Bronze Samurai….holding what?.??

[Matsunoki]

Hello from the UK. Hope you are all well.

Please can anyone tell me what the bucket shaped object is that this Samurai is holding aloft…..and its significance? Bell, gong?.?

Never seen this model before.  Many thanks.  All the best.Colin

[Gilles]

This samurai is holding a lantern.  According to the mon(s) depicted on his trousers, it can be one of the 47 ronins (chusingura).....!

[Matsunoki]

@Gilles thank you. I would never have guessed that. Used for signalling I assume?

[Gilles]

It was used to illuminate in one direction like a flashlight. the interior was made to reflect light.

[Baka Gaijin]

I do believe Piers has one of these gimbal lanterns and there is an illustration of how it works somewhere on NMB in his excellent Edo Period Corner articles.

[Geraint]

Dear Colin.

 

A lovely thing!  Just for interest there are some fight manuals which illustrate fighting with sword and lantern, the light to blind the eyes of the opponent or at least rob them of night vision.

 

https://elegant-weap...logspot.com/2015/09/

From memory there was a duel using such in one of the Musketeer films featuring Michael York.

 

All the best.

[Matsunoki]

Thanks to all who helped me on this one. Having found out what it was I decided to buy it so now I wait for the courier to arrive.  Again, many thanks. All the best.Colin

[Bugyotsuji]

A very nice and unusual find, Colin. Congratulations!
 

I did some experiments with one and although dim, the light was considerably better than I had expected. In a blacked-out world with no electricity, they would have thrown a circle of useful light in one direction. 
 

Look for ‘gandō’ 龕灯 chōchin. Also

強盗提灯

https://ukiyo-e.org/...e/ritsumei/arcUP3961

[Bugyotsuji]

Colin, let us know when you receive it. Definitely alluding to the 47 Ronin as suggested above.

See the Asano family crest on the guy's hitatare. ('Chigai Takano no Ha', or crossed hawk/falcon feathers.)

浅野氏 - Wikipedia

 

[Matsunoki]

  On 10/29/2023 at 11:41 PM, Bugyotsuji said:

Colin, let us know when you receive it

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Hi Piers

It has arrived and has already been sent to my restorer. It’s a really nice bronze by Gyokko (also reads as Yoshimitsu). The Gyokko studio, together with the Miyao workshops specialised in these pieces. Just Google Miyao Bronze Samurai ….if you are not familiar with them you  will be amazed eg ….by the same maker

https://kevinpage.co...rriors-signed-gyoko/

mine should look a bit different when I get it back.

All the best 

Colin

 

[rematron]

Really neat piece. The detail and pose make it seem as if he's gonna start moving any second. Makes me feel anticipation when I look at it. Looking forward to seeing more photos of it.

[Wangzi]

samurai air Cannon，lol：）

[Bugyotsuji]

Recently a second one of these Gando/Ganto Andon appeared and I just had to have it!!! 

 

The word Gando/Ganto is said to be a dialectic corruption of 'Goto', burglary, or a burglar. With a directional beam, the nefarious character behind it remains in darkness. Just the job for the uchi-iri of the 47 Ronin.

[Matsunoki]

  On 11/20/2023 at 5:26 AM, Bugyotsuji said:

Recently a second one of these Gando/Ganto Andon appeared and I just had to have it!!! 

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Pic or two Piers. I’d love to see one.

all the best

colin

[Bugyotsuji]

Will take some shots and PM you, Colin.

 

B2-10-01 風流発句合　大星由良之助 - 赤穂市「忠臣蔵」浮世絵デジタル展示室 (ritsumei.ac.jp)

 

See how he depicts the light beam, and notice the 47 Ronin leader's name has been altered by the artist from Oishi Kuranosuke to 'Ohoshi Yuranosuke'.