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Bronze Okimono Mei?


Brian

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I am a huge fan of Japanese metalwork in general, but it is pretty much above my pay grade, so can only admire usually. And they are rare in SA, so when a bronze recently came up for auction in Cape Town, I didn't pay too much attention.
Then a few days after the auction, I was browsing and saw it was unsold. An enquiry to the auction house told me they will submit offers to the seller, and so I threw out what I thought was a very low figure, and was pleasantly surprised when I was told the next day that my offer was accepted.
Anyways, I got him today, and I am very pleased with it.
It appears to be a Japanese night watchman..one of the shōbōdan (volunteer fire corps) going around on yomawari clapping his sticks together to warn people about their fires at night?
Correct me if I am wrong.
Anyways...close up there is a lot of detail and he is generally very pleasing if not slightly comical. About 34cm high, nice patina.
I guess Meiji early 1900's?

Wondering if anyone is able to make any sense out of the mei? Or is that a kao?
And what are the symbols on the chochin on his hip?

Anyways..my find for the year.

 

26994_1.jpg

IMG_5177.JPG

IMG_5178.JPG

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You are right, it is a fire-watchman.

 

盛光 (Morimitsu) for the mei, and 火之用心 (hinoyōjin) "beware of fire" for the words on the figure. 

Occasionally some neighborhoods, even in Tokyo, still organize night patrols where fire-watchmen walk the neighborhoods clapping the sticks together. A nice holdover from a different time, like the sweet-potato vendors that come out this time of year.

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Stunning work, great subject matter, Brian. Congratulations on that! These clappers come up occasionally in antiques markets. Would you like me to keep a lookout for a pair? They are generally made of a hard reddish wood that resonates with a 'ping', quite a high-pitched clear tone. Not only Tokyo, you can still hear them in many countryside villages throughout Japan.(赤樫, akagashi, red oak?) Somewhere there should be some YouTube clips...

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Piers,
Thanks my friend. Yeah, why not..would make a lovely display with the figure. I am enjoying it more and more, there is so much fine detail that is noticed every time I look at him.
Can you imagine posting them from Japan with a description... "fire alarm system" or "fire warning system" :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

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Vegan Sourced Ergonomic Disaster and Material Structure Dilapidation Tool - Advanced Sonic Notification Type (Pair). (CITES Approved).

 

:thumbsup:

 

PS check out Kurosawa's Yojimbo, the Nightwatchman uses a pair to count the hour.

 

Nice Bronze Cool Patina, totally unsuited to South African climate.

 

Can house it for you and send images free of charge............

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Brian,

 

Looks like an excellent catch, enjoy.  Your artist is a well documented member of the "Tokyo school".  Check some of the major auction sites for illustrations of the artists works, he was rather prolific.  Teriffic subject, I'm a fan.  Sometimes the planets are in favorable alignment and it just all works....Cheers!

 

-StevenK

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Brian,

 

One can only wonder why it didn't sell.  The gentleman clapper is rendered in a similar vein to The Scream that could be off-putting for some.  For myself, it is a magnificent piece clearly unappreciated in SA.  I see others have offered to house it for you - let me add my offer to look after it and send you pictures.  HAHA - I'm reminded here of a particular gnome statue that was a fond possession of a nerdy engineer in my working days.  One day it vanished, stolen from his office.  Strangely, the whole workgroup suddenly started getting email messages with pictures of this gnomey personage holidaying all around the world.  This went on for months until the gnome suddenly came home...

 

Congratulations Brian, it is good to see you getting a real win.  It's a great lift to one's spirit, desu ne??

 

BaZZa.

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:laughabove:

yeah....I can picture it with a sign in front of it: "The door stops here" :laughing:

Have to post this pic, which is the same as the one above, but larger. Shows some detail better. He even has tiny teeth inside that mouth.
Don't think he's going anywhere anytime soon...Nix seems to have taken a liking to him too.

Okimono.jpg

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https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2011/12/20/reference/yomawari/

 

 

...That group is your local shōbōdan (volunteer fire corps). They were out on yomawari (night rounds) to remind residents to be careful of fire. Similar groups operate in virtually every Japanese city and town, although the frequency of patrols and the number of participants has dropped in recent years.

 

Most fire-corps patrols carry the sticks you saw, which are called hyōshigi. The drill generally goes like this: Clap the sticks twice (the sound of which is expressed as “kachin, kachin“) and follow it with a call of “Hi no yōjin!” (“Watch out for fire!”) Some groups throw in other fire-prevention slogans, such as “Māchi ippon, hi no moto!” (“A single match can start a fire!”).

These are the same sticks used in sumo tournaments to call wrestlers to the ring, and in kabuki to signal key moments such as the start of the play or an actor’s entrance. You only need hear these sticks once to understand why they are so widely used: They produce a high, loud and very arresting sound.

...The history of volunteer fire corps is generally traced back to 1648, when an order was issued in Edo (now Tokyo) instructing residents to take turns patrolling at night to make sure everyone was being careful with fire. This wasn’t the first time Japanese people had cooperated on the issue of fire, of course; communities were putting out fires together long before that. But since its designation as the de facto capitol of the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1603, Edo had grown ever larger and more densely populated. With so many people living closely together in highly combustible wooden dwellings, fire had become a much greater danger. The Meiriki fire in 1657, for example, burned in Edo for two days and killed an estimated 100,000 people....

Sounds like they just remind people to put out their fires and be aware. More info in the link. I like it, a very community-based thing to do.

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拍子木 'Hyoshigi' is the general word for these meaning beat/rhythm sticks. The nightwatchmen used a pair which would have hung in the community meeting room.

柝 'Taku' or 'Ki', though, when used in Kabuki and Sumo. Priests might use a pair which they kept slipped into their kimono sleeve.

 

Considered to be a type of musical instrument, but from the above usages I am guessing used mainly to concentrate listeners' attention.

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