Please help to Identify picture

[Marc T]

Dear Members,

 

I was wondering if you could help me to identify from which publication those pictures are coming from?

 

 

The comments of the pictures on the right are completely wrong, as this armor was not made for the famous Munechika, but by the famous munechika. Besides only the do is from Munechika, the rest doesn't match the do. At least, on the picture on the left, they worked hard to find the front of the do....Some improvement with the picture on the right. I am interested on the signs in the middle of the back plate of the do ( right picture). There is 2 lines, the left line is probably the sign of Munechika, I am interested in the kanji on the right line which is the date of production of the do.

 

If you have this kind of eye accuracy, and can judge from the picture ( clearly not my case) 😉 I will be very happy to hear your comments....

But If I know in which publication is was, there is chance that I can get this information.

 

Thank you again so much for your kind help on this.

 

 

 

 

[uwe]

Hi Mark,

 

can’t see neither a back plate nor any kanji at all. The descriptions are indeed quite a bit far fetched, I don’t know the book, though.

There are at least 3 Munechika listed in the Meikan for the late Edo period: 宗近, 宗親 and 宗周!

 

Any better pics available?

[Marc T]

Hello Uwe,

 

Thank you for your quick answer. Sorry. No better pictures. I know, hard to detect those 2 gold stripes.
 

I get those pictures on the net.The second picture, in black and white,you can see 2 gold stripes in the middle of the do. This is the back of the do.
These are the sign of 明珍紀宗周、(the late bakufu official armor’s maker.)on the left short one , and the date on the right long gold stripe.

 

Probably the colored pictures (the one with the maedate)are from a more recent publication because the armor seems to be the same, and they apparently found what was the front of the do. The signature of 宗周　was on the back of the armor for this type of do. That’s why you cannot see those stripes anymore on the colored pictures

 

if anyone recognize any of this 2 publications that would be great.

 

Thank you again Uwe. 

[uwe]

Well now I remember Marc!

We talked already about this guy a while ago

Munechika, second reading Munekane worked around 嘉永 / 安政 (Kaei / Ansei).

 

Here some examples of his signatures ( I'm not sure if I had already sent them to you ):

 

[Marc T]

Hello Uwe,

 

Yes, this Munechika.

Thank you for the pictures. These are the ones you sent me previously, and they are in my files now thanks to you.

I am actually interested to know the date written on the armor of the pictures I sent.

Just want to compare the date of this armor with my Munechika’s armor.

To understand which publication the armor is could to be a start.

 

Many thanks Uwe. Always here to help.

kind regards as always.

[uwe]

Hi Marc,

 

I already thought so…I’m probably getting older 🙄

However, I can ask our “book guru” if he knows this publication!

[Marc T]

Hello Uwe,

Yes please. Ask the book guru….

kind regards

[uwe]

No luck so far Marc…

[cju777]

I'm not an armor or "ninja" expert but came across this thread and did some searching.

 

The book for the black and white photos is:

THE WAY OF THE NINJA: Secret Techniques

Masaaki Hatsumi · 2004 · ‎Philosophy

https://books.google.com/books?id=6EEHNynxfd8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

Looks like page 101 for the photos you noted. I don't have the book but parts are up in googlebooks, the pictures are copyrighted, but text is sorta searchable.

 

[cju777]

This might be the book for the color photo you posted. Some of the text/layout is similar... and a picture of it's cover was posted by the same martial arts group that posted the color FB photo you have.

 

https://www.bkrbudo.com/shop/books/ninniku-yoroi/

 

Ninniku Yoroi (忍辱鎧）by Alex Esteve.

 

I'd note neither of these are individuals or sources I am familiar with, and the second seems to be in the marital arts community, not an armorer or collector. I cannot comment on their validity or authority.

[Marc T]

Hello Chris,

 

Thank you so much. This is very helpful. A great start.

 

Thank you so much for spending your time on this.

 

Many many thanks

 

Kind regards. Marc