Another theft, teppo and blades in Okayama

[Ford Hallam]

I was recently informed that some family heirlooms were stolen from the Tsuji Family (good friends of mine) in Katsuyama, Okayama Ken.

 

It probably a long shot but in case anyone encounters any of the following items please let me know the details.

 

 

 

They lost a long teppo, and two swords which are heirlooms and very important to the family. ... They used to exhibit the gun and a few other antique pieces in the upper floor of their restaurant, which they operate in conjunction with their sake business.

 

Here are the descriptions, as close as I can remember them:

 

1) The shorter and more important of the two swords is around 30 cm, overall (from memory only). It was signed Sakuyo Osafune Tomonari Koin Yokohama Kenyosai Fujiwara Sukehiro, dated Meiji 4th year and inscribed "Made for Tsuji Keishin". The mounts are complete and en-suite, of silver-shibuichi with engraved katakiri clouds. It has gold Tsuji umebachi mon in a hexagon and the same mon in silver on the kozuka and the soritsune - or kaeshizuno (a hook on the saya to prevent it slipping through the obi). The mounts are signed Kinkodo Morichika "in response to an order from Mr Tsuji Keishin". The umabari is signed "All kanagu engraved by Kinkodo Morichika". The kurikata is in the form of a silver ring held in the mouth of a shibuichi shishi with gold and shakudo eyes. (Kinkodo Morichika was the best pupil of the 6th generation Yasuchika). The Saya and tsuka are of polished hardwood.

 

2) The other aikuchi is around 43 cm overall (again, only from memory). It also has kanagu en-suite, from the same period, again in silver-shibuichi, with silver and gold Tsuji umebachi mon in a hexagon. These mounts were most probably also made by Kinkodo Morichika or his workshop, but are unsigned. The Soritsune is engraved with a Tsuji mon. The blade is signed Kanefusa (of Mino) and is of good quality, probably of the Momoyama period, c. 1600. The Tsuka and saya are covered in patterned, gold and grey leather.

 

Both of these swords are in very good condition, although the blades may have just a little rust-pitting. The teppo, converted to break-action percussion, with a sliding magazine for quick pill-reload, a swivel ramrod and belt-slide, was also among the things that were stolen. It was signed under the barrel and with an inscription saying that it was made in Mimasaka Katsuyama. Unfortunately, I have no record of the precise signature - i.e. the maker's name, but a gun of this type is extremely rare the only others I know, apart from one I have in my own collection, are kept in the museum of the Sanada family in Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture. To find one made in the little town on Katsuyama, as this is, is equally rare.

 

3) The teppo had been converted to percussion, with a sliding magazine for quick pill-reload, a swivel ramrod and belt-slide, was also among the things that were stolen. It was signed under the barrel and with an inscription saying that it was made in Mimasaka Katsuyama. Unfortunately, I have no record of the precise signature - i.e. the maker's name, but a gun of this type is extremely rare the only others I know, apart from one I have in my own collection, are kept in the museum of the Sanada family in Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture. To find one made in the little town on Katsuyama, as this is, is equally rare.

 

 

thanks,

 

ford

[Bugyotsuji]

Just passed this on to the sword appreciation teacher in Okayama City, but I expect stolen stuff will go outside the prefecture first...

[Ford Hallam]

Thanks Piers