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Posted

Message for Henk - Jan regarding Eugene Collache

 

Polak, Christian (2002). 日仏交流の黄金期 Soie et Lumière, L'Âge d'or des échanges Franco-Japonais (in Japanese and French). Hachette Fujingaho.

Polak, Christian, et al. (1988). 函館の幕末・維新 "End of the Bakufu and Restoration in Hakodate." ISBN 4-12-001699-4 (in Japanese).

 

These titles may shed some more light on the situation.

 

Le Tour du Monde

was published by Librairie Hachette et Cie, 79 Boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris 79.

 

Here's a link to a copy of the 1874 compilation of Le Tour du Monde

 

http://www.biblio.com/books/11327211.html

 

The modern Hachette publishing group is vast, they may have a tame archivist. Here's a link to their main site:-

 

http://www.hachette.com/

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

Posted

Yesterday (Sunday 9th November) was the Yakage Shukuba Matsuri (Daimyo Gyoretsu). We were invited this year for the second year in a row, and this was our last event of this year. There was a very big crowd, and some confusion between the police and the organizers, but generally the live firing part went well. My pistol woudn't fire and it took 4 tries until it started fizzing... ... ... and then BANG, and loud claps from the relieved public. :badgrin: If you have time to visit Yakage, the large and spacy Honjin there is definitely worth a visit. The walls have lists of the Daimyos and processions who passed through and stayed there. Everything, kitchens etc., is as it was in Edo times.

http://www.town.yakage.okayama.jp/honjin/gaiyou.html

 

This site has some bigger pics of yeaterday's event. You can see Bugyotsuji in pic 4 from the top.

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/rouko2005/e/6c9ed ... e6e5953324

Posted

Tanx Erazer for the info on Mr. Collache!!

 

Great photos bugyotsuji!!! love the armour and equipment!!

 

I just got a great book in:

 

The connoisseur's book of Japanese swords, by Kokan Nagayama, translated by Kenji Mishina, and for a fair price too..

 

KM

Posted
Tanx Erazer for the info on Mr. Collache!!

 

Great photos bugyotsuji!!! love the armour and equipment!!

 

I just got a great book in:

 

The connoisseur's book of Japanese swords, by Kokan Nagayama, translated by Kenji Mishina, and for a fair price too..

 

KM

 

Yes, I have a copy of the same book. Originally quite expensive new. It covers almost everything... Now all I have to do is use my photographic memory and commit it to the living tissue of my brain.

:freak:

Posted

Downloading photos and discovered one sneak sideways shot I managed at the Daimyo Gyoretsu at Yakage last Sunday, 9 Nov 2008. We often have to rush to get our kit on, and then stand and wait sometimes for up to an hour till we get the signal to move. Again, I was planning to take more, having my camera hanging in my kinchaku, but we were constantly being 'shot' by the crowd so I gave up... :dunno:

post-601-14196753454934_thumb.jpg

Posted

Yesterday I purchased a Tanegashima long gun. This was not in my plans, but I knew that it could be used as a loan gun even if I didn't want it at home. (Envision one enraged woman) The two guys who had been wanting to buy it, and who had missed their opportunity when we stepped in, were full of sour grapes when I met them later... but I found out they were part of S..... Sensei's inner study circle, so there is something about this gun that they liked.

 

I spend Sunday cleaning the red rust and black soot off the barrel, lock, brasswork and woodwork, oiling it gently and polishing it off, and discovering more about it. The signature reads 嶋屋市兵衛作 Shimaya Ichihei Saku. Shimaya were a gunsmith in Settsu, (Sakai, Osaka); other examples of Ichihei's work are signed with Settsu-ju, according to the records. Despite the dealer telling me the gun is in the style of "Shikoku somewhere" I could find little to support his assumption except maybe the general slim shape of the stock and butt. In fact the more I read up, the more I came to the conclusion that the dealer knows little about guns altogether. It shows a confusing mixture of styles, but not much about Shimaya's native Settsu either. Something (perhaps the slender but perfect shape) keeps tugging at my mind and saying Kunitomo.

 

Our Teppo-tai leader sounded a bit odd on the other end of the phone. "Piers? Ah, I hear you have bought a strange gun! Everyone was here last night and they told me ALL about it." Well, I didn't know what to say. What had they all been discussing? "Er, I thought maybe you might want an extra spare gun for the lend-lease armoury/armory!" :) says I.

 

"You know I bought four spares last week, so no, we don't need any more." he says distinctly dismissively.

 

Now what? How have I offended him?

 

As it happens I have been growing more and more fond of this gun! :lol: The wood is a lovely glow under the grime. The barrel is in surprisingly good nick on the outside and a quick rust blast with the ramrod showed me she is clean as a whistle inside. In fact, I now feel no need for him to take it off me at all. I don't even want to show it to him in case he suddenly decides he likes it!!! :badgrin: Much of the dirt and grime is still there as I didn't want to remove too much of the age. The gun looks to have been hanging in someone's smoky kitchen for a good 150 years.

post-601-14196753508474_thumb.jpg

Posted
I came to the conclusion that the dealer knows little about guns altogether.

 

This might turn out as a good thing for your future puchases... :D

 

If people were interested in it, something good is hidden somewhere...

 

8) Carlo your English is forgiven at last!

Posted

Piers,

It was great to meet you too, and thanks for being so patient with us and all the translating all day. It really makes a change to be able to undestand what is being said and to deal properly. Great part of the world. It anyone travels to Japan, don't miss Ako/Okayama area. Beautiful, and a wonderful antiques market too. Nice to see lots of swords for sale. Some great deals too. Pity it was so close to the end of my trip/budget as I would have love to have picked up a sword or 2. Some nice wakizashi and a few really nice jumonji yari in koshirae too.

The gun was a fluke. I said it was a great deal and I still make the offer if you don't want it, I will be happy to buy it from you :lol: :glee:

Heck..I'll even pay for the clean and service :rotfl:

The meeting afterwards was great. Yep..time did push us back to Kobe, and everything has been a rush as we reach the end of this trip. The highlight of yesterday was seeing that naginata they had just purchased with the socket mount. I have seen socket yari..but never a naginata with the socket forged as part of the "nakago" and it was a beautiful piece. Flawless and in polish. Loved the kantei session too. Please send my regards and thanks to the guys there last night.

Enjoy the gun, and please kep us informed if you find out more about it..especially the internal sear.

 

Brian

Posted

Bugsy,

I notice from the latest pics of your troop, the position of the " neck guard " is a bit " low ".

Shouldn't it be higher while the do is a bit lower ?

 

milt

Posted

Is that a New Year's scene on the side of your kettle, Jean? So, what's the tea, then, and where is it? :lol:

 

Milt, the Do can't really be moved up or down. The Nodo-wa neck guard is a damn nuisance. I hate mine. If it's too tight it feels like it's choking you, and besides it is very difficult to tie by yourself unseen up at the throat and wearing chain mail Kote on the arms which doesn't want to bend that far. We tie them at the front and then swivel them to the back. Gradually the string relaxes so they hang down a little, and then they get caught under the shoulder pieces... grrrr... In an ideal world we would all be wearing Menpo with Nodo-wa attached.

 

Brian, I must send you a length of match cord. The sear question is in the forefront of my mind. :clap:

Posted
Is that a New Year's scene on the side of your kettle, Jean? So, what's the tea, then, and where is it? :lol:

 

Piers, I volunteer to bring the kettle but I let you bring in the tea :) :)

Posted

Hi John.

You wondered if it was possible that old cups could still maintain an almost-mint condition.

Just arrived a full 3 pieces set that is in admirable conditions, with prints showing the popularity of the same theme...

 

Battleship Mikasa :

 

002.jpg

 

The taken of Kinchau (Jinzhou)

 

003.jpg

 

Battle_of_Kinchou_Nanshan.jpg

 

Torpedo night attack in Port Hartur :

 

004-1.jpg

 

Port_Arthur_MTB.jpg

Posted

Those are really lovely! Congratulations indeed. The Mikasa has no guns. Maiden voyage? Looking splendid.

 

Funnily enough I just bought a small plate/dish painted with the Japanese destroyer attack and blockade on Port Arthur, the one where Lieutenant Commander Hirose Takeo died so heroically. (1904, the year before Admiral Togo's defeat of the Russian fleet in the Tsushima Straits)

http://www.jacar.go.jp/english/nichiro/ ... etakeo.htm

 

 

It was on sale at an antiques fair last Saturday, and a friend finally decided she didn't want it......... so, woo hoooooooooooo, :thanks: N

Photo on its way... 8)

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