Anthony de Vos

Hello! I just recieved another mail from the owner of the 3 swedish teppo pistols. He tells the following story regarding the teppo with the dragon; The owner participated in the "world championships in black powder shoting" 8 years ago in the US. He claims that the Japanese team went to the competition office in order to have the swede not to shoot with the teppo, since it was a national treasure, and could be damaged and should stay in a Japanese museum. They made an estimate regarding the value at $75000+. The swedish owner claims there are 3 weapons known to be from 100% iron, this teppo and 2 swords, supposed to stay in a Kyodo museum. He claims that metallic parts of pure iron is difficult, "almost impossible" to manufacture. The swords are supposed to be made from "bog ore" (direct translation) from nothern Japan. The ore is very rare and only the emperor is allowed to touch the swords!! Ok, before you all shoot the messanger , I just translated the mail as an example of storys and provenance people try to attach to things in order to make them intresting. Since I'm obviously not an metallurgist I can not value what that story is all about, but the whole story has some many holes in it..for example how did the Japanese team manage to check the iron content in the barrel, out in the field? Anyhow he want to sell the other two teppos, $2000 for both together. I don't even dare to ask the price for the "priceless bog iron emperor only touch teppolito" Pierce should I go for the two ? Regards, Anthony

Hello Piers! All photos are sent to me by the owner. Regarding the amounts of "teppolitos" the misstake is mine. I didn't look close enough last night. The teppo marked 2 is the one with the "iron story". On the photos with 2 teppos, the small one is the one I saw at the show teppo 1. The other one is, as you pointed out, a third one. they are multiplaying in Sweden, where is it going to end 0ne and two needs repatination for sure. Regards, Anthony

Last pics, olso on teppo1 Regards, Anthony

More pics Regards, Anthony

Hello! This Saturday Jan and I went to a militaria event. Not much to see regarding Japanese stuff. mostly ww2 gear. Then we stumbled over this guy having a small teppo for sale for a much to high price. It's teppo1 (the small one on the pictures). The matchlock looks new and somebody have partly destroyed the patina on the barrel. He tells a story of another teppo (teppo2) of his that he claims a metallurgist had examined and found that the material was 100% iron and that was a big thing. Now he wanted help in pricing his teppos. I would like to now if he has missunderstod the question regarding the metall and mixed it up the 1,2,3 layer wrapping? Or is 100% iron unusuall? Maybe we can hear Piers on this? Also on teppo 2 somebody have desroyed parts of the patina on the barrel. Anyhow it was funny to find a guy having not one but two "teppolitos" I love the size of them. Regards, Anthony

Hello! The exibition was great! Beautiful armours 20 or so, in a display with a awesome ambiance many from Stibbert, Florence mostly myochin. Some swords nothing spectacular, some huuge teppos, nice yumis. Beutiful tsubas an other koshirae parts. The "flags" and other textiles were beautiful as well as the woodprints. Overall a very nice mix of equipment, veapons and art objects. Jan and I walked out with the books in a nice bag with a big smile on our faces. Unfortunately no photo allowed, I managed to get some with life at risk, the staff was very angry..... Regards, Anthony de Vos

Hello! I'm looking forward to see the exhibition. I'm flying down to Rotterdam from Stockholm tomorrow together with my wife, planning to check it out on Saturday together with Jan "viper6924". Hopefully it's allowed to take some photos to chare here. The book will be bought on site. regards, Anthony

Hello! I also bought 3 swords from him all papered. Everything as described, good comunication, nice prices. Sorry to hear someone having a bad experience. I would happily buy from him again. Regards, Anthony

Hello Jan! Nice Jingasa! Skulle kunna vara Åkersberga klanen :lol: Anthony de Vos

Hello Jean! Regarding your question, I'm no authority on the subject but from what I understand there were sword smiths doing yanone and swords. If there also apeared specialist yanone smiths maybe somebody else know? Regards, Anthony

Hello! I enclose some pictures of arrow heads in waiting to be ensambled with the arrow shafts. Some different models for you Jean, some signed as well. Regards, Anthony

Hello jean! It was stupid of me to use the term "new", regarding the arrow heads in the original topic. I meant new, as to substitute missing heads or replacing practicing heads to war heads. I only use old original arrow heads. Regards, Anthony

Hello Jean! My arrows currently are divided in 4 cathegories; 1. With war heads and good feathers, 25%, 2. With war heads but needing new feathers, 25%, 3. Good feathers needing new war heads, 40%, and last just some damned bamboo sticks needing both feathers and new war heads, 10%. I use original war heads only, just as i use original feathers, ( I managed to buy a whole lot of golden eagle feathers out of China). I will try to take some arrow head photos tomorrow for you, I have many different styles with and without signature. Eventually all will be displayed in ebiras, utsubos and so forth together with some yumi, and some in two wonderful transportation wooden boxes made for transporting arrows to the battlefield. Regards, Anthony

Hello! Thank you malcolm, I will do that. Regards, Anthony (Sorry I didn't sign the original post)

Sirs, I'm just starting up my Japanese arrow renovation project. I have plenty of arrows needing fletching as well as new arrowheads. When I made a survey I noticed that among the hundred or so arrows there are at least 20 different birds contributing to the existing feathers. I would be interesting to now what birds since I'm trying to get the original feathers ( there are legal ways even though they are protected) If there are there any ornithologists or bird lovers out there that can intentify enclosed feathers it would be great. I found this list of Japanese birds of pray, anyone able to connect that to the photos? Osprey Pandion haliaetus Misago Honey Buzzard (or Eurasian Honey Buzzard) Pernis apivorus Hachikuma Black Kite Milvus migrans Tobi White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Ojiro-washi Steller's Sea Eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus 0h-washi Northern Goshawk(or Goshawk) Accipiter gentilis Oh-taka Grey Frog Hawk Accipiter soloensis Akahara-daka Japanese Sparrowhawk Accipiter gularis Tsumi Sparrowhawk (or Northern Sparrowhawk) Accipiter nisus Hai-taka Rough-legged Buzzard( Rough-legged Hawk) Buteo lagopus Keashi-nosuri Upland Buzzard Buteo hemilasius Oh-nosuri Common Buzzard (or Buzzard) Buteo buteo Nosuri Grey-faced Buzzard-Eagle Butastur indicus Sashiba Hodgson's Hawk-eagle(Mountain Hawk Eagle) Spizaetus nipalensis Kuma-taka Greater Spotted Eagle(or Spotted Eagle) Aquila clanga Karafuto-washi Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca Katashiro-washi Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Inu-washi Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus Kuro-hagewashi Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela Kanmuri-washi Northern Harrier(or Hen Harrier, Marsh Hawk) Circus cyaneus Haiiro-chuhi Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos Madara-chuhi Eastern Marsh Harrier Circus spilonotus Chuhi Family Falconidae English Names Scientific Names Japanese Names Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus Shiro-hayabusa Pregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Hayabusa Northern Hobby(or Hobby) Falco subbuteo Chigo-hayabusa Merlin Falco columbaris Ko-chougenbou Eastern Red-footed Falcon Falco amurensis Akaashi-chougenbou Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni Hime-chougenbou Eurasian Kestrel(or Kestrel) Falco tinninculus Chougenbou Family Strigidae English Names Scientific Names Japanese Names Snowy Owl Nyctea scandiaca Shiro-fukurou Eurasian Eagle Owl(or Eagle Owl) Bubo bubo Washi-mimizuku Blakiston's Fish Owl Ketupa blakistoni Shima-fukurou Long-eared Owl Asio otus Torafu-zuku Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus Komimi-zuku Common Scops Owl(or Scops Owl) Otus scops Konoha-zuku Elegant Scops Owl Otus elegans Ryukyu-konohazuku Collared Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena Oh-konohazuku Borel Owl(or Tengmalm's Owl) Aegolius funereus Kinme-fukurou Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata Aoba-zuku Ural Owl Strix uralensis Fukurou Arrow nr 1 is supposed to be white hawk "shira taka" not on the list, maybe a sub spicies?

Hello! Brian, that was a nice offer, and a wonderful one as such. Even though this is a nihonto forum, it would be great if it could house a small corner for us, also loving the katchu, (just bought my sixth karuta tatami dou, i'm addicted to them just as my daughters are to handbags). And with the assebled knowledge from such authorities as Ian and Trevor, that would be a dream.... Regards, Anthony de Vos MD

Hello! On the 6:th of june I got this reply; I will post you book in two weeks time. Book two has been canceled. Though complete it is just not worth the hassle I've had to go through to get it published. Poor sales on my other titles helped me make finalize this decision. I'll use the difference for your postage and send the rest back via Paypal. Thank you, Trevor So I'm pretty sure he will fulfill these obligations. It's a pity though since his books are so helpful and pedagogic to beginners. I hope things will change and his project one day will continue. the first Watanabe book was so great. it's also a tragedy that his forum is closed down, the info chared there was valuable, but maybe there is a connection between the low traffic on that forum and the poor sale of the books, the katchu scene is to small outside Japan? Regards, Anthony de Vos

Hello! Thank you Brian for that clarification. Regards, Anthony

Hello David! I'm very fond of Yanone, jumi and Ya. I have some complete Ya in superb condition, but I have also some that are in real bad shape regarding the feathers and some also have these kyudo flat heads. I have recently bought both a lot of arrows in need of renovation, some more yanone and I managed to get hold of some real eagle feathers as well. My question is; Do you think it's politicaly correct to renovate them ( new eagle feathers and change to real yanone war heads) or should I just let them stay the way they are? Should I remove the rust on some of the old yanone or leave them? If the rust is to be removed should that include the tang as well or should that be left nihonto style? If David or the moderator think I kidnapped this thread please remove it. (I have no suggestion regarding a polisher) Regards, Anthony

Hello! Is this not just wonderful...Is it even possible to find for sale? http://www.arco-iris.com/George/yanone.htm Regards, Anthony de Vos

Hello! Thank you for the quick reply! I thought so after looking in the sword smith index. There is a quite famous auction house in Sweden stating Awataguchi Yoshimitsu, having it out for auction, but states the wrong era Muromaci/momoyama for the smith I'm thinking of. Maybe there is a clue in the torokusho I enclosed? Regards, Anthony

Hello! Does this mei really read Awataguchi Yoshimitsu? Translation help needed. Gimei or have I found something nice? Regards, Anthony

Hello again! Thank you for your inputs everyone. It was very helpful in my decision to let it go. Regards, Anthony

Hello! There is not much of a story behind really. it is up for sale today. I have spoken with the auction house and they don't know the origin of the matchlock. it's rather long 1,65 meters. They think it's made in the 19:th or 20:eth century. Regards, Anthony

Hello! What do you think of the origin of this matchlock? Is it a Japanese teppo or from somewhere else. regards, Anthony de Vos Pictures; http://www.bukowskismarket.com/items/299534/images/1