Baka Gaijin

Good afternoon all If it helps, I can fill in some details following on Morita san's excellent lead. No 1 is known as Kutsukake Station: Rain on the Plain of Hiratsuka (Kutsukake no eki, Hiratsuka hara uchu no kei), number 20 from the series "Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaido Road". No 3 is known as Itahana, also from the series "Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaido Road" (number 15). The sixty nine stations of the Kisokaido Road (Kisokaido rokujukyu tsugi no uchi) was originally published between 1835 - 1838 by Iseya Rihei known as Kinjudo. The original size of both prints was 24.9 x 36.3 cm (9 13/16 x 14 5/16 in.), known as Oban. The Artist Keisai Eisen's dates show as 1790–1848, he lived a colourful life, if you want to know a bit more about him, here's a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keisai_Eisen The Kisokaido Road was also known as the Nakasendo and was another way to Kyoto from Edo via the mountains. Cheers

Good afternoon all, Morita san is correct with print number 2 It's a depiction of station 21 (The Mariko Tea House) of the 53 stations of the Tokkaido by Utagawa Hiroshige (sometimes known as Ando Hiroshige) Tokkaido Goju san - Ni Ju Ichi Mariko meibutsu cha-ya / Tokaido Gojusan-tsugi no uchi. On the originals which were published by Takenouchi Magohachi (Hoeido) between 1833 & 1834 there is a circular black stamp (Aratame) outside of the picture area, on a line to the left of the circular red stamp and could be behind the mount on your picture. If you are not used to removing prints from frames, I would suggest getting professional help. Cheers

Good afternoon Chad, If I recall correctly, there is an illustration of an Officer's Belt in Military Swords of Japan 1868-1945: Richard Fuller, Ron Gregory - showing a leather tube like slot for the Gunto to be worn edge up,on the hip so to speak. Cheers

Good evening all, If you look on most Officers belts, there is a regain position hook, if you hang it from that it makes running with the sword almost on the horizontal, with the left hand controlling the saya/tsuba area....just a thought. Cheers

Morning Jan, The central flower on the Kamon looks a little like a Bell Flower (aka Balloon Flower), which is called Kikyou. Can you get a sharper front (flat) on picture of the Kamon please? Cheers

Good morning all, Sorry to come late to the thread. Morita san has the correct answer I believe. The shape resembles an item called "Uchishiki" which is an item for a Buddhist altar display, they can range in size from small to massive depending upon the altar. The longer edge is set upon the altar shelf with the Kamon part hanging over the lip making a triangle as you look at it, so to speak. An object or offering would be placed on the area which in this case is a white rectangle. http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/b ... shiki-9544 I agree with Piers that the Kamon is Maruni Chigai Kashiwa, sometimes called "Daimyo Oak" The reason for so many dates is I believe when the item or items were offered for either donation or blessing. (Out on a limb time: Red was sometimes used as a reference to Amida Buddha, White was a reference to Dainichi Nyorai). Cheers

Good morning all BaZZa wrote: I see what you are saying BaZZa, but most Plectra that I have seen for both Shamisen and Biwa have a flat horizon not curved. I think the theme of the Tsuba is firmly fixed in Noh Theatre. Also in the classic Noh & Kyogen, the instruments used are Taiko (Large Drum) Ōtsuzumi (Large size hand held drum) Kotsuzumi (Small size hand held drum) & Nohkan (small transverse Flute). Neither Shamisen nor Biwa appear in Noh. I just discovered that a stylised Ginkgo leaf shaped fan called Chūkei - Ogi is used by main characters. So I will nail my colours to the mast and go for Chūkei - Ogi. Cheers

Good morning Dale, I think the mask on your Tsuba may be Onryo Hannya, the expression of this mask is a fusion of jealousy, grudge, sorrow, and grief of women. It appears in a variety of Noh plays (Momijigari , Dōjō-ji , Aoi no Ue , Kurozuka , Adachigahara). The T shaped item is a stick brandished by various characters to heighten the emotion of the moment, or to establish age and frailty in a character. http://data.ukiyo-e.org/ritsumei/images/arcUP1031.jpg http://data.ukiyo-e.org/artelino/images/45944g1.jpg The item on the reverse may be a stylised Fan. http://data.ukiyo-e.org/aic/images/86165_407445.jpg Cheers

Morning all, The Tsuba and O-Seppa look to have Katakana hastily inscribed in an "amateur hand". Possibly ホムロ Ho Mu Ro and ヨ Yo Cheers

Good morning Hamish, Conservation of Leather is quite a subject in itself. Renaissance wax is excellent for a variety of external applications, but if the rot is in the substructure of the leather and it is becoming "powder", then other methods may be required. A professional conservator would be able to advise on this. If you are near U.K., you could try this avenue: http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/d ... wills.aspx Here's some food for thought: http://nautarch.tamu.edu/CRL/conservati ... /File7.htm Cheers

Morning all, According to some sources, the quote 七生報國 may be attributed to Kusunoki Masasue, (Kusunoki Masashige's brother) at the battle of Minatogawa. Cheers

Good morning Eric, Have you looked at his sale record, with a few exceptions his main sales are in the area of 10 - 30 dollar repro/trinket. Cheers

Good afternoon all, Sounds quite exciting and I look forward to seeing the new format. Well Brian, to quote Arnold Schwarzennegger: I'll get the ball rolling and have given NMB a page with link in the useful links section of my main website http://www.antiquesinbath.com http://www.antiquesinbath.com/mm5/merch ... y_Code=NMB There you go shameless self publicity on my part.... Cheers ps........ ?? Isn't that a Johannesburg firm of Architects?

Good afternoon Jean, Thank you for sharing. May I suggest that the menuki are a rendition of Shi shi mai gashira; a protective totem which was set by the bed of a new born male child to ensure immunity from evil influences. Your Fuchi Kashira depict threads and bobbins for Nishijin ori weaving. And here, if I may share, is a real visual treat, a documentary by the inimitable Matsumoto Toshio about the Nishijin area of Kyoto and its many and varied inhabitants from 1961. It's very "Arty" firmly based in the spirit of the "Nouvelle Vague": Cheers

Hi Curtis, From the picture, you are at the beginning of the formation of a real patina, not just rust. This may help explain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_oxide Cheers

Excellent Piers, Just did a bit of searching and found their site which looks to have some interesting information and resources. http://www.nihonkamon.com/ Some excellent links in there also Cheers

Hi Matt http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/r ... 5-level-1/ http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/ga ... Japan.aspx http://www.wallacecollection.org/thecol ... sandarmour Cheers

Hi Piers No secret knowledge, just a condiment...... http://www.tozandoshop.com/v/vspfiles/kamon/plant1.html about half way down the page. Cheers

Morning Piers, Try Mitsu Oi Sugi Cheers

Hi James The first Kamon may be described as Maruni Hittotsu Chanomi. The second as Maruni Chigai Takano Ha. Cheers

Morning Rusty, The Kamon may be described as Maruni Shipō Hanakaku. Cheers

Here's something more: http://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/english/vis ... index.html Cheers

Good morning all, Here's a link to the Osaka University Nonaka Kofun Project in English: http://www.let.osaka-u.ac.jp/kouko/nonaka/en/index.html Plenty to read and some Field dig Archaeology Videos including Armour and Swords. Also a link to Osaka Museum website in English: http://www.chikatsu-asuka.jp/chikatsuasukafudoki.html Cheers

Good morning Piers, It looks like a Baleen bristle, what was called Whalebone by Corsetier and Corsetière, some can be as much as 3.5 metres in length depending upon species. (The Baleen that is........... ). Cheers

Good evening Piers, Would the material be Baleen? Cheers