4 Jingasa 陣笠

[Caracal]

Here are some Japanese Jingasa.陣笠

 

I think they are made of washi and urushi. 2 are lighter and two heavier. How can I recognize what they are made of? Are they late Edo or ..., and what clan mark (Mon) can it be on them. Could it be Satake Mon with a fan on one and the Kikuchi clan (菊池 氏, Kikuchi-shi) in Higo province with feathers on the other. One has a dragonfly / tombo which was a popular motif.

 

 

Grateful for more information.

[ROKUJURO]

Robert,

did you try a magnet on them?

[Bugyotsuji]

They look very decorative, Robert. No.1 is my favorite! Late Edo might be a good guess.

 

The material used for a Jingasa in perfect condition is difficult to judge in many cases. Some will have a little damage on the edge which will allow you to see the inner construction and check that it is not a fiberglass fake. Many will just shout genuine at you, but you'll never be sure what is underneath.. Use of a magnet as Jean suggests may tell you why the heavier ones are heavy, but at first glance none of those look like typical iron jingasa. (Except possibly the first one)

 

PS Tombo is the correct generic term for a dragonfly, but within the Bushi world they were/are only referred to as 'Katchimushi'. (Tombo sounds too innocent, like a child's word.)

[uwe]

Nice jingasa Robert!

The last two looking unusual. I can try the mon’s this evening…

[Caracal]

Interesting!

 

I have tried with magnet but it seems to be made of washi. Grateful if we can find any clan (Mon) that is known in Japan, there were a lot of larger and smaller clans.

 

Thank you for helping me.

[uwe]

Robert,

 

unfortunately my first answer is gone as my pad chrashed. Some hours of work vanished….

 

Hence, somewhat shortened:

First crest can be called “Maru ni chigai ōgi” (crossed fan’s in a ring) probably Hayashi or Misawa family.

Second one is a bit odd, cos I’m not sure if the mon in front is original to the helmet. Anyway, it’s “Hi no maru ogi” (folding fan with sun disk) or “Maru ni hi no maru ogi” (the same in a ring). Here the suspects are Satake, Hasegawa, Senga, Uehara, Wakafuji, Watanabe, Yokoo, Matsudaira and Iwasaki, depending on the pattern. To narrow it down, we have to put it into connection with the other two mon depicted on the helmet. The “Maru ni sumitate igeta” (upright well frame in a ring) worn by Niinomi, Ide, Imai, Orii, Usui, Murashima, Sueyoshi etc. and the one based on “Ken Katabami” (Oxalis with Ken). More research is needed in this case….(most likely Sakai related, though)?!

 

The third jingasa is adorned with a mon that I would call “Maru ni mitsu suzume” (three sparrows in a ring), but I’m not sure and have to do some homework here….

 

The last picture is too blurry for me to determine the type of the blossoms. Maybe Katabami or Sakura? 

 

 

Please note that the listed clans above doesn’t claim to be complete. I also omitted family names with unclear readings!