Nobody Posted July 25, 2009 Report Posted July 25, 2009 Maybe Kirishima (霧島) based on the following information. Ref. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_b ... _Kirishima http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_di ... page_1.htm http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%A6%B3% ... 6%E5%BC%8F BTW; the title of the song is Samurai Nippon (侍ニッポン), which was a popular song at that era.
Bugyotsuji Posted July 25, 2009 Author Report Posted July 25, 2009 You are very (too?) kind, Koichi sama.
IanB Posted July 26, 2009 Report Posted July 26, 2009 All, Here is a little object I have owned for about 40 years. It has sat on various shelves around the house all that time, generally unlooked at because it had become part of the scenery. Having seen the images of Piers' tray / lid and the comment about the cost of lacquering the kamon, I was reminded of its existence. I acquired it because it was made for the Mori of Nagato, and I own an armour made for an official of that clan called Nakagawa Mochinori. An interesting feature is that the lacquer worker managed to paint the alternating kamon around the lid, but in trying to keep the same spacing around the bowl ran into the problem of it having a greater circumference. He solved this problem by including an extra 'three dots and a dog's bone' kamon - presumably because it was easier to paint. Ian Bottomley
IanB Posted July 26, 2009 Report Posted July 26, 2009 Rather stupidly I forgot to attach the images to my post - senility beckons. Ian
Stephen Posted July 26, 2009 Report Posted July 26, 2009 'three dots and a dog's bone' kamon - presumably because it was easier to paint. that would be the edo happy face
Bugyotsuji Posted July 26, 2009 Author Report Posted July 26, 2009 Gotcha. Mori, but pronounced like Moorey. Yes, I can see what you mean. It's quite elaborate, isn't it. When you say 'a little object' do you mean just that? Is it the size of a Miso soup bowl for one person, plus lid, I wonder?
Bugyotsuji Posted July 26, 2009 Author Report Posted July 26, 2009 Piers, It is about 5" across.Ian Ah, that's a nice size. (PS You mentioned the tray so I went back to the previous page of this thread and added an 'after' shot, following some touch-up work. Looks good from a distance...) Do you find that you collect 'perfect' examples, Ian, or are you not too bothered about the state of repair? Your bowl above looks pristine.
IanB Posted July 26, 2009 Report Posted July 26, 2009 Piers, The bowl has in fact a small chip on the edge. Do I collect perfect, - no. I never blame the object for the abuse it has suffered at the hands of some idiot. Of course it's nice if something is perfect, but most of this kind of thing has now had a long life and is showing it. Also, in the neck of the woods I live in, such 'Treasures of the Orient' were somewhat rare until the internet opened up the world market - if you saw it you grabbed it. Now one can afford to be a bit more selective. Ian
IanB Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 All, Since this thread has gone rather quiet, I am posting this, the first of two interesting items of a commemerative nature. This first one was a gift from a dealer in Japan and is something I really treasure. Obviously it involves reading the text, much of which is in a rather cursive hand, something that often defeats me. However, a Japanese friend gave me the gist of what it says and I hope he was correct. If he was, it is the only one of its type I have ever seen and is very touching. For those who do not read Japanese, you should be able to at least get the date and the nature of the contents of the package. Ian Bottomley
Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 Maybe parts of Kote once possession of somebody important ?
Bugyotsuji Posted July 28, 2009 Author Report Posted July 28, 2009 Well, they look like the upright parts from a pair of particularly long Sune-ate shinguards, which is very rare and just what I have been trying to find for my armour!
IanB Posted July 28, 2009 Report Posted July 28, 2009 Piers, Yes, four shino from a pair of suneate. I should have said the longer ones are just under 10" long. I know what you mean about finding a large pair. Most seem to have been made for dwarves. When I used to dress up at the Royal Armouries I used to wear my longest pair irrespective of the rest of the armour. Now you have deduced what they are, the question is why were they put in a packet and when. Ian
Bugyotsuji Posted July 28, 2009 Author Report Posted July 28, 2009 Waiting to be enlightened. That can't be Engen of the Southern Dynasty 1336-1340, can it? Not something to do with Godaigo Tenno, or Ashikaga Takauji and the Muromachi Bakufu?
IanB Posted July 29, 2009 Report Posted July 29, 2009 Time to put you out of your misery. As I understand it from a Japanese friend, the inscription on the package says that the suneate shino were part of an armour that was broken up on the owner's death and distributed to the mourners as a memento mori. If that is true, and I can read the bit about red laced armour, I find it very touching. Ian B
Bugyotsuji Posted July 29, 2009 Author Report Posted July 29, 2009 Sadly my Japanese reading ability does not quite stretch to that. I really wish it did. Not only was it the death of a person who wore armor/armour, but with that date it could really also symbolize the death and dismantling of a period of time, a whole culture.
Bugyotsuji Posted July 30, 2009 Author Report Posted July 30, 2009 Since we haven't done a display for six weeks, and there is a big one this Saturday, the nerves have been twangling a little. We have been graciously invited to Himeji for their 'Oshiro (Castle) Matsuri'. There will be a blackpowder display mid-afternoon and then we take part in the parade in the evening. Last year was one long agony as we stood for several hours in 30 degree heat in full armour/armor while the authorities tried to get everyone in line. This year the weather has been rainy and humid for weeks, and my equipment has green mould growing on it. The last few days I have moved everything to the one air-conditioned room in the house to try and get it dried out and ready. This is my checklist. 1. Kabuto and Mae-date. 2. Do, front and back, and pin. 3. Kote 4. Haidate 5. Sune-ate 6. Jika-tabi. 7. Netsuke and Kinchaku 8. Mawashi 9. Belt with Do-ran, empties box, and Handachi with fittings, Tsurumaki, etc. 10. Underwear 11. Hita-tare 12. split-toed socks 13. Se-oi-bata with pole and pin and Ukezutsu 14. Hayago necklace with Ko-yaku-ire powder flask 15. Giant prayer beads 15. Kai for blowing Swiss-Alpen blasts 16. Large ozutsu lacquered gun in box with equipment and special ramrods. 17. Tanzutsu w/ shoulder holster 18. Long gun in carrying case. 19. Toroku paperwork for guns 20. Lengths of matchcord, 21. spares and tools, eg Mekugi-nuki, lighter, scissors, knife, Seseri, gun-rest, patches... oh, and 22. Gyo-yo & Nodo-wa... Why I usually get nervous. Have I forgotten one crucial piece of kit? Have I forgotten to mend something broken or snapped from last time, slowing down our changing times? Will I remember the drill and not be the one to throw the whole public display into chaos? Egg not just on my personal face, but for all of us, as we have been invited from out of state to the famous Himeji Castle World Heritage site.
Bugyotsuji Posted July 31, 2009 Author Report Posted July 31, 2009 Just had a phone call saying not to bring the big gun. The police are super strict there and they make a show of appearing in the changing rooms and asking to see all the guns and paperwork and checking each one individually. When we made the original application to do the display some months ago, the 20 Monme guns were not listed, apparently. 30 Monme, 50 Monme and 80 Monme, no trouble. Every gun and every charge of gunpowder has to be pre-declared and accounted for. For example: 100 shots? No more, no less. A misfire? Try again. Hyogo Prefecture has had some problems in recent years, involving gunpowder (actually a fireworks display) and crowd control that went wrong, and the litigation is still ongoing. Right. Going home to pack. Wish me luck, gentlemen.
Bugyotsuji Posted August 2, 2009 Author Report Posted August 2, 2009 If my input to this corner goes quiet for a while, it will be because I have other commitments taking me to other grazing lands. Recently I found some interesting little bits at various fairs, but taking Stephen's advice I have restricted myself to paying as little as possible out of my pocket money for things with maximum interest. Half of the motivation for my antiques purchases is for posting here on this forum! Nuts.
Bugyotsuji Posted August 21, 2009 Author Report Posted August 21, 2009 Yesterday I went to see Ian on his home ground: what a setting! Anyone who has not yet visited the Royal Armouries in Leeds is missing out on several large pieces of life's jigsaw. I know he is a busy man, and without going into detail very likely to get busier (more power to his arm!), but he took precious time to show me and my guests some of the Armouries' huge collection. I bought a couple of the Museum's excellent introductory books, An Introduction to Japanese Swords, and An Introduction to Japanese Armour, both written by You Know Who. Also into the bag went Peter Finer's Catalogue and a book on armour metallurgy of the Royal Armoury at Greenwich, 1515-1649 by Williams & de Reuck. The Japanese section has some fine historically-important armours, both for man and horse, and plenty of luscious weaponry including swords and spears, nagamaki and naginata. There was so much more to see, besides the pull to go back and gaze again at what I saw yesterday, so well worth any number of future visits. Ian said that most Japanese tourists venturing out of London end up in York. The guidebooks need updating to include Leeds! Anyone contemplating a trip to the Royal Armouries should contemplate no longer. Just do it. The Museum is free. One word of advice. As I was driving out of the site I saw a hand-written sign pointing to all-day parking for 3.50. Having just paid GBP 7.50 for half a day in the multi-story carpark I made a mental note to avoid said multi-story in future. Ian, thank you so much for everything. I took you up on that kind offer of lunch; just hope your schedule did not get knocked too far out of whack. Nagoya Tokugawa and Tottori Watanabe are now on my must-see short list. 1
IanB Posted August 21, 2009 Report Posted August 21, 2009 Piers, The pleasure, and it really was a pleasure, was all mine. Ian 1
John A Stuart Posted August 21, 2009 Report Posted August 21, 2009 I get the newsletter from the RA and the next little while is especially interesting. The top 10 jousters world wide in tournament and the upcoming 'Civil War' exhibition, oh, the British one, don't you know!! This museum is special in that it has a lot of interactive exhibits for all ages. How progressive!! A lesson here for other institutions. John
Bugyotsuji Posted August 23, 2009 Author Report Posted August 23, 2009 Can't quite tell if your post is slightly tongue-in-cheek, John! Funny thing happened this evening. Was invited to a BBQ and found myself sitting next to Mike J, former airline pilot, who does Yabusame and Katori Shinto-Ryu sword fighting technique(?). He said he met you, Ian, some years ago when he did/organized(?) a Soma Noma horse display in the UK, and at the Tower, and did some sword technique/demo in the main hall of the RA Leeds.
IanB Posted August 24, 2009 Report Posted August 24, 2009 Piers, Yes, I do remember him. I don't think I got to the Tower on that occasion but I can remember Leeds. Over the years we have everybody and his brother either just visiting or adding something to an event. Ian
John A Stuart Posted August 28, 2009 Report Posted August 28, 2009 Hi Piers, Not 'tongue in cheek' at all. I think more and more museums et al. must start making their exhibits more accessible to the general public and thus revivifying interest beyond the 'wow' factor. We talk about 'hands on' as being important, well more and more (within reason) it is happening. The reference to 'Civil War' was a gentle nudge to remind us North Americans there were others beyond the blue and grey of the 1860's. I applaud this progressive attitude. John
Bugyotsuji Posted September 27, 2009 Author Report Posted September 27, 2009 Talking about hands on, we visited the Himeji branch meeting of the Nittoho today. I got to hold a Bizen old Osafune Nagamitsu, a Musashi Suishinshi Bunka 11 (1813) Naotane, a Hojoji Naginata-naoshi ascribed by Kanzan to Kunimitsu, an Oe Bizen Shigetsuna (disciple of Chogi), and a Go-Dai Muttsu Hizen Tadayoshi. Killed a few mozzies at the shrine. Definitely a worthwhile way to spend a Sunday, despite the jetlag.
Bugyotsuji Posted October 1, 2009 Author Report Posted October 1, 2009 Missing me? Funny thing appeared yesterday. Surprisingly heavy it is too. Ian had shown me a splendid red and black bound Nagamaki in the RA in Leeds this summer, and I mentioned it to some people the other day in conversation. I believe there might even be a picture of it in one of Ian's books. So the next thing I hear is, "Hey, I've been given a repro. It's yours if you want it," the guy says. "The nagamaki was made by a Salari-man. He was training as a swordsmith but never completed his apprenticeship. It's completely accurate, blade, Nakago, Tsuba, habaki, Tsuka and Saya, down to the Ishi-zuki, based on a famous Nagamaki, but the metal has not been tempered; it has no sharp edge, and thus needs no paperwork." Well, it was an offer I couldn't refuse, even though I know my wife will complain the minute she registers that it's in the house. I don't really know what to do with it, but it looks mighty fine on the display stand! PS So why did Nagamaki give way to spears in the Muromachi Period?
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