Edo Period Corner Part II

[Bugyotsuji]

There were many other goodies on display, photos upon request! 

 

For example, there was a Satsuma long gun of large bore, a very rare beast. Smallbore Satsuma guns are rare enough.  It was covered in Negoro-like lacquer. Sadly I did not take proper shots of it. Grrrr.... 

 

This is all I have. 
 

 

Close-up of butt

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Here is Hiro Kun amusing the families on Children’s Day up at the shrine. Can you tell what is genuine old and what he has made himself?

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

And my table with the requested 小物 komono accessories.

 

 

 

 

[dimitri]

Extraordinary, thank you very much.

There are some very beautiful specimens.

Tell me Piers, in Japan, how many yen can we find for teppo pistols?

I'm always amazed when I see one. Thank you.

 

PS. As for the armor, it's nice, afterward I'm afraid to respond and say something stupid. In any case, very successful.

[Bugyotsuji]

Dimitri, thank you for your kind words.

(Matchlock) pistols are relatively hard to find. For this reason there is higher demand than supply, leading to higher prices, with fakes being in the mix, so be extra careful.

 

A pistol can cost anything from USD $2,000 ~ $10,000 depending on quality, provenance, source etc.

 

I remember a friend getting excited at the DTI in Tokyo because there was a beautiful little pistol for sale at ¥130,000! We all rushed upstairs to the stall, but looking more closely the price tag was actually ¥1,300,000.

 

Our Teppōtai matchlock group is unusual for several reasons, but one is that every member carries and fires a pistol. It is not easy to keep new members supplied! Sometimes a member can wait months for a decent one to appear.

 

Two more

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

PS When I said 'my table' above, that was not a sales table. They were only display items as part of a learning experience for the public. The little card holders contain descriptions in Japanese and English. 

[Alex A]

Must admit,  i now would be tempted by these guns. 

 

They have become very interesting.

 

Think I've only ever seen a few at arms fairs here

 

Cheers.

[Alex A]

Piers,

 

See the hand gun type size and the long guns, but appears to be a types in the middle size?

 

Reminds me something in comparison with the Paget Carbine maybe.

 

What I'm asking, do they come in all lengths and bore size?

[Bugyotsuji]

This is true, Alex. There is an average of one Tanegashima matchlock at most of the arms fairs I've been to in the UK. (= a rough average of none or two.) Occasionally there will be a really fine example, though.

 

Our leader was in hospital and it seemed that he had ordered me to organize the display. I decided to concentrate on Bizen guns as they were produced in the area, and this shrine is dedicated to the Ikeda Daimyo. It seemed a Golden Opportunity to finally get everyone to show their Bizen guns in public, as something to be proud of. I was getting ready a list of Bizen gunsmiths, and a worksheet on the late Edo swordsmith who was tasked with creating a gunsmithing community in Osafune. Later I learned that he had also asked others to bring examples, but his brain always works on the pattern of educating the public about Tanegashima in general. So I thought, great, there will be some tables with the rare or unusual guns and then others for a dedicated Bizen section.

 

Then he came out of hospital and started changing everything back again. Well, he is the big boss, so I altered all my plans to fall in line. He put me at the end of the display with his request for matchlock accessories, so I kept it minimal, but mixed in three Bizen guns to flesh it out. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Yes Alex, like katana, wakizashi and tanto 短刀! All sizes and uses, but all smoothbore.

 

Tanzutsu 短筒 were really for a holster, a shorter pistol to be fired in the standing position.

 

Bajozutsu 馬上筒  were longer, like slightly shorter long guns, equestrian, for ease of loading on horseback. These might be referred to as a carbine in the West. 

 

There were long thin guns for target shooting and small game, heavier army guns, even heavier Samurai guns, and then a series of serious 大筒 O-zutsu hand cannons.

 

In the display was a three-barrel matchlock; these were heavy, so naturally they were built shorter.

 

 

[Brian]

Pistol is still my Grail. Have long guns, but so far a short one has eluded me. I know they are rare and expensive.

[dimitri]

Piers thank you for all these details.
I suspected it was an exhibition stand but I couldn't enlarge it enough to try to translate the little signs.
Yes recently, I saw a pistol in a sale and it went very high, I had the bid for just 1 second.
Frankly it must have been a very enriching exhibition, I love rifles in general, I only have 2 teppo but I have hunting rifles from arquebusiers and imperial manufacture. So a certain attraction.
Thanks again.

[Bugyotsuji]

Last night among the blades for appreciation at the local NBTHK sword meet we had a beautiful wakizashi by Hizen Tadayoshi (Tadahiro). It once belonged to a senior member of another local branch just west of here.

 

The story was interesting. Mumei, the brushwriting on the saya certified that it was an exceptional work by the first generation Tadayoshi. Since there was no doubt in anyone's minds, the previous owner had a Mei added to the nakago, and sent it off for NBTHK shinsa. It came back 'gimei'.

 

So, the present owner had the fake signature professionally erased and then sent it back to shinsa. It came back certified to Tadahiro/Tadayoshi. He grinned as he showed me the shirasaya, which still proclaims in old brushwork: 'Hizen Tadayoshi'.

 

(Listening with one ear. Hoping I've got the details of this straight!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

Piers,

I wished I could have seen the many SUKASHI TSUBA !

[Bugyotsuji]

The ones on the right side each showed some vital aspect of the old tsuba areas; they all belonged to our sword appreciation Sensei.

 

There was another top quality collection on the other felt cloth in the background.

 

(Those on the left were my contribution to the evening.) 
 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Chris in Indiana posted a thread on his incredible ken collection recently, and that triggered my hand to start a new project.

 

A mumei ken in pretty terrible condition turned up at auction and I overstretched myself to snag it.

The whole thing is a bag of bones, but since some of us are in the resurrection business, I plan a restoration attempt. It's registered as a 古剣, but under the rust it could be anything. This one will almost definitely not get me my money back. It'll need a koshirae rebuild, a shirasaya, and a full togi polish. "Some sucker went and bit the bullet!"

 

Sadly it's another of these dang gambles, having bought on an impulse, again.... aaarrrrgggghhhh. When I say 'bought', I should add 'on credit' as I didn't even have the cash to cover it. I've got till next Monday to stand on the street corner and whistle Dixie.

[Baka Gaijin]

Good morning Old Bean,

 

Have you thought of playing the spoons or the washboard as well as whistling Dixie?

 

People love a variety act.

 

古剣  Old sword?

 

Is that a catch all Torokusho term?

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

“Old Ken” type double-edged blade, in tantō like Koshiraé.

 

Spoons and washboard! Loving that idea, should definitely pull in the cash! 
 

PS Even my excuse for getting hooked will not stand up to rudimentary scrutiny, so I’ll not waste anyone’s time with it here.

[Bazza]

I'm often paying obeisance to 'the hole in the wall'...  Here is the result of my most recent visit.  This was a 'snap' with my mobile phone prior to the auction.

 

BaZZa.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Looks great from here, Bazza!

[Bazza]

Yes, Piers san, thanks.  During the bidding 'someone' was trying to tell me they wanted them more than I, so I gritted my teeth and girded myself with the thought that the 'hole in the wall' was bottomless!!!  I'll be bowing and scraping at the hole for some months to come as my meagre stipend didn't stretch far enough for instant gratification...  I feel no pain...  Unless I was tussling with another Board member!!

 

BaZZa.

Edited May 14 by Bazza
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[Brian]

Piers, I for one would love to see pics.

[Bugyotsuji]

Brian. 

 

:sigh:

 

(Should I show him the 'good' side?)

[Bazza]

Show him, show him, show him, stomp, stomp, stomp, both sides, we're with you Comrade...

 

BaZZa.

Sucker for lost causes.

[Bugyotsuji]

No, really!

 

 

 

 

[Matsunoki]

1 hour ago, Bugyotsuji said:

PS Even my excuse for getting hooked will not stand up to rudimentary scrutiny, so I’ll not waste anyone’s time with it here.

Cmon Piers, you can’t tell without show.

Whatever it is, I bet I’ve bought worse!

 

Damn, missed your reply above. 
Id have bought it for sure. 

[Bugyotsuji]

What, you mean the worst part that I haven't shown yet?

[Bazza]

Piers san, I would have bought it too, though it is the first time I have seen a fuchi for a kashira and a I don't-know-what for a fuchi.  Love the saya with its sakurasui lacquer.  Perhaps your willing polisher will take it on???

 

BaZZa.

PS: And I know I have bought worse and I've been kicking myself down the road ever since.

Edited May 14 by Bazza

[Matsunoki]

1 hour ago, Bazza said:

Here is the result of my most recent visit

Barry, signed?

Not common to find two of these together. personally never seen one. Looks like real inlay rather than just  multipatination so a ton of work involved?

 

 

[Bazza]

Oh yes Colin, both signed, one on the back in the usual position and the other on the side so as not to intrude onto the scene on the back.  And indeed inlay work.  I'll take some more photos soon and put them up.  I've been looking for an example of this work for over 10 years.  Do a Board search on HOSONO, there's quite a bit.

 

BaZZa.