Arts of Asia’s focus on a Japanese Armor Society member

[Luc T]

Arts of Asia published an interview with our corporate member Peter Janssen, owner of the Samurai Arts Museum of Berlin

https://www.artsofasianet.com/admin/save_file.php?attach_id=56a4bf16aa298313ced9c46ef5f8419d

[IanB]

If you visit Berlin you must include a visit to Peter's Janssen's Museum. The quantity, and more importantly the quality, of the items on display are staggering. It certainly rates as the finest collection of its kind in the Western world and you would find it difficult to find its equivalent in Japan. His curator, Martyna Lesniewska, has written a catalogue of some of the more spectacular and unique helmets in the collection, which she is planning to publish later this year. Her knowledge of the cultural significance of the decoration and shapes of many of the helmets is profound and there is no doubt it will become a classic work of the subject. Do not however imagine it is all armour. There are blades of outstanding quality and koshirae of such outstanding beauty and workmanship that you would expect to see only in the finest collections in Japan. For me the star is a daisho with shakudo mounts by Omori Teruhide of dragons in clouds - the saya done with the tachibana and Hosokawa kamon in gold. Even more rare is a daisho with fittings in opaque pale blue glass which if nothing else is possibly unique. Add to these dozens of other exceptionally fine koshirae, tsuba and other mounts and you will come away dizzy.

Ian Bottomley 

[vajo]

WOW, that last photo in the sheet is beautifull. 

[Gakusee]

If you think that is beautiful, what about these?

That lady photographer has worked them hard these armours hum hm

[vajo]

These are incredible...

 

https://sylwiamakris.com/project/samurai/#lg=1&slide=0

 

Fantastic Pictures.

 

[Greg F]

The 2 daisho sound really special Ian.

If anyone has any pics I would love to see them, especially with the blue glass fittings. Thanks gentlemen.

 

Greg

[IanB]

Greg,  I have a data-stick with the collection on but have no idea which image numbers are the two daisho. If I get a bit to time I will see if I can find them among the thousands of items.

Ian

[Greg F]

Ian thank you mate. Sounds like it would take quite a bit of time to find them so if you dont get round to it its all good.

 

Greg

[DaveT]

I just purchased the book. 

[CSM101]

The daisho with the blue glass, I think the katana is a Daido and the waki a Yamato Shizu.

 

Uwe G.

[Stefan]

The  curator  of the Museum in Armour. Nice viewing. A nice Person  wearing  an  nice armour.

Stefan

[Steve Waszak]

Where does one purchase the book/catalogue? 

[Shogun8]

Where does one purchase the book/catalogue? 

Steve,

 

I may be mistaken but the catalogue that Ian mentions has not yet been published. The book that is available is the photography book with some of the armours being worn, an example of which is the photograph of Martyna (the Samurai Museum curator) shown in post #5.

[Steve Waszak]

Thanks, John.  Do you happen to know the title of this photography book? 

[Shogun8]

Thanks, John.  Do you happen to know the title of this photography book? 

Hi Steve,

 

Check the photographer's online store:

 

sylwiamakris.com/shop

 

There are two editions available.

[Steve Waszak]

Great.  Many thanks. 

[myochin]

Here is the link to the standard edition of the book:

https://sylwiamakris.com/shop/books/samurai-armour-art-standard-edtion

 

Paul

[Luc T]

Great pictures!