. However, on looking closely, the smell of acrylic polymer re-assured me Tottori hadn't taken that decision. To return to the armour in question. I fully accept your reasoning and accept you may well be right, but allow me to be brutal and consider the evidence we really have. Although the box has the inscription, which I accept is almost certainly genuine, there is nothing that associates the armour with the box. There is nothing about the armour that indicates it is not of the right sort of date, other than it is in remarkably good condition for that period, but as you say it has probably been re-furbished. So what is there to indicate it was worn by Okudaira Nobumasa? The answer lies with the one small kanamono and the fact that it is being sold with the box. You are correct about the other kanamono - that almost certainly has nothing to do with the Takeda family, and I wonder now why I thought it did, but I still think it is a kamon. The damage on the armour's right shows there was at least one other kanamono, presumably another hanabishi in a hexagon. This also suggests they have been there for some time. The principle one is based on a kamon of a gunbai with bamboo and an ichi, not the gunbai kamon normally attributed to Okudaira Nobumasa. Now I know full well that the study of Sengoku era kamon is a minefield but the differences here are rather large. Being my usual cynical self, I would ask is the provenance of this armour beyond question or should a note of caution creep in - the point I was making in my original comment. Ian Bottomley

To learn what was going on in China during the early years of firearm development, you must read Joseph Needham's book called the Gunpowder Epic. He trawled through just about every reference, in both the West and in China, that refers to the subject. What comes across clearly is that although the Chinese invented gunpowder, and eventually managed to make the mixture explode, their early guns were really tubes containing powder with the missiles embedded within it that when ignited, spewed out flames and the small missiles like a volcano. In other words the burning powder blew out of the muzzle, since it was the only exit, carrying the balls or other missiles with it. It was only later that the idea of using the burning powder to build up a high pressure behind a tightly fitted missile was devised. Needham also shows a Chinese illustration of a gun imported by the Portuguese that has a stock and lock exactly like those used in Japan - showing that the Japanese contributed very little to the equation other than eliminating screws and simplifying the construction slightly. For some reason the Chinese really failed to adopt this version of the gun, making matchlocks based on Turkish prototypes (as did the Indians, except those made in Coorge near the Portuguese base of Goa) in which the serpentine is linked directly to the trigger, rather than the snapping matchlock where it is operated by a spring. Most surviving Chinese matchlocks are startling in their crudity, except for the odd barrel - which I suspect were reused from earlier, better made guns. All of the three barrelled guns illustrated above are Korean / Chinese - but how many are real is a matter of debate. As for the video - where do they get these 'experts' and what do the 'tests' prove? The moment you introduce percussion caps you alter the way the powder burns, since they spurt a flame into the body of the charge. These guys also insist on using modern black powder, a far cry from the composition and physical form used in these early guns. Ian Bottomley

Justin, The Iwai were the usual culprits for shumei but I have also seen a Myochin one (in a Kaga helmet written over a chiselled inscription - an obvious fraud). By chance I found another lacquer inscription on Monday, on an armour in the British Museum that had the inside of the bowl heavily gold lacquered. That was rather spidery like yours, but strokes were missing and it was written over lumps caused by rivets so I'm not too sure what it says except it was probably a 'Muneyuki'. The Royal Armouries have two armours by Iwai Yosaemon signed in red lacquer inside the shikoro and inside the muneita rather than inside the helmet bowl. I suspect they used bowls by someone else and signed the bits they did make - they were after all reknown for their leather armour. According to the priests at Kunozan Toshogu, the brown lacquered nuinobe do with the Daikoku-hat shaped helmet was by him but it isn't really his style of work and I have reservations. The priests at Nikko claim he worn the namban armour they have as being the one he wore at Seki ga Hara - Kunozan say he wore the brown Nuinobe do. Who knows? I doubt your inscriptions run horizontally - that was a trick used by the Bamen who signed around the base of their helmet bowls with each character being on a separate plate. Whatever your helmet is, it ain't Bamen. Ian Bottomley

Justin, Only three smiths are recorded in Shin Katchushi Meikan using that 'Kane' kanji - a Kanenori, a Kanehisa and a Kanetsugu. The first signed a zunari kabuto and was a Kaga Myochin smith, the second worked in Yamashiro and the third in Edo. As for the rest - help!!! Ian Bottomley

Ron, You are very tactful. Multi-barrels and revolving cylinder guns are know from times immoral. Colt illustrated a whole range of matchlock, wheel lock and flintlock revolvers in his lecture to the Institute of Civil Engineers in 1851. I have no doubt that someday a medieval 'hand gonne' will turn up with more than one barrel. As for Nock's 7 barrel volley gun, they were made for the Royal Navy with the idea of being used from the fighting tops, but the recoil of all the barrels going off at once, and the time taken to reload the things, did not endear them to the poor devils who had to use them. Ian Bottomley

Eric, If you ever go down the eggshell route again, don't bother about finding white ones, use the inside surface - they are always white. The trick is to leave the membrane attached to a patch of shell so that when pressed onto a scabbard or whatever it holds all the minute pieces together until they are attached by the glue. You then peel off the membrane and fill the gaps with lacquer. Ian Bottomley

Eric, Yes, this is really what I was getting at with regard to the shanks of the rings - they would really scratch or chew up a breastplate. Curious. Ian

All, Here is something, on sale in Japan, I have never seen before. A steel or iron plate measuring 23 x 27cm ( 9" x 10.6") and weighing 940g (2lbs) with a kamon that looks as if it is inlaid in brass. At each corner are nicely shaped brass bosses carrying brass rings. On the inside these bosses have sturdy split shanks opened out over a brass washer. At the top the brass rings carry loops of silk cord, those at the bottom red silk tassels. The vendor states that it is a reinforcing breastplate. I could visualise the takahimo of a dou being threaded through the two loops at the top and the tassels being anchored by the obi, so it is possible that it could be worn over a regular dou. If this is correct, it would make it the equivalent of a European plackart - a heavy reinforce, usually bullet-proof, that fits closely over and fastens to the breastplate. Similar, but more complex reinforces were also used over regular armour for jousting. If this is indeed a reinforce for a dou it is new to me. The shape is about right, it looks old and it would work. The only thing that bothers me is that the shanks of the rings are rather prominent and would prevent the plate fitting closely to the dou. Any other ideas as to what this might be? Ian Bottomley

Piers, That looks a serious bit of kit although I bet it is very muzzle-heavy. Ian Bottomley

Ken, Have a look on Google at as many yari as you can, to get an idea of what is needed. What you will have to do is build up the bare part of your shaft to the same tapering diameter as it was originally. You should be able to estimate how much has been lost by noting the gap between the wood and the lower metal mount just above the cord hand stop. How you fill the gap is up to you, but it needs to be reasonably solid when finished. Perhaps the simplest would be to wrap the shaft in thin cord, coating it with lacquer or varnish afterwards. If needed you could build up the diameter first with layers of glued paper. You can also trap the rings in position with extra bindings above and below them. Some yari were finished this way. You could also as I suggested cover the shaft with same or leather. What you are aiming for is a smooth taper such that the various fitting push on from the top and jam in place at the right position. If you really feel adventurous, you could break up pieces of abalone shell, glue them on the shaft and then fill the gaps between them with lacquer. I will tell you now it takes a heck of a lot of rubbing down to smooth down to a good finish but if you pick small pieces of the right thickness and glue them close together, it reduces the work. This was a favourite finish in the Edo period. Have fun Ian Bottomley

Eric, That is a new variation on the theme. I have seen several three barrelled ones, we have one in the Royal Armouries, and all had squirrels and vines in gold overlay on the barrels as decoration. They all must have been made in one workshop and I suspect they were Meiji anyway. This at least looks old. Ian Bottomley

Ken, Whilst I am not a advocate of restoration but you have nothing to lose re-covering the upper part of the shaft - after all nothing remains of the original and you do appear to have all the metal fittings. If nothing else, it will teach you an awful lot about how yari were made. If it were mine, I would have a go at re-covering the upper part of the shaft with either leather, or better still that fine grained dark same. You will have to get the diameters right for the various fittings by covering the bare shaft with layers of paper or thread, but it would be an enjoyable project. Ian

Ken, Sadly, someone has stripped all the lacquer and reinforcing bindings from the shaft of your yari. This is why the wood is so pale and presumably the tool marks are still visible in that region. Notice the patina on the lower part of the shaft - it has age and has been handled a lot. In order to fit the tang, the upper part of a yari shaft has to be sawn in half lengthways so that the cavity can be carved out. The two parts are then glued and bound together before being lacquered, or given some other treatment like covering with rayskin or leather to hide the joint. This is why all of the fittings, which also reinforce this joint, are so loose on the shaft. On many yari one of the reinforcing rings actually covers the peg-hole, being made double with the outer layer rotating around the other so that when the peg is inserted, the outer ring can be rotated to lock it in place. If the peg hole doesn't line up, it maybe the wrong shaft for your jumonji yari head. During the Edo period, very tall yari with heraldic-shaped scabbards were carried at the head of a daimyo's procession to identify who was travelling. Many of these yari, which could be 15 foot long or more, had jumonji heads. I have the top of what may have been one that sadly has been cut down to a mere 6 feet or so. I have also seen one that was collapsible - after all it was never used for anything but an identification symbol. The shaft was in about 3 foot lengths, hinged together by plates working in slots in the wood. when aligned, a metal tube slid over the joint locking it in the extended position. It must have made handling and storage a heck of a lot easier. Ian Bottomley

The Peabody Museum in Salem has several yari that appear to have been acquired in a new condition. Almost all the yari I encounter have the shafts smooth and well patinated by time and handling. Those in the Peabody had the un-lacquered part of the shaft still pale coloured, like freshly cut timber. I also remember they showed longitudinal facets like tool marks but they may well have been the type that are intentionally polygonal in cross-section. Although it is a little off the thread, I once had a yari, entirely covered in mother-of-pearl set in black lacquer, whose construction was of segments of bamboo like a fishing rod. You could only see this at the top of the shaft, under the iron habaki. Ian Bottomley

May I echo Clive's comments on this new publication? Whilst it covers much of the ground these authors dealt with in their first book, it does so in a much more detailed and lavish way. Many of the illustrations are new, and all are in colour as well as being in a larger format. In short a work that is genuinely authoritative having been written and illustrated by people who actually make and polished swords. Ian Bottomley

Piers, Cheer up - we can't have you crying into your pillow night after night. I have a cartridge box with the same octagonal kamon on the flap. This at least suggests it could be an identifier of some sort. But - I have had a really good look and did note the hole looks to be a narrow slot as if it once took a flat braid rather than a bit of string. That could accord with it having to support a weight. I also deduce from the sewing that it is of two layers of nerigawa. Again that would be excessive for a label or a yari jirushi - so you may well be right. Well done on acquiring a really weird item. Ian

Piers, I have three suggestions as to the possible use of your gold octagon. I would suggest the second and third are most likely. 1. A unit or troop indicator fastened to the top of the pole of the sashimono. 2. A spear label. 3. A luggage label. Ian Bottomley

Roy, No the mask and tare are both untouched and both have all of the original lacquer. It was the amazing condition of the various plates and their lacquer that attracted me to the armour. There isn't a single plate or component that has cracks in the lacquer and hence nothing is distorting. The only slight exception is that the curve of the lower plates of the shikoro have opened out very slightly because it has been stored with pressure on it. I will try to pull the outer ends together with a temporary cord in the hope it recovers the original curvature. When I bought it I assumed the brilliance and soundness of the lacquer was because it wasn't particularly old - possibly Bakamatsu period or even Meiji period. However it has a pouch attached to the breastplate, the internal fabric of which has crumbled to dust. The helmet lining is also very fragile and crumbling (it has bonji in ink on the upper surface by the way). It takes quite a while for textiles to get into this state, unless they have become acidic through contact with the outer layer of leather. I does however suggest it may be older than I first thought. As for the lacing, it isn't quite as easy as it looks. I would far rather do kebiki lacing - it is much easier to make it look neat. Sukage lacing involves inserting tiny leather plugs where the lacing passes through the holes and it is tricky to get it hanging straight, parallel and flat. Who the makers of these armours were is a bit uncertain. The Iwai were known to make them and of course many Sengoku period armours have nerigawa plates in the gessan and elsewhere. I suppose most armourers were familiar with using the stuff for relatively simply shaped plates - it is the mask and helmet that would have needed specialist skills. Ian Bottomley

Jan and Roy, I promised to post images of the leather menpo belonging to the armour made of nerigawa. As I mentioned the whole thing needs quite a lot of TLC and I have starting with the menpo. The major problem is the lacing which looks too narrow for the spacing of the holes in the plates and is broken in places. In general it looks rather 'mean' as if it has been re-laced with some braid that was on hand but not quite right for the job. I have used 8mm stuff for the menpo and thinks it looks about right. Ian Bottomley

Eric, I agree its criminal. I see exactly the same on Yahoo Japan almost daily - a consecutive succession of postings of armour pieces that obviously belong together. The great tragedy is that the vast majority will never be reunited. I have just bought an armour that has lost its san-gu, the vendor having put in some absolutely wrecked items that have obviously come out of the tsunami zone to replace the original pieces. I knew this when I bought it, and I am lucky enough to have parts I can make it up with, but what a shame. But, what can you do? As for the armour you have posted - what a joy. It is in such wonderful condition and such a rarity, the seller should be ashamed. Ian Bottomley

Eric, I think you are correct. We can get too precious as to 'what is this called' and 'what exactly is that'. Like swordsmiths who made blades with different hamon, armourers also made variants on a theme to comply with the customer's requirements. There is a dou in the Royal Armouries collection that is to all intents and purposes a yukinoshita dou of rather large dimensions. This closely follows the general pattern except that the front plate is in two pieces, joined down the medial line with a row of prominent rivets. Maybe the armourer did this because he didn't have a sufficiently large plate to make it in one piece or maybe the customer wanted it that way. We will never know. Ian Bottomley

Eric, I would call this dou a yukinoshita dou as well, but I was quoting Orikasa T. when he was describing the armour discovered in the tomb of Date Masamune - which I suppose is the definitive yukinoshita dou. He states that it is a 'black lacquered go mai dou in the yukinoshita style ... The takahimo cords .... are not running from the oshitsuke no ita but are knotted to the tips of the watagami. Such kind of construction comes strictly speaking under the term watagami tesaki tsuke. ... There are three holes for the lacing of the takahimo, all of the same diameter as was common in olden times, and the upper two holes which lie parallel are equipped with shitadome.' The signature cannot now be read but Orikasa states it is almost certainly Yukinoshita Hisaie. Although the rear plate on this dou is made from three plates like that you illustrate, the front is in one. Interestingly, Date Masamune's armour was first covered with thin leather before the black lacquer was applied. Normally the lacquer was applied directly to the metal. Ian

Peter, Your story of the ato-mei blades is very interesting indeed since it suggests the Date arsenal was indeed sold off in the early Meiji period. I was fortunate to gain access to the armour store at Sendai Museum many years ago and was astonished by the number of armours, but all made for the various daimyo (and would you believe their wives?). I do not remember seeing much in the way of munition material other than a group of yari in one corner. Ian

Peter, As you say not a yukinoshita dou although there are similarities. From the shape of the muneita and general shape, I would describe yours as an uchidashi oshu dou. These were derived from yukinoshita dou during the Edo period. You have a very fine looking dou that has the look of the work done by Myochin Muneo. I have one by him in a similar style that has Bishamon riding a fish dragon on the front done in silver and gold overlay. Just for the record, yukinoshita dou are go mai dou that have the hinges riveted on externally, have only three holes for the shoulder fastening cords and, as you say, have a single front plate that give the impression of tapering towards the waist. A large number of genuine yukinoshite dou turn up with embossed front plates - something which has always struck me as anomalous since the style was specifically designed for serious use. I have a theory, entirely unsubstantiated, that these dou were sold off from the Date armoury during the early Meiji period and reworked to make them more attractive to tourists. Originally they would have been lacquered, but those that are embossed have that rather 'crusty', dark russet finish suggesting the original lacquer was burnt off, a process that would soften the front plate making embossing easier. I have seen quite a few embossed jingasa and helmet bowls that show no trace of ever having been used and have the same rough textured finish - the bowls never have any trace of lacquer under the peak and no evidence they were ever fitted with a shikoro. Similarly the jingasa are usually just given a coat of thin black lacquer underneath with rather crude loops made from strips of iron for the internal pads rather than properly made rings. My guess is there was a specific workshop who specialised in turning out this embossed work to satisfy the demand for the ornate and unusual. Ian