Marc T

Thank you Piers. Very interesting. By any chance, is it possible to have a date for this gunsmith? Late Edo ? I add some more pictures. Actually I am planning a shooting session with this one this week end. It hasn’t fire for a few hundred years....... Noted for the big kamon. Tomorrow, I will send picture of the Kunitomo, and on this one, the Kamon is smaller.

Dear Piers, Thank you so much for your quick answer and information. I am attaching new pictures for the Kishu gun. The mei is quite clear on this one. I like this gun,very simple ,and apart from the kamon, no decoration. i also put a picture of the registration as well. Thank you for your help. The mei on the kunitomo is less clear, so will wait tomorrow daylight to send the pictures. Many thanks

Hello everyone, i try to identify two Hinawaju I have in my collection for a few moment now. One is a Kunitomo, and the other one is a Kishu area gun. That’s all I know, and I would appreciate if someone could help me on the following: A)Name of the gunsmiths B) Period. Which part of the Edo period? C) on the barrel, on top of the family crest, there is these 2 silver inlay which are not kanji. Bouddhist meaning? Does anyone knows about those marks? C) is there a book that you would recommend that list all the gunsmiths of the Edo period ( if it exist). Even in Japanese would be fine. Many thanks for your help

Hi Uwe, Thank you for your answer. Yes definitively would be interested by the pics. Always good to have a record of Munechika's work. Cannot wait to this them. Many thanks

Dear Niels, To complete my previous mail, The armor in Leiden is unique . It was made exactly for the purpose of being a gift to a king. It shows the craftmanship of Munechika, but it is probably the only one he made with this style. Future will tell, but there is no record or evidence of another one like this one. I would recommend not to consider the armor in Leiden as typical of his work. The "standard" armors of Munechika ( the late edo Munechika) are different, but also of very high quality. Up to date ( and unless hopefully )new armors shows up, I believe there is ( including the 2 armors in Leiden) about 10 complete set of armors of Munechika in the world, few helmets , and few parts ( do, sode,etc.) mostly signed. For the mask, there is 3 main types, and it seems over the years, he kept the same patterns. Munechika also made tsuba. Their designs were all quite different, but very well made as well. But that's another story. If you need to add pictures in your thesis of munechika works ( armors and tsuba), let me know, and I will send you some. Your search is very interesting. Good luck, and let me know if I can be of any help.

Dear Ian, Apologies for me asking, but you mentioned previously in the post a Momonari signed by Myochin Munechika. Do you remember where you saw it? I know one momonari signed by Yasuchika, but was curious about the one from Munechika. Would you have any picture? Thank you in advance for your help.

Hello Niels, and Alexander I am new to this forum and was interested in your thesis and interest in munechika. I believe the only reliable source about Myochin ki Munechika ( it is the same reading as Munekane, but apparently when he was register as a resident in Edo, he insisted on being registered as Munechika) is his diary ( In Japanese). Munechika was probably the last "official" armor maker of the bakufu, hence this official gift given to the Dutch king. Unfortunately, on the 2 armors that was given, the maidates are missing. The armors left Japan with the Maedate, and there is big chance they reach Holland but for some reasons were lost ( stolen?, storage? war?). That would be an interesting search if there is some document of this period left . Munechika was a well know armor maker, and made armors for both bakufu officials, and individuals ( who could afford his work). His adoptive father and Munechika as well, had some students, and their work are very, (incredibly) similar. In Mr. Ishida book, you have a genealogy of this branch, and students. When Munechika was called by the bakufu to work in Edo, he became extremely famous, and very wealthy. Munechika -'s armor was like having a Hermes bag. It was about status and prestige. He had a workshop, and over the years, I was lucky enough to find 3 sets of his armors with the exact scale size, even the fabric used for 2 of them were identic. 2 of the armors are signed, and the other one ( leather) is not signed, but easy to tell, they were made using the same scales, and from the same workshop. Even the maidate come from the same clan. I do not know why this leather armor is not signed.( Made by one of his student? No sign on leather armors? ) Mr. Ishida who was a specialist of Myochin ( unfortunately passed away a couple years ago), asked Munechika descendant about any left documents from Munechika. They had a lot, but everything was destroyed during the Bombing of Tokyo during WW2. What is left ( for now may be) is his diary, and studying his armors. Signature and date are usually found under the right arm. Some other Sangu parts can have a signature but not mandatory. If it is a full set, you should have the signs in the helmet ( with the date), the mask, and the cuirass ( right arm sign and dates) For "tatami" armors, sign and date in the helmet, sign in the mask, and sign and date on the cuirass, but hidden under the back plate. Of course as an armor maker, he also made some renewal work on damaged armors, made new armors using old helmet for example, etc. I saw an interesting helmet few years ago, but probably not his work. Only the shikoro was signed. Munechika probably only made the shikoro to match the helmet. Sometimes it was a collaborative work, where he did only one part of the armor. Hope it helps. Good luck in your thesis. Would be very interested to read it when completed. Kind regards