Bugyotsuji

Satsuma bits? Thinking back through my grey matter, just for reference. (Not offering for sale!) All I’ve scraped together over the years. Sadly one katana was quickly ripped from my grasp. 1. Satsuma rustic vase (Tokkuri?) with large ‘kutsuwa’ cross. 2. a) Two Satsuma hitoribiraki priming powder flasks b) Three coarse blackpowder flasks, one with large red lacquer Satsuma ‘kutsuwa’ cross. 3. Satsuma gunyō-zutsu long matchlock. 4. Various little oil lights, oil pots and wick weights from the region. 5. Netsuke of farming lady. 6. Small Naminohira ‘Kaiken’ Tantō. And that’s about it.

A wasp and a persimmon? What a great object! Congratulations. The uchidashi is nice, as are the fish latch and 蝶番 ‘Chō tsugai’ butterfly hinges. No markings?

If there is a second, smaller hole alongside the spout, then it would have carried water. Water canisters are often sold by dealers as ‘gunpowder’ flasks. A doctor’s sword variation, possibly, also looking the part as chatō for tea ceremony.

Antler (also ivory, and to a lesser extent bone) was often fashioned to look like bamboo.

If you are bringing in 30 blades, I wonder if there might not be some special governmental cultural dispensation, seeing that you are also providing work for traditional Togishi.

Overall weight would have to be a consideration, unless the warrior wished to show off. During the attacks on Nagashino Castle before the great battle at Shitaragahara, warriors scaled the rocky face from the river below; for that they wore their Nodachi on their backs. Quite possible that they also carried a metezashi.

Many people in Japan will bring things out only if they ‘like’ the visitor!

Welcome. Why don’t you give us your ideas first, Khalid? We do have several threads here showing off people’s personal displays, their stands, their cases, their accessories, their lighting, etc. Maybe take some time to look through those first and get some inspiration?

Bishū Osafuné Katsumitsu Nōshū Seki Takeyama Yoshinao Saku

Japanese bureaucracy loves repetition of the obvious. The facts, the facts, the facts, well in advance, then again in advance, and finally on the spot, and make sure to keep all records. That you did tell them in advance. In Japanese even better. Even then, they will surely ask for some detail you had not anticipated. Keep your explanations minimal. Be prepared to be taken off to a separate room where they may ask you to fill out forms in Japanese. If you have connections or invitations from Japanese dealers, Togishi, etc., make sure to have all that correspondence, contact details etc., ready to hand. A regular courier might be able to help you with detailed advice, but trade secrets etc., would they be willing to share? Expect it to be a hassle, and to take several hours of everyone’s time at the airport, but ultimately not absolutely impossible. (Just to get the ball rolling here.)

Correct, they usually have a small vase or container inside. Jean, I know camellia were considered unlucky by some, but we can do azaleas too! Oh, and create that tokonoma!!!

John, there were both brass and iron, and some silver. One came up at auction some years back and I stopped bidding at £600… They have shot up in value.

Why didn’t I think of that!? Here’s one I made!

Ultimately almost anything could have been used as a Netsuke, including fishing net weights. I have several primitive objects which were probably used that way. These are the only stag antler bits here at the moment, from my odds ‘n ends box, but one has that straight-cut section. Some may be Ainu work. and over

Sadly no, John. I have seen many of them in different shapes, usually with that straight-cut piece(?) missing. Some kind of whistle I used to think, but no-one has yet provided a satisfactory answer. Can anyone help?

忍者 Can be read either ‘Shinobi mono’ or ‘Ninja’, often shortened in speech to ‘Shinobi’. A woman in this role could be referred to as ‘Kunoichi’ = く　ノ　一 (The sound suggests possibly: ‘First in suffering’, or ‘one of the most stressful things in life’) Write those three sounds in order and you get 女 Onna.

If you are ever in the area of Takahashi, a hike up to Bitchū Matsuyama Castle is quite rewarding.

You need to spend quality time looking through collections, at photos in books, in museums (Pietro has a huge list of links) or/and in direct handling sessions. Gradually you will begin to ‘see’ with your own eyes what original Netsuke were. As with Nihonto, you need to see many good blades in order to develop an eye. It is hard to make progress looking only at poor quality blades. PS And some Netsuke I see are still borderline for me… i.e. very difficult to judge.

If anyone is wondering what something is, everything on the list at the start of this thread can be illustrated if necessary. Even battered and bruised…

Yes, it’s upside down Japanese, but sadly no, I can’t read it.

Ninja Rule Number One Leave no proof you ever existed.

Well spotted! As I said before, *many guns do not have hinawa-tōshi ana so this must be an artist’s overall concept, but I suppose if you do, then it stops the cord from being blown around, especially if it’s raining and the ground is wet. I have a private theory that these holes became more common as the Edo period progressed. As to the horse’s head, they must have trained them to put up with loud noises, although the quietest place is behind the barrel, relatively speaking. Even so the horse does look a bit uncertain. Talking of horses, just today someone gave me a heavy bajōzutsu ‘carbine’ with an udé-nuki-no-kan hole in the stock. 1.7 cm bore *About 15% of my long smoothbore Tanegashima have Himotōshi holes.

Sadly, Colin is correct. The rich are not always wise. I hate to think what your yacht owner paid. Unfortunately these NLO are often made of real ivory, feeding the illegal ivory market.

I suspect that Japanese artisans got ideas from seeing these, though.

Roland, Sawada San seems to have used the same book you mentioned above. As to the Taté shields, yes. Actually they soon found bundles of bamboo to be more effective against ball when larger guns were able to penetrate old-fashioned wooden shields. In Osaka Castle they also keep a heavy iron self-standing shield in the same shape as those above.