Dti Side Show

[Henry Wilson]

http://www.nezu-muse.or.jp/en/exhibition/next.html

[lonely panet]

its not sliding, or showing  

[Henry Wilson]

I don't understand. Unless you are talking about your trouser fly????

 

[Stephen]

pix  wont, link does even if not in focus 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21

[Henry Wilson]

Link fixed (I think).  The perils of posting from an iPhone. 

 

 

See you at the Nezu!

[Baka Gaijin]

Just been to the Pinnacle of Elegance exhibition at the Nezu Museum and it is truly extraordinary, if you are going to DTI, don't miss this.

http://www.nezu-muse.../en/exhibition/

Photography is prohibited, but the all the items are illustrated in the catalogue which costs ¥2000

It's an eclectic mix, including important Cultural properties and masterworks from all periods as well as Utsushimono commissioned by the Collection's founder Mitsumura Toshimo 1877 - 1955.

For me, the most arresting items were:

Two Nobuie Tsuba.

The set of Sword Fittings with Millet design by Araki Tōmei which are sublime.

A pair of huge woodblocks from which a massive mounted Kakejiku was printed.

Three Koshirae which have Silver blades, that's not a typo, blades made from Silver and each engraved with extraordinary crispness.

The Nezu Museum itself, which is something to behold, contains an amazing multi level Garden enticing the visitor to a series of successive contemplative spaces and Tea Houses set around a meandering Lake, not three hundred meters away from Prada and Stella McCartney in the heart of Aoyama.

I'll post pictures of the Garden on Instagram, when I get back to UK.

[Baka Gaijin]

Here's a look at the amazing garden at Nezu Museum:

 

[Baka Gaijin]

So Guys, back to my post, has anyone seen Silver blades for Katana and Tanto before?

 

Why were they produced?

 

What is their significance?

[Bugyotsuji]

Religious significance?

[Guido]

In this case they are just completely over the top tsunagi. However, they might come in handy when encountering werewolves ...

[Baka Gaijin]

Thank you Guido and Piers, very much appreciated.

 

I'm unpacked now, so I can detail a bit more using the catalogue:

 

The Silver blades are all fully formed with Yasuri mei and Mei to the nakago and carving to the blades

 

Exhibit 213:

Wakizashi: Wave Design in Makie Lacquer

Silver blade by Ikeda Takao with Ascending and descending dragons  and Manyogana ? script

Metalwork by Goto Mitsuyoshi, Sasayama Tokuoki, Yokoya Somin, Ichinomiya Nagatsune and others.

Meiji period c.1905

 

Exhibit 214:

Katana: Chrysanthemum design in Makie Lacquer

Silver blade by Ikeda Takao with Chrysanthermum design and Sosho script poem

Metalwork by Unno Shomin and Kawarabayashi Hidekuni.

Meiji period c. 1905

 

Exhibit 215:

Wakizashi: Bamboo leaf Design in Makie Lacquer

Silver Blade by Honjo Yoshitane with Kurikara and Vajra Ken horimono

Metalwork by Ogawa Tomotsune, Kawarabayashi Hidekuni Wada Isshin and others.

Meiji period 20th century

 

Exhibit 216:

Wakizashi: Plover Design in Makie lacquer

Silver Blade by Yoshida Shiei / Bamboo Design, sketch by Takeuchi Seiho

Metalwork by Sasayama School.

Meiji period 20th century

[DaveT]

I visited the museum yesterday to look at the silver blades. First time i have ever seen one, let alone four.

[Stephen]

Can we get pix of these?

[Baka Gaijin]

I wish, they are really hot about photography at the Museum.

 

Despite my best impression of  Hugh Grant and an Idiot Abroad (which some might say is one and the same), they would not relent.

 

Just found another:

 

Exhibit 138:

Chiisagatana: Ribbed Sword Mounting with Ribbed Design (Silver Sword Attached)

By Goto Ichijo

Silver Blade dated 1870

 

They are in the catalogue and Paul Martin has said that if enough people are interested then he would buy some in bulk:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du9foStZ49U

 

You can briefly see  216, 215 & 214 at 0.28 and 138 at 0.42 seconds.

[Grey Doffin]

Hi guys,

I'm confused.  I was expecting the book pictured below but the one in the video above has a different cover.  Is this one book in 2 editions or 2 different books?

Grey

[Pete Klein]

Grey - I believe that's the museum advertisement picture.

[b.hennick]

ANy idea of how much the book will cost? Would they be shipped in bulk to North America and then sent on to individuals or will they be sent to individuals from Japan?

[Stephen]

Im getting one from Paul M.

No price yet as hes working out how many needed.

[Baka Gaijin]

As Pete says, that is the poster for the exhibition, the Museum Catalogue is entitled Tagane no Hana たがねのはな

 

Which reads "Flowers of the Chisel" and refers to the Publication which Mitsumura Toshimo created in 1902.

 

(This is illustrated in the catalogue)

 

Pinnacle of Elegance is perhaps more apt. 

 

I wondered if Ford had any input on the Silver blades, as I showed the catalogue to a UK Goldsmith and he was blown away by the technical expertise of producing an even and controlled curve in Silver. (And he does not know the first thing about Nihonto but creates the most sublime Diamond and Gemset Jewellery in Platinum, Gold and Silver, so knows his way around the Metallurgical block, so to speak).

 

Back to Mitsumura Toshimo, who created the collection, as well as  being a Collector and Patron, he was a businessman and advocate of pushing the boundaries of contemporary Photography.

 

He was one of those true Renaissance men (eg Shibata Ka) who made mastery of anything they turned their attention to in late 19th, early 20th Century Japan.

 

Inspiring!!!

[Stephen]

WE'LL 

due to facebook drama (and the neverending story) i will not be buying one from PM, i was kicking around buying a stack to share at cost here,,,,nope not going to do it!

[Vermithrax16]

WE'LL 

do to facebook drama (and the neverending story) i will not be buying one from PM, i was kicking around buying a stack to share at cost here,,,,nope not going to do it!

 Indeed:

[DaveT]

Think i paid 2,000 yen for my one. Heavy thick version with the White cover. There are plently of people in Tokyo from the forum this week ask around. Ive just moved on to Chiba, sorry guys I would have been happy to have helped.

[Henry Wilson]

I managed to get to the Nezu museum yesterday to see the Pinnacle of Elegance display.  Before, I have never been that interested in soft metal fittings, but the display has gone a long way to change that.  This is because the variety of extremely good items was very impressive and over whelming in size and quality.  Most of the work displayed was commissioned around the Meiji period as a way for the original owner of the collection (Mitsumura Toshimo) to encourage the continuation of the crafts after the abolishment of samurai swords.  The focus is mainly on soft metal, the most noticeable to me was the Goto School, Kano Natsuo, Otsuki, the Tanaka School to name but a few.  There are many more artists represented from various locations in Japan (too many to list) and I have only mentioned the artists that I am tentatively familiar with.

 

Personal highlights were two excellent Nobuie tsuba at the start of the display.  Some remarkable Yasuchika work peppered the display too as did work by Kano Natsuo. 

 

Excellent swords were also present, the most noticeable to me were two Hiromitsu wakizashi and a small Umetada tanto as well as a Gassan or two.  The koshirae were exquisite, however the polished ray skin scabbard koshirae in the catalog were not displayed, which was the only minor disappointed.

 

Monocles (single eye looking devices) can be rented at the entrance so that it is possible to have a really close look at the workmanship.  This I think could result in you getting lost in each individual item so be warned!

 

As a bonus, the garden was also at its best for the autumn colours.  

 

I intend to return on the 10th December for Paul Martin’s lecture.  I have to work in the morning so hope to catch the 2:00 pm session.  Hope to see you then!