A box of items.

[estcrh]

I recently purchased this old wooden box that had gone unsold for quite some time, the price was rather low but unfortunately for the seller they did not take very good pictures and it was hard to see exactly what they were selling. I took a chance that the items were horse related agemaki like tassels and when they arrived thats what they were. The box has some writing on the inside of the lid and I am hoping that it has some relation to the contents. There was another strange looking item inside the box also which I am not sure of. Any guesses on what the hairy brush like item is? I am still looking for the correct name of the tassels also.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Well, Ian is your man for this, Eric, but what a nice surprise box there!

 

I am going to make two guesses in the meantime and see how close they came.

 

1. The writing looks like Uragami Saku + Kao or Kakihan, but this could be way off.

2. The brush looks like the top of a sashimono with a tube to take the horizontal pole for the se-oi-bata flag. (Originally I thought Saya for a Yari? & then Umajirushi?)

[k morita]

Hi,

 

"Uragami shozo" , 浦上所蔵

Possession by Uragami(family name).

[IanB]

Eric, Yes, I'm sure these are harness parts. I suspect the cord tassels are to attach to the four rings on the saddle on special-event days when one needed to show off one's wealth. Notice how all four are abraded at the top where they were tied in place. On the complete harness set you show, the cords tied in a similar way are attached to the aori gawa and actually hang from them. I suspect your set was used to avoid having to tie the fancy knots each time.

The furry beastie with the lacquered tube stuck up its whatsit is as Piers said to fit atop a pole to carry a hata sashimono, the side tube holding the rod to which the top edge of the flag attaches. What a super thing!! I have three gilded ornaments that look similar but have no side tube. I have always assumed they replaced the flag although they are a bit on the small side. The screen showing the battle of Nagakute, and the Osaka Summer campaign screen, both have samurai wearing gilded objects rather than flags attached to their backplates. Mine could be just finials that went on top of the pole with the side sticks for a flag lower down (if that makes sense?).

Ian Bottomley

[estcrh]

Piers, Morita san and Ian, thanks for the help, it is very much appreciated as always. I have searched everywere and can not find a term for the tassels, I suppose "uma agemaki" will do. to differentiate from the yoroi agemaki.

 

As for the other item I was thinking yari saya at first but the socket is to round and on close inspection there are 2 small rods projecting out at a 90 degree angle, I would expect to see only one support rod on a sashimono pole and no rods on an umajirushi. if both rods were used to support some sort of banner or flag then there would be two at 90 degree angles to each other, I will have to check some prints to see if that 90 degree configuration was ever used. Anyway it does seem to be some type of finial for a flag pole.

 

 

[IanB]

Eric, Having two side sockets throws a different complexion on things. I can't say I have ever seen a sashimono with two flags hanging from the pole, although I don't see why not. I've seen plenty of double feather shaped flags worn by messengers but they are arranged in a V shape from the socket on the back. I have just had a scan through the 'War Lords' volume of the Gekkan series No 118 and on page 185 is a device carried by the Konishi clan in which two side arms have round black balls hanging from them. These are on opposite sides of a central pole with a third ball on top - so not quite like yours but a possibility.

Ian

[estcrh]

Ian, so possibly an umajirushi type item with posts for some type of ball, gourd, flag etc, that makes sense as there seems to be many variations, some quite unusual. Here is a good source from the Samurai archives. http://forums.samurai-archives.com/view ... sc&start=0

 

[Bugyotsuji]

That is what I am thinking too. Many sashimono were branched in one way or another and there was a surprising amount of invention going on within the greater overall conventions. If it is, and if it is original and not a replica, then you have quite a rare item there, Eric. Even if young, it is still a very nice object to have.

[sanjuro]

Eric.

If these belonged to the Uragami family then a check concerning their battle standards and sashimono design would tell you what you need to know concerning this being a sashimono terminal. I cant find anything in my sources.