Bugyotsuji

Izumi (Iwaizumi) Daijo Nobusada.　（？） for the Wakizashi, but cannot see the Yari Mei. Nice looking set for the Yari. Not as old as some, I would guess from the shortness of the collar.

The quality of the fittings suggests that a Daimyo might have had this made for his son. The missing Kozuka may well have had silver arrowheads on it. There is a slight scratching along a section of one edge of the blade, (just above and to the left of the flash reflection) which may necessitate a polish of some kind. Whether it will then need a new Saya, would be a question. I have had the Seppa and Habaki re-goldplated. The Mei appears to be too good for this sword, so the possibility presents itself that a top Mei was inscribed as a sort of incentive for the boy, as good luck, or as a mark for him to aim for. Ian, are all Kozuka of differing widths? The slot seems to be very close to two Kozuka that I have, (1.4 and 1.5cm... the Kogatana will fit, but not the Kozuka) but slightly narrower, at about 1.1 or 1.2 cm. Actually (having an afterthought) it's not so much the dimension of the slot that limits the choice, but rather the size of the Hitsu-ana in the Tsuba. There is a good chance that yours might fit. Can you PM me a price? In other news I have sent the crumbly rusty three-barreled gun for tidying up and impregnation with something to stop the rust. I have also found a section of old oak Kashi pole (half of a Yari with Ishitsuki) which should be a good solution for recreating this polearm to look more like the illustrations in old Chinese texts..

Last couple of shots

Half a bottle of wine later and here are a few assorted shots. Difficult to realize how slim this whole thing is, so I have compared it to a couple of Tanto for reference.

Many thanks for the kind offer, Ian. I've only just seen your post, so later I will go home and measure the slot. It must be about three quarter sized. I tried some smaller ones this morning before heading to work (on a Sunday, grrrr...) but they were too small. (And the full-sized ones were just too big.) It may even fit a tanto that I have. Please hold that thought for a day or so! (Later. No it wouldn't have) Hmmm... looks like I will have to get the camera out again for Brian and force my turgid brain to work. Does anyone else find it hard to take simple, informative shots of Nihonto? Fun, but tough! The fuchi and kashira are decorated with silver arrowheads, and the menuki look like... dogs. (?) Watch this space, then?

Today I came across a rather unusual item and perhaps rashly decided I had to have it. The dealer called it a 元服刀　Genpuku-to. Later I showed it to some people who know better and I was told it is more properly called a 稚児差 Chigo-zashi (or Chigo-to). When a boy was young his hair was free to grow long, until the ceremony where he became an adult and started to wear a ちょん髷　Chon-mage hairstyle. What looks like a tanto or small sword is actually a young boy's starter sword. The blade is made in exactly the same way as an adult katana with yaki-ire, with a little Habaki, and the koshirae, although slim, is all beautifully fashioned in exquisite detail. Now all I have to do is try to find a narrow Kozuka which will happily fill the Hitsu slot.

Eric, a very good question and I am not sure I can reply in the detail that you require. One of our members likes to wear an ashigaru outfit, but most prefer to look like samurai. With a pistol holster strap round the neck, and a long gun, and a Tachi, and a Triton shell, we have more than enough clobber to carry and watch out for. Armies all had matchlock troops fighting for them; one section would be for wealthy privateer samurai who could afford their own armour and they would carry and shoot relatively large caliber Shi-zutsu or "Samurai guns". The ashigaru would be fitted out with the Lord's castle loan armour, or kashi-gusoku. Their loan guns would tend to be basic light army long guns. Some horse-mounted samurai would carry a Bajo-zutsu or cavalry pistol, longer than the smaller Tanzutsu short pistol carried by samurai in leadership positions. Those of us who can afford Tachi Koshirae are encouraged to wear one, as it hangs free of the armour and does not bang into it too much. Several of our members also wear a tanto slipped into their Obi sash, or just a tanto alone. The style of wearing Daisho, ie Katana and Wakizashi came later, in Edo, I believe, and the breastplate is very unforgiving if you try to wear them pushed down through the Do-shime Obi.

Congratulations on a nice find! Some Christian Daimyo went to the Philippines, including the very famous Takayama Ukon who should have been sainted. Good documentary the other night on J TV. Seeing those stirrups, I wonder if the shop is able to sell gear with crosses on more easily? (Such as Satsuma stuff, etc.)

The brass 'cup' is a Netsuke to hold everything suspended by strings from your Obi. It has a second and equal function as a tinder bowl. You'd put your bullrush fluff or lint in it, and strike your iron against a flint to start a fire in the bowl. With that you can light your 'match' for the matchlock. (The black flask/tube you are showing may be a Gamaho-ire tinder container, in which case that plug would be fine. Tell me, is it slightly off-round and does it lock itself tight when you twist it?) PS The red one is quite unusual. I wonder if it is not Korean or Mongolian? Ian? Anyone?

Just to illustrate for those who may not be following the discussion, or for Eric if you want to restore the last flask. Here are two shots of the larger coarse powder flasks and their typical construction. (Quite different from the smaller primer powder flask construction.) You will notice that the cap is attached to one side. (Both happen to have musket ball bags attached.) Eric, I have a couple missing their tops or other parts; there are many incomplete ones around. Long term projects, I have been gradually collecting bits at fairs to restore them. I have included my best Douran.

Yes, the Western ones tend to be metal with a spring-loaded scissor dispenser built into the funnel for measured amounts. The Japanese ones tend to be, 'a capful' for a particular gun.

Here are some of my flasks. The one bottom left is how it should look. The one on the right is closest to yours, but it's difficult to see that the top is two tubes, an inner one fixed in the mouth of and coming out from the flask, and a slightly larger outer one that acts as a measuring scoop and top, that slides tightly over the inner one. http://forums.netsuke.org/file?id=1040888 PS The triangular one center left (O-musubi shape) has a missing and poorly replaced top.

Just getting over sleepiness at the wrong time, the most obvious sign of jetlag. Been quietly working on new ideas as the inspiration bubbles up, in between regular work hours of course. One project that has suddenly taken me is to recreate the Sangan-ju, or Sanjian-bao more authentically. I bought a broom-handle some years ago and experimented with ways to sit the neck/sleeve firmly on the sharpened pole without using nails. The pole has been set in there ever since, but it looks brand new and out of place. The fixing method was good; just recently I have been searching for a genuine old spear pole of oak (Kashi) with or without a blade, or a Takeuchi-ryu staff for for example, from Bo-jutsu. I think I may have found a candidate. All I need is to catch the guy in and then negotiate a price. See the section of chopstick I bound into a cut into the pole point.

Thanks Ian. Yes, the first is a 'Douran' as you say. With a Kuyo-Mon. Very nice, but they tend to be quite expensive in Japan. The second is a drinking water flask, I have been reliably informed on previous occasions when these have appeared. ='Sui-tou' and yes as Eric says, a drinking straw. Nice condition. And the third yes, is either a priming powder or coarse powder flask, depending on its size. In that shape probably a coarse powder flask 'Kayaku-ire' for a small caliber gun. The whole top scoop attachment looks to have been lost and replaced with a plug to make it look a bit better.

Pic 6 on this page: http://www.cm-porto.pt/gen.pl?sid=cmp.sections/1025 You're right Ian. Looking at the descriptions it does seem that they take a fatherly interest in how firearms took root, developed and grew in Japan. Now they come back to Mother? :lol: PS Just read an interesting little book about the first journey of the Portuguese and how they ended up on Tanegashima. The story then takes the reader to Negoroji and round the country to meet Oda Nobunaga and see his fascination and tactics with the new weapon. In J, fiction, but enjoyable.

Unfortunately good-quality Ukiyo-e tend to be quite expensive, although perhaps not in the overall scheme of things. Kuniyoshi can be very nice and maybe one day I can afford a pristine one. In the meantime I continue to trawl the ocean bottom and occasionally pick up a semi gem. Opened my folder for my university students the other day for lack of anything else to discuss in the Zeminar, and they were quite gratifyingly pleased to see and handle genuine Ukiyo-e from Japan's past. Even my three mainland Chinese were fascinated by the Chinese (Tang) classic theme they could see expressed, particularly in the rendering of the ladies' faces... On another note, I was happy to meet the Italian Habaki maker Lorenzo at last. I do envy those who can work artistically with their hands, and are able to organize their life so that they can pursue their genius, even if it does not look like connecting to a steady income. Yesterday we did one of our biggest events, the Daimyo Gyoretsu in Yakage. We made a big effort to dress splendidly and put on a good show for the crowd. They really appreciated it, with friendly looks and loud applause. Some members of the Hino Teppou-tai (Hino is next to Kunitomo) had come all the way to see us, curious as to how we work with the old traditional procession. This is a real problem, how to contribute to a popular event, and not, as some traditionalists see it, to steal their thunder. I wore my black armour. My suitcase weighs 26 kg, and the gun case about 12 or 13 kg. It was hard to fit both the Do and the Kabuto into the case. Had to kneel on it to shut it. I hope the airline is gentle with it, or I could end up with a split and sundered Toppai Donguri. Let us hope that in 1600 they knew how to make a strong casque. Does anyone know what to see in Porto or Lisbon, by the way, either weaponry or Japanese connected?

Well, in the spirit of your question, Roy, I must say that you make an interesting point. The rather 'brutal' answers are also instructive. As I had the Yari down the other day I also had a good look to see if there were any Ha-gire as I must confess that when I bought them it was not something I was particularly bothered about. They look good on the wall, all their bits are there, the two longer blades have registrations, one of these has passed Shinsa, and at least two of the Yari have Mei. Oh, one Yari is an Uchine, and two are Fukuro-yari. Now, as to the perfection of the blades themselves, this seems to be an interesting but not essential route to follow. My Japanese sword teacher did not look too interested in even checking, despite the famous Mei and Shinsa paperwork...

Good honest looking blade. Recently someone said that red yari are quite rare and relatively more valuable. I wonder whether that means that the whole 'Yari no E' pole has to be red? As to the popularity, or lack of, of Yari as opposed to Nihon-to, I must agree. Like it or not, there is a clear pecking order, even though a Tachi/Katana, a Naginata and a Yari might be made by the very same smith. Since your post, Roy, I have taken my spears off the wall and given them a good dusting off. In fact, over the years I have discovered little ways to mollify the destructive effects of time and circumstance. In the past I would not have dared try anything, but accumulated hints on restoration of Japanese antiques leads one to a point where you decide to take gentle palliative steps. I have six spears (three in polish) and every so often I rediscover that I love them to bits. Many thanks.

Roy, thanks for showing your Yari. "Hei-an-jo" has a nice ring to it!

I had a funny feeling it was going to be something clever like that! Thank you so much, Morita san, that is brilliant!!!

Ah, egg on my face. I have just discovered that the Kanji for 世 and 三十 are just about interchangeable. They come up together in my etymological dictionary. '30 years' means (or meant) 'one human lifetime' or 'one generation', or 'the human world'.

Is there another signature underneath, or is it just my bad eyesight?

Well, I think the meaning will change depending on whether the last character should be read '30' or 'world'. I was hoping that Morita san might come back and offer his further thoughts. (A collector friend sent me this photograph and asked if I could help him decypher it.) My calligraphy friend is sometimes wrong, but Morita san is rarely wrong! :D (I hope that Morita san can be my friend too...) I respect both of them and their opinions, and I am still open to further advice. I had imagined that the first two characters were a phrase on their own, and that a comma should go after them. Then I was thinking that 非would go with 輪 or 輪世, because in both Japanese and Chinese the word 非tends to come before what it is negating. I understand the text is probably old Chinese, and this was learnt all over the Orient, but I was wondering if the writing was more typical of Japanese So-script, or of Chinese calligraphy. Actually my gut feeling says Japanese, but the whole thing lacks a really old feeling to it.

Aaaarrrgggghhhh.......... I thought we were getting closer, and now I am all at sea again. Help! Thanks for the first offer of an English version, John!

Quote: but this sort of thing is meant to be vague... I like it! :lol: (Although the carver probably knew exactly what he wanted to say!) Can you provide an English translation of the words, YimuYin? Oh, and lastly, does it look Japanese or Chinese to you?