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uwe

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Everything posted by uwe

  1. Hi Dimitri, both pieces are “looking old”, but that means not much. Kura were made over a long timespan almost unchanged. Hence judging age is very difficult and needs a lot of experience. Mid/ late Edo period specimens tend to come very adorned with elaborate maki-e, mother of pearl…etc. Some are dated and (or) signed at the underside. The signatures are mostly done in black ink or engraved. Do you have a picture? No clue about the horagai, sry. These saddles fetching quite high prices from time to time (depending on quality, condition and age). So it seems not overpriced at a glance.
  2. The descriptions range from simply wrong over irritating to ridiculous….but that’s life. Buyer beware!!!
  3. A seal, Bruce. You can find it on several works of Noriyuki. Guess it bears his name in seal script….
  4. First two are “濱𡌛”, Bruno!
  5. Brief addition… 濃刕 (Nōshū) 初夏 (early summer)
  6. The other side pretends to be a cutting test by Yamano Ka’ emon Nagahisa, first year Kanbun….
  7. Securing the tehen no kanamono, I think, Piers! A single, simple disc shaped za. Lacquered over in this case.
  8. Hi Tyler, seems that one can do worse for the first armor (depending on price). It represents a so called “Okegawa nimai dō gusoku”. In this case a composite set (as mentioned by Piers above). The dō (cuirass) is quite interesting because of the incorporated collar. It sports the family crest (mon) “Futo-wa” or “Ja no mei”, that means “wide ring” or “snake eye”, used by several clans. Apparently the kote (sleeves) are made in the bishamon-style (with integrated sode), at least what I can see from the picture?! Going to the face armor, the menpō (or “me no shita bō). Here we dealing with a “Nara men”, once made in great numbers and modified to match the taste of the customer or the armor for which it was intended. The picture suggests that the lacquer has a silvery shine*?! I can’t say if it is the original coating or later applied?! Unfortunately the mustache is cut off and the overall condition of the lacquer is not that good. Last but not least the helmet. The bowl (hachi) is obviously made of one piece (ichi mai) and the suji are merely modeled by “kokuso”. A common technique to reduce costs. Feel free to ask if I forgot something…. *A technique called “ginpun nuri”
  9. uwe

    Bitsu

    I’m looking for two for myself….
  10. “濱𡌛矩随作” (Hamano Noriyuki saku).
  11. Copy of my answer on the katchû-forum! Hello Kevin, the pictured kote above are most likely late Edo period pieces, probably made of leather (nerikawa). As already mentioned, dating kote more precisely as Muromachi, Momoyama or Edo is in most cases very difficult. You can get closer if you have a mei (inscription of the craftsman who made the sleeves). Dated kote are very rare, so mostly you have to rely on referenced specimens or the mei itself. There are a lot of types made over a long timespan. Here some are listed: Shino-gote Tsutsu-gote Sashinuki-gote Tominaga-sashinuki-gote Fukube-gote (Oda-gote) Kusari-gote (Etchû-gote) Bishamon-gote Tsugi-gote Ubu-gote Namazu-gote (Yoshitsune-gote) ...etc. Do I got you right, you want to build your own kote based on an original model with the main focus on protection of the ellbows?! Then please bear in mind, the denser the armor and the more plates you have, the greater the restrictions on mobility....
  12. Will come back to you later, Kevin!
  13. The problem with somen is that they were quite popular and sought after amongst collectors at a certain time. Hence many “fakes” and modified menpō are around the market. That said doesn’t mean yours is a forgery. Maybe late, hard to tell. More detailed pictures will be needed to get a feeling. We have some very knowledgeable guys on the JAS forum, might be indeed a good idea to post it there!
  14. I think the Tsuba is inscribed “西陣住埋忠” (Nishijin jū Umetada). So pretends to be a work of the Umetada school…
  15. Hi Anthony, I would also call it ryūbu! The bubbling is a problem, but sewing machine oil (resin and acid free) shouldn’t harm the lacquer as long it’s real urushi. What is this discoloration on the ear?
  16. uwe

    Books for a newbie

    Oops, yes I forgot, “Japanese Armor Makers for The Samurai” by K.Kaneda Chappelear. Quite a comprehensive overview of schools and blacksmiths (mainly based on helmets and masks). Thx, Michael and Thomas!
  17. uwe

    Books for a newbie

    Welcome to the “other side” Paz! Good decision to start with books. Unfortunately there isn’t something like a “basic work” on armor. At least nothing in English (but of course in Japanese!). A few books dealing with individual parts, like helmets, masks or the cuirass, but nothing comprehensive. Except “Chūkokatchū Seisakuben” by Sakakibara Kōzan, translated by R.Robinson. Also Markus Sesko wrote “Katchū”, but I think it’s only in German… Other works are: “Watanabe Art Museum/ Samurai Armor Collection” by Trevor Absolon & Dave Thatcher “Tokugawa Clan & Bakufu Daimyō Samurai Armour Sets” V1 by Trevor Absolon “Samurai Armour” V1 by Trevor Absolon ”Helmets of the Saotome School” by Teruo Orikasa, Luc Taelman, Jo Anseeuw ”Stirrups of the Samurai” by Teruo Orikasa, Luc Taelman, Jo Anseeuw “Japanese Arms and Armour” by Ian Bottomley ”Japanese Armour” by L.J.Anderson ”Japanese Arms & Armor” by R.Robinson…. ….for example. Well, there are a lot of “coffee table books” as also auction and exhibition catalogs! If you seriously interested, you can try here: https://www.japanesearmorsociety.com/
  18. As Bruce pointed out, it is “濃州関住藤原兼道作” (Noshū Seki jū Fujiwara Kanemichi saku).
  19. Hi Henrik, leave as much of the original odoshi-ge as possible. For the replacements 8 and 7mm might work….
  20. I think it’s a common mei. Left side, place and right side smith, ending with ..道作. Do you have some better pics of the inscription, Henrik?
  21. Anyway…nice helmets 👍 The soft metal cover (brass?) on the koshimaki of the ko-boshi is strange. Can you see any reason for that, Gary?
  22. Hi Gary, I think the origami placed the ō-boshi into the late Edo period (江戸時代後期). That would be also supported by the overall (daienzan) shape…
  23. A better pic of the inscription would be nice!
  24. uwe

    Kabuto?

    As Simon stated! The shape is called “shiinari” or “zūdaka no toppai”. I this case, however, a replica!
  25. Dale, your examples are rather depicting “井桁” (igeta = well frames)!
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