Bugyotsuji

This would ultimately be a decision by Brian whether or not to set up a corner, unless we use what we already have with a single giant catch-all Netsuke thread, within 'Other Japanese arts'. Netsuke are a huge subject though, with octopus tentacles, so one thread may well be asking too much. There have been Netsuke posts and queries on and off here on the NMB, also over in the translation section, maybe fifty or more in total over the last ten or fifteen years. We could call it something like, erm... uh.... hey, here's an original idea, what about "Netsuke Nook"? (Cheesy, but actually that's quite good, Malcolm! ) Disclaimer On a personal level, with some exceptions, I do not collect upmarket provenanced Victorian-era Netsuke from auction house sales, because I could not afford to play with the big guys and gals. Luckily I never invested heavily in ivory as that could have cleaned me out. My collection was mostly built visiting collectors, and trawling local antiques fairs and markets in Japan, looking for the genuine and unusual, some rustic or artisanal, spotting the odd gem; this year so far in total about seven or eight Netsuke. Four particularly interesting Netsuke have led me to write articles for Rosemary Bandini's EuroNetsuke magazine. In some cases I have found an almost identical Netsuke by the very same carver, worth something in the West, but with no provenance behind it, incomparably cheaper in Japan. (Yes, I know, Jack-of-all-trades, that's me!)

Taking the Tamba theme one step further, still in the fevered imagination of course, if you combine the number 八 eight with these pot lids 亠 (tō), then the outline and internal piece of the Kanji 丹 Tan may be covered, or suggested.

If this medic was with the army, stationed somewhere on the continent, packed with vital medicines it would be a good idea to have contact information in the local language(s).(?)

Re Kurikata/Bruno. Playing with the Mei, which looks like 丹州篠山定正... (?) and then playing with 丹 Tan, and the Mon for that... Could it be eight of these central pieces? Photo of Kamon, Tan

The question is Kurikata Bruno's, right? Dale's is showing the I Ching, the Book of Changes. I ching - 検索 画像

PS When doing your research make sure not to confuse 貞一 'Sadakazu' with 貞勝 'Sadakatsu', another Gassan smith.

As someone once said, smoothbore matchlocks were never going to be seriously accurate. With no rifling, the knuckleball effect almost guarantees a measure of inaccuracy. For this reason the sights, especially on larger hand-held weapons, were more like a token statement. The only other photos I have come from Sawada's book. One is the front sight with a hole, from a Satsuma gun. The other is a ladder sight owned by Mr Sawada himself that he proudly carries around showing people, being such a rare object. And double-boxed! 1. 2.

Dyslexic is fine. Thanks for letting us know! Get both!!! (That’s what they tell me.)

Gassan Sadakazu Tantō. (How long is the blade?) (Short answer)

凉楽 Does anyone see this?

Meantime here are some bronze arrow tips found in a kofun period tomb. Cleaned up for the local museum

That’s what I mean. If it says Kikusui 菊水, then we are all happy, but it looks as if it has been written over, so unfortunately I cannot be sure either way. Anyone else? What was in the box?

Does anyone else get feelings of Bizen Sukesada?

Can't read the two characters, although I would like them to be 菊水 for simplicity! The other single black splash/squiggle is a Kao 花王 artist signature.

(Kevin, apologies, I was replying to the thread starter.)

Sure Alex, it's a tough one, and a case can be made either way. As with classic cars, if it is a part of history, and there's enough good meat in it to enjoy, then why not? Many if not most examples out there have a repair of one kind or another, often old repairs, but not exclusively old. Some new repairs are fine, others plain naughty! Auctions sites will often mention evidence of repairs. In my case the barrel was mostly fine, a gift from a friend, but leaning in a corner doing absolutely zilch, nada. Then another friend offered me this old battered stock from the woodpile, and I was surprised to see how they fitted together pretty well! As a decorative object, with genuine parts, it's just about got its foot in the door...

Jacques, what do you mean by 'upper' and 'lower'?

And the Mei Luckily the wife was out shopping

Meantime I finally got the long Yari down for a health check on the tiny sankaku blade. Signed Yamashiro no Kami Kunishige. Overall About the length of my forefinger.

Maybe I’ll leave it like this. (A friend urges to go the whole hog, i.e. fix it up with a working lock and serpentine.)

If it’s Japanese it’s the name Nakao 中尾. The rest is in two other languages like Mongolian, Thai or Burmese…(?)

Richard, you spelt/spelled 'Sukesada' wrong. Was that a slip of the keyboard, or are you totally new to Nihonto? In the meantime, 75 cm is a relatively long blade. Will you be OK with shipping? Also, are they both in shirasaya or does either of them have full koshirae available? Ultimately, it will be a question of how you feel as you gaze at the blade. Which one might you get tired of, and which one bears looking at repeatedly with pleasure and satisfaction?

It's tempting to have a proper Netsuke corner (even temporarily) here on the NMB. Pietro, where are you?! The INS (International Netsuke Society) forum has been wallowing in the seas for months, actually years now, almost unable to function. Seven or eight times out of ten it says that the site is down; even when it's up, attempting to post a photo seems never to work.

Allegedly there should be a small gap between the edge of the kozuka handle and the machi. This was to avoid damaging the handle.

Some years ago I bought a simple bone Netsuke but I was never sure why the design was the way it was. Some kind of rain dragon design, sure, but… Today while searching through Mon books for something else, I suddenly spotted a Mon/Kamon that fitted the bill. Two pieces of the puzzle. A The offending object B the Kamon Ama-ryu-bishi 雨竜菱