Bugyotsuji

This kind of pistol is called a Hitori-aki (opening by itself) in that, depression of the trigger automatically opens the pan lid. On horseback you cannot reach out over your right hand to open the lid, so the process is made easier by the concealed spring... Pic borrowed for educational purposes from Sawada Taira's Nihon no Furuju, p.107. Under "Seki Ryu, Yoju". 関流用銃

1 1/2 days left, over 60 bids and still at 33,000 JPY as of... Today I bought two spears, one a little Ginnan-Po signed by Osafune Sukesada in Kaei 6 (1853), a yari by him said to be a rare find, but I know little about this smith and my search only now begins. It does not need registration as it is shorter than the legal limit, but it does have some old NBTHK paperwork certifying it and the signature as genuine. The other is a Jumonji yari, in polish, from around 延法 (1673-80) by Moritsugu of Fukuoka, a smith belonging to the Kuroda Han. This one is registered. Been wanting a Jumonji for many years so I feel very lucky with this one. If anyone has any episodes, interesting information about either smith, please post away!!! Thanks.

Apologies for the ignorance and thread-napping. I withdraw my comments above. It was just a snatch of conversation and I had got the wrong end of the stick. What they were saying was that it was approaching the time that the Shinto smith Kozuke Daijo Sukesada might be among the candidates to be considered for Juyo...

??? Shinto blades, as well as shinshinto, have been awarded Juyo for many years....???? Oops, yes, they must have been discussing Tokubetsu Juyo...?

That is simply beautiful. I love the wording below, "I am starting from a very low price..."

Nothing to do with the price of fish but I heard a breath of a rumour that some early Shinto swordsmith blades may be allowed for consideration in the very near future.

Yes Mark, something like Orderly or Despatch/Dispatch belonging to the Chemicals Team for Ward 2 in the town/city.

Ah, thank you sir!

The first character is in my dictionaries as 'Fu' but I cannot reproduce it here on this pc. What does Furei mean?　"Ordered to Protect"??? The lower section says 第二区防毒隊員, suggesting the wearer was a Member of the Chemical (gas?) Hazmat team in the Second Ward.

In the other, larger, set of tatami rooms they had ceramic ones which I loved, small hikite pulls on the sliding panels in the tokonoma, and larger ones on the sliding fusuma doors. These may have been posted by me on this site somewhere before. If so, apologies in advance.

Just last week one of the members of our NBTHK group, a youngish Horimono-shi who tends to do well in the national competitions, gave a talk and this particular subject inevitably came up. I raised my hand and asked a cheeky question, "If you completely redo the hori, whose work does it then become?" He was acutely aware of this and in many cases says he simply refuses requests to do certain jobs. On others he can help out with the owner's wishes. Interestingly his teacher Yanagimura Senju Sensei has traditionally told his deshi to carve with enough depth to allow for at least two subsequent togi without the Togishi having to worry about the stones touching the surface of the horimono. Of course good horimono in their own right sometimes deserve and bear the Mei of the carver added separately to the tang. Even in the old days, some smiths may have been confident enough to carve their own horimono, he said.

Malcolm has this one. Next time you are in Himeji with some time to spare before or after the castle, there is a little house in a garden, the Bokei Tei 望景亭　formerly belonging to the Hamamoto family just west of Himeji Jo, on the edge of the grounds of the ultra modern Himeji Bungakukan/Bungakkan. The rooms and corridors inside are lovely. Very peaceful. Views of Himeji Castle from the side. The tearoom has sliding fusuma with these Hikite on either side of the same fusuma. NBTHK used this place for sword Kantei a couple of years ago. http://hsuishin.exblog.jp/12300825/

Well, OK, one hint...

Hoping the pic orients itself the way I saved it. No hints to start with.

What I was thinking, Grey. Is it space for a Bugin, 一部銀 I wonder? http://www.nozakicoin.jp/images/img236.jpg

Where was the forge in Fukuwatari, I wonder? I have close connections there, so I'll ask around.

Oops... Nobody, many thanks.

The three letters 奉奇進 can be read Hokishin, (きしんたてまつる meaning celebrate a gift to a shrine). The rest is an address with a name, and the age of a child. (Unless there is something missing from your shots.) Hope this gets the ball rolling!

Yes, 玉山, but 'carved' (probably dremeled) in a modern Chinese workshop to look like Japanese Gyokuzan. Little market value, but fun to roll around in your hand or actually wear as no worries about damage.

豆洲　Zu Shu (Izu) 慶応　元年 Gan-nen, 1st yr of Keio, 仲秋　mid autumn?

Having said that, the thing has no mimi (handles) per se. In the pics available, they all do seem to have mimi, possibly making the carrying of water more easy. It does have an external rim, though, to aid grip? So 耳無し耳盥 Mimi-nashi mimi-darai? :D There is a Mingei Museum not far from here that has a set of Ohaguro utensils on display. They have the Mon of the Lord of this area. The largest bowl is similar, but whether it has mimi or not, I will have to go and check. Will I have to eat humble or even crow pie? Watch this space! :lol: Incidentally, in the ginacolliasuzuki link above the story of Ohaguro ends with the Meiji Empress getting the populace to give up the habit by appearing herself in public with white teeth. Apparently this did not actually work as the practice was deeply ingrained. What the article does not mention is that she then ordered that women in prison should have their teeth blackened, so that it became effectively a stigma. From then on, it worked like magic, they say.

Is that saying ?

If you want to mix up some for your wife/girlfriend, Ron: http://scent-lab.blogspot.jp/2009/05/bl ... aguro.html Many thanks for the kind comments. Now I almost wish I hadn't given away the black rectangular box set I once had with the brass tray, all the square lacquer and brass bowls, utensils, feather brushes etc, still inside it. The person who owned this tarai, 'mimidarai' used to keep Katana-bukuro inside. Enough bonbons for a huge party... There was a scrap of paper there too, saying 本多家, but I am not convinced.

Is it brand new, or has someone has polished all the age-patina off it!?! Henk-Jan, no longer can you deny it, it is time for you to join the Hinawa-Ju Club. :lol: Just had another peek and it looks old, but someone has polished the brasswork all over and varnished the stock. Quite a small caliber/bore at 3 Monme, but an unusually lovely decorative piece. Malcolm takes the bonbon today. http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95% ... c-1815.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohaguro Morning ablutions and (o)haguro https://www.google.com/search?q=Japanes ... 5#imgdii=_ Mimidarai "The large round container, half of which is visible on the right-hand side of the composition above, is called a mimidarai, and sitting on top of that container is a thin tray, or watashigane. On top of the tray is the kanewan, the bowl in which the dye is mixed. On the ground to the left of the mimidarai, the brush which has been used to apply the dye to the young woman's teeth is resting atop a porcelain bowl, and to the left of the bowl is a small box of fushi powder." http://www.ginacolliasuzuki.com/author/ ... miles.html Notice the right split in the standing Aoi Mon.

Thanks for venturing first Ron. Nice try. I was told it was for rice, but that was wrong.