The Goto Shirobei Family by Mosle.

[Rich T]

All, I have recieved permission from the Japan Society, London to run an article on Tosogu.com on the Gotô Shirobei line wrtiiten by Mr Alexander Mosle in 1905.

 

The article is a long one with quite a few plates so I am splitting it into 3 or 4 sections. It is very interesting information and a great read for all fittings collectors

 

http://tosogu.blogspot.com/2006/12/got-shirobei-family-by-mosle.html#links

 

Please take a look if your interested.

 

Cheers

 

Rich Turner

 

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[Pete Klein]

To add a bit of background info for those not familiar with Mosle', in the later 1800's with the opening of their borders there was a great swell of interest in all things Japanese in Europe, the USA and many other nations. With the laws forbidding the wearing of swords along with the abolishment of the Samurai as a functioning class there came a flood of armaments and fittings into the world market. Many great collections in Europe and the Americas were formed, mostly through agents from Japan who lived in these areas serving the wants of wealthy clientele. Mosle' was one of the few devotees who actually lived in Japan (1884 - 1907)during this historic period and had through his position as armament representative to Japan from the Gruson/Krupp company and as acting consul of Belgium to Japan access to experts in his fields of interest of the highest order. He counted as personal friends the likes of Tokugawa Iyesato and General Nogi and mingled with the aristocracy of Japan. From this he was able to access information rarely accorded anyone, not to mention non-Japanese, and with his scholastic mind was able to document much research in these fields. Even the great Henri Joly remarked, "Mosle' was fortunate beyond all but two or three Europeans in securing the friendly help of Japanese collectors and experts to 'revise' his purchases, to reject the doubtful specimens and to impart personally the knowledge necessary to weed the master's own work from the productions of pupils, followers and imitators". From this I believe you can grasp the importance of this paper and would most highly recommend it's study as a most important research tool and as an eye to the mind of the collector of a day gone by.

 

(historic information has been taken from the catalog, 'Japanese Sword Fittings from the Alexander G. Mosle' Collection, Mosle' and His Collection', Sebastian Izzard LLC, 2004 -- http://www.izzardasianart.com).

[Brian]

Rich,

 

Great resource! Well done on pursuing this, and getting the permission.

This will be an excellent article to save for future reference, and well worth reading through a few times at least and adding to the reference library.

Thanks for the effort and for sharing.

 

Regards,

Brian