Bugyotsuji

Strangely the most useful tool in my workshop is possibly a toothpick, the very same one that I have already used for tweaking so many little jobs! Two Sundays ago one of our matchlock troop showed me some photos of a zunari kabuto that he is restoring. He has rubbed it all down to a base in preparation for a lacquer coating. One of the wakidaté side tsunomoto was missing so he has created a new one for it, and that too will be covered in lacquer. I expressed amazement at his courage and ability in attempting such a challenging job! Thinking about that later, and conscious of this thread, I then decided to take a box of restored powder flasks to our latest meet on Sunday April the 12th. They all crowded round as I set them the challenge of finding which parts were original and which bits were restorations. In the beginning no one found anything, and even real old parts were questioned, but gradually as they got their eyes in (with a little help from me!) they started spotting things. Some cheeky questions bubbled up like “If we get the right answer, can we keep them?”

On another level, but in the Meiji period there was a man called Yasunosuke from the Kyoto Ryubundo foundry of Tetsubin iron kettles who specialized in bronze articulated insects. Quite heavy in the hand. These will not break the bank but if anyone ever finds one, go for it! They are collectors’ pieces nowadays. 安の介

Certainly the lower hole has removed the right foot of 門

What he said above. I’ve had some really fine work done with laser welding.

A dragon is a snake with an über fancy head, legs and tail!

The monetary value? In the US? Are you wanting to guess what was paid for it at 'an antique shop' in Japan? I am guessing somewhere around $50 +/-. The real value surely lies in the symbolic gift, a link between you and your teacher, of an object that was made at a historical point in time as part of the long historical culture of Nihonto.

James, is it squarish, a perfect square, rectangular or what?

Rather than kantei papers, the pamphlet is simply an export permit for your Tadashige from the Japanese Bureau of Cultural affairs, dated Heisei 18, certifying that it will break no cultural artifact laws by its export.

John, thanks for the heads-up. I remember Daruma from when we lived in Kansai, an erudite magazine which aims high. Sadly no, I do not have that issue, but it does look interesting! I have just one single book on andon/shokudai, in Japanese with 100 b/w photographs, my old fall-back. It's amazing the variety of lighting equipment you can come across from way back when.

Finding myself agreeing with much of what has been written above.

Needed a vertical pin. Notice the ‘Western’ style key in the above padlock. The one below had just the right vertical pin length.

Not sure about the China angle John, but I think most of the old locks with a sprung prong key that we find were common throughout Asia. As to my made-up word ‘drum’, perhaps ‘cylindrical’ padlock might have been a better expression.(?) Such external locks and keys are of course another collecting field about which I know close to nothing. The funa-dansu safe was missing all four of the keys including the internal ones so I was happy when a locksmith agreed to make me a set. You have done a really neat job on your suzuribako, John, something to be proud of.

Bruno, the one on the right is upside down. Looks like a (haiku?) poem on the left.

Does the blade attract a magnet?

And in a more concentrated form on a ‘funa-dansu’ ship’s safe, designed with a heavy front so that it would float door-down (relatively watertight) should the sailing ship sink. These were expensive (for me on my salary) about 20 years ago but they’re a tenth of the price nowadays. I had a set of keys made for it, and one day about 10 years ago I found an old drum lock that fitted it perfectly.

It kind of has the same spirit as this old box, the one with which I started this thread…

Yes indeed. Well done. Many thanks.

These long Õdachi blades were actually used, according to a knowledgeable friend with whom I was chatting the other day. They had a very long Tsuka too.

Not easy to answer as antiques markets and dealers vary. Whenever I do rarely see Edo-period tongs for a candle holder, as I collect old lamps and lanterns and candle holders, I expect to pay JPY 2,000 to 3,000 for them. They may be more expensive in a shop in a city somewhere. Iron ones seem to be rarer than shinchu (brass).　Open-air markets can produce bargains though. So when I asked the dealer if he would sell the pair separately, he said 'No'. I didn't push my luck as I had never dealt with this guy before. But then he added that he wanted ￥3,000 for the whole box! Those little ribbed spatulas can easily be ￥1,000 each. Well, that was a no-brainer, so I snapped it up before anyone else could get any funny ideas! Didn't even haggle. To be fair, the tongs were in terrible condition, covered in black and red paint or lacquer or something so it took some time to chip that away and restore them.

Swordjoe, (you forgot to add your real name) you have just downgraded me for suggesting 遠藤 Endo above.

The nakago shots are all upside down. (The end of the nakago tang should point towards you.) 天秀? 遠藤?

Perhaps someone can explain their use better? For everyday use when burning charcoal for heating a tetsubin, yes, but also for the tea ceremony, to keep the ash ground neatly raked. (What I really wanted was the candle/wick pincers/tongs; all the rest were a bonus.)

Very, very close. Think of a hibachi and its uses.

About 20 cm x 20 cm sir!

Tom, thank you! I’ve passed these on and received a note of appreciation in return. ( And whereabouts did you have it polished? Just a general, non-specific answer is fine!)