Unusual serpentine inlay

[Bugyotsuji]

This is a 50 Monme Ozutsu from Sendai, Date Masamune's stronghold north of Edo.

 

Sendai (仙台 today) used to be written with the old Kanji for 'dai'. i.e. 仙臺, as seen in the Mei under the barrel.

 

Although rare, Sendai guns being quite sought after, and of relatively large caliber, this hand-cannon was to me always slightly disappointing, being very plain, and with no mon on the barrel. (Hidden underneath the barrel there are two faint stamps, one triple-comma mitsu-domoe, and one nine-star kuyomon.)

 

On the other hand, there is some inlay, a splay of fuji wisteria-vine flowers and leaves down the serpentine, both on the viewing side, and equally on the back. I cannot recall having seen such style and placement of inlay before. 

 

In an effort to find out more about this gun, I came across the fact that Date Masamune had brought back a fuji root stock from the Bunroku campaign in Korea in the 1592-93, and today this wisteria plant is enormous, a huge presence in the city of Sendai.

 

https://www.bing.com/search?q=伊達政宗ゆかりの藤&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&lq=0&pq=伊達政宗ゆかりの藤&sc=9-9&sk=&cvid=0FA35231BBE443FBB52CCB63F8AE2F42&ghsh=0&ghacc=0&ghpl=

 

The cherries are coming into bloom, and this month so too will the wisteria be. In Europe wisteria can have a gentle aspect growing up the outside walls of country houses, but for the real meaning of 藤 Fuji, (think family names like 藤井Fujii, 藤原 Fujiwara, 後藤 Gotō, 加藤 Katō, etc.) you need to see how powerful these vines can grow in the wild. They are like a massive boa constrictor, crushing the life of any tree they choose to climb.

 

Serpentine inlay photos should follow here... and yes, I did give them a polish; much foliage was completely hidden under layers of grime. 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Here are some shots of the serpentine match cord arm, and a Fuji vine pulling two strong bamboo together.

External side

 

Barrel side

 

Power of Fuji wisteria vines, taken during a climb up the mound of a ruined castle nearby.

 

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