The Japanese Sword -Museo Stibbert

[cuttingedge59]

Hi All,

Youtube video i was sent the link to recently .

Fantastic display of some really nice items in an Italian musemum.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIkngz2fODc

 

 

Regards

Chris NZ

[Curran]

Chris,

 

Thank you. The Stibbert is sending part of its collection to Sarasota this Winter.

Those attending the Tampa Sword Show may wish to take a side trip about 45-50 minutes to the south and possibly catch the Dali Museum on the way back to Tampa.

 

https://www.ringling.org/events/samurai-way-warrior

 

Until listening to the curator in the video, I was unaware that the Stibbert collection focused intentionally on Edo period.

[Greg F]

Hello Chris, That would be a great place to visit! Georgeous blades and some amazing kobuto. The one with what looked like octopus tenticle is huge......wow. Thank you for sharing.

 

Greg

[cuttingedge59]

Hi

I have watched this video several times now and each time i see something else that has the wow factor.

This type of display is duplicated across many different types of arms and armour displays across the musemum.

if i ever go to Italy this musemum willl be a must visit.

Glad others are enjoying video.

Would be great to hear from some of our european members if they have visited.

 

Chris NZ

[C0D]

Thank you for sharing, this video was shoot during the presentation of the book "Japanese SWORDS: a journey into the art" published by I.N.T.K (the italian association for the Japanese sword).

For more info about it you can visit the website http://www.intk-token.it/il-libro/?lang=en

 

Here at the bottom you can also see some good pictures of the museum items http://www.intk-token.it/giugno-2013-visita-guidata-al-museo-stibbert/

[uwe]

Hi

I have watched this video several times now and each time i see something else that has the wow factor.

This type of display is duplicated across many different types of arms and armour displays across the musemum.

if i ever go to Italy this musemum willl be a must visit.

Glad others are enjoying video.

Would be great to hear from some of our european members if they have visited.

 

Chris NZ

Chris, I was there in 2014 and will be there February next year, for the second symposium of the "Samurai armor society". Believe me it is an amazing place!!!

 

Uwe

[Anthony de Vos]

Hi!

 

I agree with Uwe. If you go on a normal trip it is 10-15 minutes with a guide. If you go with the armour society you will have an afternoon with the chief curator able to show the pices in hand.

Once in a lifetime; http://nihon-no-katchu.proboards.com/thread/989/second-visit

 

Regards,

 

Anthony de Vos

[IanB]

Further to what Uwe and Anthony have said, this is a collection that can only be described as mind-blowing. It is also a collection that has had only minimal exposure to enthusiasts and only rarely appears in guide books. Situated as it is on a hillside above Florence it is off the tourist beat and is quite a walk from the city. It is housed in a series of adjoining villas that Stibbert had connected by specially built halls to make one vast structure that he filled with art treasures. Initially he concentrated on European and Islamic arms and armour, acquiring a vast amount of material, much of which is of staggering quality. When Japan was opened to the West he turned his attention to that source and bought large quantities of armour, swords, lacquer and so on, on the art markets in Italy, France and the UK. What is amazing is the condition of almost all the items in the collection. Unlike the collection in Venice that had suffered from exposure to the high humidity and light of that city, the Stibbert collection has survived in virtually the same condition as when acquired. What is a tragedy to me is that on his death he bequeathed the entire collection to the UK government who declined the offer. 

As Anthony has said, much of the collection is on open display and hence as a normal visitor you are conducted around by a guide who ushers you from room to room giving you little time to study anything, a situation exacerbated by the sheer quantity of interesting items. Even so, if you are in Florence it is a must.

Ian Bottomley

[Peter Bleed]

I was able to visit the Stibbert museum last week while in Florence. We were not there when they offer tours of their Japanese collection, Still, I found the visit amazing!. As others have said, you have to schedule your visit in advance and then you are walked thru under the supervision of a minder. Our supervisor was a nice young fellow who seemed to know nothing about the collections But he was intent on keeping us moving and making sure that NOTHING was touched, One fellow  in our group made the mistake of touching the glass of one of the - rare - display cases. He was immediately and firmly chastised,Thank you!.

The European armor that fills much of the house is impressive and the vast array of stuff that lines the walls is rather easy to inspect. But there is NOT one label you you have to bring your own expertise. The other important feature is that this is a "house museum". It is about the very rich Mr. Stibbert - not the stuff he collected. He bought a LOT of great stuff, but the Museum presents HIS view of the world. It does not reflect modern understandings or appreciation of the stuff he gathered. Right there is a is a presentation of St. George slaying the dragon! And a stuffed dragon is  part of the display. How cool is that? I'll be they don't have a dragon at Leeds!

There are several publications on the museum, its history, and collections. These seem worth having, although the quality of the Japanese materials they present is - well - so-so. The blades that are described seem pretty ordinary. Likewise the tsuba are the usual showy stuff. I have to suspect that the collection would likely have some shinsa problems! What I found interesting is that there were lots of swords that were purchased - for BIG prices - in the early 1870s. That is to say that much of this collection was formed while swords were still being worn in Japan. As such it is a statement about sword use and availability rather than sword history and development.

When you are in Florence, this sure is worth a trip!

Peter