Edo Period Corner Part II

[John A Stuart]

What the heck. The link I just copied and pasted works. Inconceivable. John

[Dave R]

 It has been my experience shooting muskets and black powder cannon that a smoke ring is as much to do with atmospherics as the load. High humidity seems to be a factor.

[Bugyotsuji]

Jan Pettersson has been pushing me to write something about our latest defense at Tsuyama Castle. Therefore.

 

Early on Sunday 4th April, our various baggage trains set out for magnificent Tsuyama in the pouring rain. We all arrived around 8:30 am to offload tons of kit as the rain grew more persistent. Perhaps 100 boxes and bags.

 

"No point in putting on the armour and strapping on our swords", I thought as we lugged everything to the changing rooms. My back has been suddenly letting go recently, (since Tottori Castle above in mid-March) and I had brought a 'new' complicated set of  Kote greaves that needed trying out for size, strength and fit, so I was not feeling entirely confident anyway, in body or outfit. At the back of my mind was also the worry that they might just push this thing through regardless. I should add that one of the characteristics of our troop is that we use genuine antique armour, sword fittings and matchlocks. If we do compromise, it is mostly in the footwear, although some members will insist on wearing genuine straw waraji, with their toes hanging off the front.

 

One mark of a true leader is the ability to get people to do things they would not normally contemplate. Bento lunches appeared, gunpowder was handed out, and our marching and firing orders were given. Still the rain fell outside. Everyone started loading the guns, and donning armour, piece by piece, in time-honored fashion, as if they had not noticed the weather.

 

A message came through that we had been summoned up the flights of steps to the second level of the castle, where the main Sakura Festival was being held. We gathered outside in the street, the banners were raised, the drums and gongs were beaten, and we formed into a snaking column, ready to march off to the castle gates. I tried to find somewhere dry for my powder and matchcord. There were very few people around, although rows of foodstalls had been set up in forlorn hopes. Again I counted the massive stone steps under my feet. "Step by step one gets to Rome", I muttered. Exactly seventy of these later we were up at the staging area. Luckily there were some small tents where we waited to be called. I managed to grab one of the few chairs, hoping age might come before beauty. Rain poured off the edge of the tent roof.

 

Now I have a confession. The wife had made me promise to make the right decision over me back and the heavy gun. "I trust you", she added, (although I have never heard her say that before). All the way to the venue I had debated in my mind. Eventually I went to our leader and begged out of the 50 Monme part of the display. He reached down and picked up a sealed bag. He had prepared a special short section of hammered match for me with my name on it, so I felt both ashamed and guilty. He accepted, but took the opportunity to make loud comments over my shirking of duty, even over the microphone during the live display. Luckily I am old enough to laugh and shrug it off, and the spectators enjoyed the little tidbit. 

 

So there you have it. Suddenly all was movement as we stood up and formed outside, carrying guns and equipment to the main steps to the upper levels, forming the backdrop to our display. I lit my now shortened matchcord before leaving the safety of the tent, and kept it burning inside my cupped fist. All of our gun/cannon boxes and cases were kept closed until the last second, and then we began. The muzzle reports were strangely muted in the rain, and clouds of wadding landed wetly like Sakura petals. A knot of spectators, perhaps fifty or so, gathered under their umbrellas in front of us. I think they had come to see the famous newly-repatriated 100 Monme, advertised recently by the lovely DJ Misuzu San on Tsuyama FM radio.

 

The highlight of the show was when Mr K lifted and fired the 100 Monme. This time it was loaded properly and the boom was most satisfactory. The kick knocked him over onto the sopping ground, but he managed to pull himself upright and recover. Finally it was time for our last full broadside. "Tama-gomé", came the shouted order. I poured a tube of blackpowder down the now slippery gun and tried to remove the wet ramrod. Impossible. For a second I thought of using my teeth, but gave up. As I leant over to insert priming powder, a trickle of drops fell from my kabuto into the firing pan, so I jerked my head right.

 

Lifting up the slimy gun, I blew on the match one last time, fitted it, and cocked the serpentine. In the general roar of twenty matchlocks, she went off better than I was expecting. I am now more certain than ever that six shots in the rain is probably close to the limit for a matchlock, relying as it does on dry powder and cord.

 

Awaiting photos...

 

[Viper6924]

What better to read with my morning bowl of porridge, than Piers latest military operations.

Tsuyama seems to be a bit of a rain magnet. I remember quite dark clouds and rain, when I visited the place in connection to one of your displays.

Very vise move to rest the 50’. Hearing about the power of the new 100’ warms the heart of this ol’ tepponista. Can’t wait to hear it ”live” after this darn pandemic is done with.

Interesting piece of insight at the end regarding the amount of effective rounds fired by a matchlock in the rain.

Worth keeping in mind when you read about the old battles being fought over several hours. It also strengthen my own opinion that matchlocks were indeed a weapon mostly used as an initial shock-weapon. As you say, after 5-6 rounds, the matchlock had played its part and it was time to bring out the edged weapons.

Thanks for taking the time writing this, Piers!

 

Jan

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Kind of you to read this, Jan. In the meantime, here are some teaser shots! 

 

[Brian]

Wow..that was a great read. You have a way with words, felt like I was there. Real battle must have been terrible. Can you imagine doing all of that with bullets and arrows flying by?
Reminds us that war is hell. Thanks for sharing Piers. Keep yourself and your powder dry

[Viper6924]

There are more genuine antiques present on those pictures than you see in a well-stocked antique-shop 🙂🙂🙂

 

Jan

[Bugyotsuji]

Some short videos by bloodcrosslove0106 from 4th April at Tsuyama Castle; you can hear the rain even if you can’t see it.

 

 

 

And the final volley!

 

[Dave R]

You need one of these.

[Dave R]

Or one of these... From personal experience, percussion is more reliable but the powder fouling still clogs and sticks in wet weather.

[peter]

Thank you Piers for the information on what looked to be another fantastic days outing for the troupe. 

Regards

Peter

[Bugyotsuji]

Peter, thank you for the kind words.  I know there is some *footage of the 100 Monme out there, but I have not seen it. If anyone spots it, please feel free to add it here. I am still waiting for the home page to be updated.

 

*4 April, Tsuyama Matsuri 2021 Teppo or Teppotai... (Said clip rumoured to have been shown on something called f/b).

[Bugyotsuji]

This photo has popped up of the 100 Monmé letting rip, top left.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

A few weeks ago I took a gamble on a blade, which partly paid off. A bit like a bicycle with one wheel missing? What would people advise?

 

The idea of a Shinshinto Sukenaga has been playing on my mind for some years now, and so with some loose cash in my pocket I spotted one for sale, registration card attached. Not an accredited sword shop. A signed wakizashi in shirasaya, it had that vivid contrast between the jigane and the hamon, and the characteristic glint caught my eye. There were a few spots of rust here and there. Naturally there are many Gimei out there, so I freely admit this purchase was a conscious risk.  I agree too that I broke all my own internal rules in the course of this impulsive buy.

 

I took it home and phoned the Togishi to see if he thought it worth polishing. He took a good look at it, and then advised showing it to my sword Sensei first, which in due course I did.

 

The answer after some examination was that it was Gimei indeed, a little disappointing for me, but it was his reasons that I found interesting.

1. There are the faded remains of a Bonji character on one side of the blade. He suggested that there should be another on the other side, but there isn't.

2. One of the strokes of the Mei, i.e. 山 has hit the edge of the Nakago and squashed out in a little bulge. This he said was unthinkable.

3. The Katte sagari Yasurime is all wrong, he said. Sukenaga followed his father in starting the yasurime in Kiri at the top. Gradually it starts to radiate downwards, as if these smiths were applying the file from the same standing point. (Today I saw a clear example of this at the Osafune Sword Museum.)

4. The Nakago looks to have been filed off at an angle on one side, as if an original Mei was erased before subsequent insertion of the long Sukenaga Mei.

 

"On the other hand", he said, "this is a genuine Shinshinto Bizen blade in his style, very probably by one of Sukenaga's students."

 

So there you have my problem. Do I keep the blade as a salutary learning lesson, and a beautiful thing in its own right, or do I let it go back into the system? It didn't break the bank, but it might be useful to try and get some of my cash back!

 

From

Mixed emotions in Kentucky

[ROKUJURO]

Piers,

I read your post with great interest!

It is difficult for me to imagine that someone should have a SHINSHINTO blade ground down so much that the BONJI HORIMONO almost disappears. I know that this can happen to a much older blade! In addition to that, why should someone file the NAKAGO so much down to probably erase a signature, adding a less likely one?

As it seems to be an interesting blade, I would research it more before making a decision.

[Bugyotsuji]

Jean, as to the first point regarding the Bonji, I asked him that very question and he assured me that it is easy (not uncommon) to insert a few shallow Bonji strokes to make it look as if it had been almost polished away. “Sometimes performed to hide a flaw”, he added.

 

Secondly, the signed and similar blade of a disciple might be ‘upgraded’ for a better sale by a replacement signature of Sukenaga.(?)

 

PS I forgot to mention that it is Hirazukuri, with a hamon which alternates between the cutting edge and the muné (a long section of munéyaki).

[Bugyotsuji]

PS Your idea is intriguing. Thank you for opening that avenue!

[Bugyotsuji]

Update. This blade went back into auction where it drew quite favourable comments, before selling at exactly what I paid for it. (Well, I had to pay some auction fees...) 

 

Moral. Sometimes you need to buy and study in order to learn, and you might have to pay tuition fees. I learned about the importance of Yasuri-me. This was a lovely and unusual blade signed Sukenaga, but perhaps by a student, subsequently upgraded with a Gimei. (?) Nevertheless, it had attributes of the master, and after my brief ownership someone else was happy to step in and buy it.

[Bazza]

I certainly agree with this notion of a 'tuition fee'.  Over the decades here in Australia where I lived it was uncommon to find a good sword amongst the also-rans - at least to my eye.  My early strategy was to buy anything in reasonable condition that 'looked good' and to learn from it.  My collecting philosophy has never been one of an 'investment' profit/loss mindset, but really to have the view that 'the journey is priceless', as Piers' tussle with a Sukenaga amply illustrates.  Over my 55+ years of collecting this outlook has given me insights that reading all the books in the world simply does not give.  Even if one is of moderate means you gotta dip your toe in the water!!

 

BaZZa.

[John A Stuart]

Yesirree!

[Bugyotsuji]

With the money that came back from that last instructional blade, I decided to go for something else. This fishing business can be illuminating.(?!?!?)

 

This time I decided to go for a longish Tanto koshirae, which just happened to have a blade inside. The koshirae was nice, and the main reason I bought it. The blade looked OK, with no discernable kizu. Mumei, so no one can say that it is Gimei. I did break one of my rules, in that there was no Shinsa paperwork, but perhaps the fact it was Mumei did kind of offset that.

 

The registration card said Showa 46, or 1971.

 

Anyway I took it home and began to examine the package. There was both good and bad, but the discovery process was interesting.

 

You want the goo... bad news first???

 

1. The saya looked fine, except there was a 'cap' like end on it. Later I discovered that a section had probably been cut out of a longer saya, and the two remaining parts had been joined together. Apparently it is easier to fit a sheath to a blade if you cut away from the other end. The giveaway was the join line, and the fact that the end cap was subliminally out of alignment overall. Not a bad job though.

2. The blade needs a clean-up and light polish.

3. One seppa was missing.

4. One shitodome was missing from the kurikata.

5. The small bunch of chrysanthemums menuki does nothing for me. Silver on copper, perhaps?

 

The good news. (Optional reading!) 

 

1. The fuchi with Yamanouchi Mon is signed 常直 Tsunenao, who seems have been a disciple of 長常 Nagatsune.

2. At the antiques fair I managed to source the right size of seppa, and a friend gave me a shitodome with hints on how to set it.

3. The blade, gunome with Jizo boshi looks typical of 寿命 Jumyo. Jumyo blades were considered to be felicitious gifts between Bushi, and their line went from very early middle ages right to the end of Edo. Perhaps they relied too much on their 'lucky' and 'long-life' name. Since the blade was only there to serve as a tsunagi, in my mind, I assumed it must be late Edo.

4. Behind the registration certificate was an old slip of paper with brush writing on it, alleging 'Jumyo' of Tensho 1532-1555. Puzzled by this I showed it to two or three people who might be able to help. Eventually it might get sent to Shinsa, but the opinion is forming that it may be Jumyo of Saigun in Mino, 美濃、西郡寿命 of late Muromachi/Momoyama, perhaps Tensho 1573-92. (Not Tenbun.) OK, nothing is certain, but the blade is not bad quality or condition, at least, and not just a 'tsunagi'.

5. The Togishi has agreed to try and remove the offending bits. (He also took one of my kozuka as he wants to bring up the side with the hamon.)

6. The iron Tsuba is a sukashi 鶴の丸Tsuru no maru, or crane in a circle, with which I am rather pleased. Tsuyama Castle is just up the road; I feel a connection with the former 森 Mori family up there.

 

Intermediate conclusion.

A mixed bag indeed, but all practical lessons for me in a,b and c.

 

Photos follow, with luck.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

To illustrate the above discussion.

 

Shitodome in place

 

Tsuba, (are those tail feathers?)

Overall Koshiraé 

 

Blade

 

 

Mei on Fuchi 

 

[Brian]

Wow....you underplayed that.
Looks very nice!

[Bugyotsuji]

Just trying to be fair, really Brian, “fer better or fer wusser“ as my Scottish aunts used to say.
I always imagine Guido making a pertinent comment here or there and pulling me up, pointing out where emotion may have led me to make a false assumption. He still keeps me (close to) honest! 

Keep fighting, Guido! 

[Ken-Hawaii]

Nice find, Piers. More shopping expeditions planned?

[Bugyotsuji]

Ken, thanks. The quick answer is yes, I try to keep active and do the rounds looking for bargains!

Each situation is different, though, and often there is an element of risk. I found two very nice tsuba just recently, for example, and a battered but lovely Daimyo cabinet. To feed the habit I need to off-load stuff too.

 

On the other hand I struck out badly with a koshirae that was not what it looked like from a distance. It was pulled out like a rabbit from a hat, Da-daaaa!!!!  and I jumped at it. Well, it did have some redeeming features, but not enough to brag about here!  I like to try and improve the things I buy, even marginally, such as by replacing the unsightly four-inch stub of a tsunagi with a decent full-sized replacement, but is it always worth spending such money on? Another mixed bag it was... 

[Bugyotsuji]

Mid-January update.

On Thursday I’ll probably let go of the latest handachi Koshiraé without creating a new tsunagi for it. Someone else can make that commitment.
Bought on impulse.

Straight back into the pot.

The gold Kiri Mon on Nanako Shakudo Fuchi/Kashira are good quality, so I am sure it will find a new owner. The Kagami-Shi Tsuba is par for the course.

 

The cheering news is that having recently bought a mumei Muromachi/Momoyama(?) Jumyō Tantō in Yamanouchi Mon, (see a few posts above), I’ve coincidentally found a Tosa Yamanouchi gun to go with it.

 

Sitting in traffic today, I was thinking that now I have at least one object from the Hosokawa family of Kumamoto, the Daté families of Uwajima and Sendai, the Ikeda of Tottori and Okayama, Hachisuka of Awa/Tokushima, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa, and the Yamanouchi of Tosa, inter alia. Each is an express elevator back in time. Close your eyes and you’re there. 

[Bugyotsuji]

The spring invitations for blackpowder matchlock displays are coming in. Four so far.
How will this incoming sixth viral wave affect the plans?

 

1. Early March, Yamaguchi, Hagi. Three matchlock companies will gather and perform, weather permitting. It will be bitterly cold.

 

2. Tsuyama Castle cherry blossom festival in very early April. Rain always possible.

 

3. Shinjo Village in the north for their cherry blossom festival. Second week of April. Up there the cherries blossom markedly later. Strong winds, hail or snow possible.

 

4. Susai Castle on the hill, another cherry festival. This on the same day as Shinjo above, so we might split and do two, or cancel the latter.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

The handachi went back into the maelstrom. It failed to give me my full money back, but clawed back enough cash to have made the little experiment worthwhile. Not dead, only lightly wounded.

 

On the other hand I have sinned, and this time it is a cardinal sin. Never in my life have I bought a 軍刀 Gunto, and never have I had any desire to do so. Unfortunately when bored recently, I have been flicking through the Gunto threads here on NMB, muttering "No, no no!" ... but they must have affected my brain. Who says that violent movies do not affect ordinary impressionable folk?

 

To cut a long story short, I watched myself buying a Gunto today at an antiques fair, as if in slow-motion, and placing it gently into the back of the car. "Who, me?" I said to anyone in the parking lot (car park) within earshot. "You must have the wrong person!" Actually I had a bad night last night with rising acid, and spent some time upright in bed in freezing temperatures wondering why I was being punished like this.

 

Enough with the excuses, I can take this one on the chin, like a male or female warrior. So here it is in a brown leather saya and tsuka cover set. I know so little about them I am afraid to undo the popper and take off the tsuka cover, and I hate to ask for help.

 

End of saga.

 

 

[Bazza]

Ask for help, please.  We are all busting to know.  Let he who is without sin cast the first stone!!!

 

BaZZa.