Yoshimichi Gitsu)

[IanB]

Following on from Uve's suggest I thought a thread about Yoshimichi was well worth doing.

 

To the best of our current knowledge, Yoshimichi was the first armour maker to actually sign his work. ( For the benefit of you sword buffs it is worth saying that armourers were regarded as 'unclean' because they handled skins and rawhide, and as a consequence they were not written about by the rest of society.) Other than the fact that he worked during the 16th century we know almost nothing about him. He is said by Sasama to have lived around 1530 but I suspect this is rather too early. There are a considerable number of 32 and 62 plate high-sided helmets with the plates between the suji hammered outwards slightly to leave a gap where the plates overlap. This feature was copied during the early Edo period by the Saotome smiths. As expected the Myochin claimed he was one of theirs but there is is no evidence whatsoever since he only ever used the two character name. Sasama also mentions that there is an 8 plate helmet with his signature in Japan. I have a similar one, of very heavy plates that had a sword cut on top near the tehen that shows it never had a tehen kanamono. This to me suggests a later date, possibly around the 1570-80's and that he may have started making these simpler but heavier helmets after the introduction of guns. If this is true his working dates would be say 1550 - 1580. 

Apart from that there is little more I can add. I would be interested to hear other views.

Ian Bottomley

[DaveT]

Super Ian,

 

Do you have any photo's?

[IanB]

Yes but I have failed to find out how to post it here.

Ian B

[Geraint]

Dear Ian.

 

This may be a case of the blind leading the blind but if you go to Reply then click on More Reply Options a screen with the option to attach images comes up.  As long as the image isn't over sized that should be it really.

 

If this is blindingly obvious and you already know it then please forgive me.

 

All the best.

[DaveT]

Waiting for all the Gitsu collectors to comment?

Odd how the topic can pop up on another thread, yet when a dedicated one is posted they all hold back. This is not really in the spirit of sharing and learning.

[IanB]

Here you are - finally managed it:

 

 

Ian Bottomley

[uwe]

I'm not sure wether special "Gitsu collectors" existing out there?! I handled one or two in the past, if I can trust my remembrance (at least signed in that manner, nijimei) Will try to find some pictures....

 

I remember this kabuto Ian!

[DaveT]

The only Gitsu I've seen in person belongs to Ian.