Armor on Antiques Roadshow

[Grey Doffin]

Hi guys,

Did anyone who knows more about armor than I do (doesn't take much) see the suit on tonight's Roadshow? Here's a link to the spot: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/201002A04.html

I'm curious how accurate the appraiser was.

Grey

[estcrh]

I'm curious how accurate the appraiser was.

Not very accurate in my opinion. First you would need a magnet to be able to tell the metal from leather armor pieces. If you notice the shin guards (suneate) are mounted on the shoulders!!! He talked about the "missing gloves", not sure what he meant as the armored sleeves (kote) appear to have their finger guards (tekko) intact, the kote looks like a high quality item and possibly what is called "kaga" style. The chest armor (dou) looks to be made of small individual scales (hon kozane), but it would have to be closely examined to see it they were real scales or just large metal plates cut to look like scales (false scales or kiritsuke-kozane). The helmet (kabuto) looks like it could a 64 plate with raised rivets (64 Ken Ko-boshi kabuto). The facial armor (menpo) looks to be very high quality with textured lines and what looks like some sort of gold inlay or overlay. The appraiser stated that the armor was probably from the 1800s but depending on what a close examination showed it could be quite a bit older, or at least some parts such as the helmet bowl (hachi). Not many people in the world can really do a cursory look at a samurai armor and get it right the first time. It is not something you can take a class on. Anyone else care to take a crack at it?

[Justin Grant]

Looking at the hachi, I am guessing mid/late Edo in the "revival of old" period of armor making because of the Fukigaeshi are the exaggerated look.

 

The Kote are there, and look nice, but not sure (because of the small pictures) if they are a matched set with this armor. The Tetsu Sabiji finish does not seems to match the other sangu, the Kabuto looks as if it might be tetsu sabiji but the Men-o-shita (spelling) looks like it is covered in urushi.

 

Higher quality samurai gear, but may be a composite set, but that does not mean I would not be proud to own it.

[Bugyotsuji]

From the way he keeps changing the subject, he sounds as though he is not really sure about anything, including Samurai 'sabers'. Probably relieved that he has a 'Wow!' captive audience.

[IanB]

All, Largely bull I'm afraid. Swords glancing off scales? Really? Did he not notice the scale heads are facing up and would catch the sword? As for finger scales!!! He was correct about the Chinese brocade though - more his specallity I suspect.

What we had was a very nice Edo period armour made for a member of the Sakakibara family - wheel mon. Loved the maedate with the aoi leaves behing the kuwagata. The haraidate had broken off the helmet so it couldn't be displayed. Sadly lacking its sode, otherwise all there and very high quality and splendid condition. The helmet bowl looked to be either Saotome or by Nagamichi. I suspect it may be by the latter because of the triple line of rivets on the front plate.

Ian Bottomley

[sanjuro]

With the Antique Roadshow I have noticed that where particularly Japanese items are concerned, the presenters have very little if any real knowledge. There was a woman on there some time ago, trying to make something of an old tanto (actually an Aikuchi) that had been brought in. Frankly it was a disaster since everything she said was utter rubbish and moreso when she started trying to connect that particular style to the act of 'hara kiri' as she put it but actually meant seppuku. As we know, the two are not synonymous.

They may be well versed in European antiques and sometimes the Japanese ceramics that crop up, but Japanese arms and armour tend to leave them looking more than a little lost.

[kusunokimasahige]

It depends which Antiques Roadshow you are watching. The BBC one has great experts.

 

KM

[sanjuro]

It was actually the BBC one I was referring to in relation to the aikuchi........ European antiques leave me fairly cold since I grew up in a house surrounded by them, so I watch the occasional segments on Japanese items fairly closely.

[kusunokimasahige]

Must be an episode i missed then, seen one in which a Gunto was spot on... but yes, sometimes even experts do not know everything

 

KM