Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

This is a 50 Monme Ozutsu from Sendai, Date Masamune's stronghold north of Edo.

 

Sendai (仙台 today) used to be written with the old Kanji for 'dai'. i.e. 仙臺, as seen in the Mei under the barrel.

 

Although rare, Sendai guns being quite sought after, and of relatively large caliber, this hand-cannon was to me always slightly disappointing, being very plain, and with no mon on the barrel. (Hidden underneath the barrel there are two faint stamps, one triple-comma mitsu-domoe, and one nine-star kuyomon.)

 

On the other hand, there is some inlay, a splay of fuji wisteria-vine flowers and leaves down the serpentine, both on the viewing side, and equally on the back. I cannot recall having seen such style and placement of inlay before. 

 

In an effort to find out more about this gun, I came across the fact that Date Masamune had brought back a fuji root stock from the Bunroku campaign in Korea in the 1592-93, and today this wisteria plant is enormous, a huge presence in the city of Sendai.

 

https://www.bing.com/search?q=伊達政宗ゆかりの藤&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&lq=0&pq=伊達政宗ゆかりの藤&sc=9-9&sk=&cvid=0FA35231BBE443FBB52CCB63F8AE2F42&ghsh=0&ghacc=0&ghpl=

 

The cherries are coming into bloom, and this month so too will the wisteria be. In Europe wisteria can have a gentle aspect growing up the outside walls of country houses, but for the real meaning of 藤 Fuji, (think family names like 藤井Fujii, 藤原 Fujiwara, 後藤 Gotō, 加藤 Katō, etc.) you need to see how powerful these vines can grow in the wild. They are like a massive boa constrictor, crushing the life of any tree they choose to climb.

 

Serpentine inlay photos should follow here... and yes, I did give them a polish; much foliage was completely hidden under layers of grime. 

 

 

  • Like 1
Posted

Here are some shots of the serpentine match cord arm, and a Fuji vine pulling two strong bamboo together.

External side

IMG_6007.thumb.jpeg.2bdee5155163a2e4eafc2a413e2ef4f4.jpeg
 

Barrel side

IMG_6003.thumb.jpeg.d85deb39c35e5af3d4b0db9d1b2cb521.jpeg

 

Power of Fuji wisteria vines, taken during a climb up the mound of a ruined castle nearby.

IMG_5926.thumb.jpeg.dc987016228bb829e9a38c2d0cf6ef6f.jpeg

 

And…

IMG_5924.thumb.jpeg.973643e2c726f7e2865adef1287ad646.jpeg

 

 

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

I fully realize this ornate serpentine is off one of the non-firing replicas made by the Denix Company, but the Europeans did decorate their serpentines to look like a dragon’s head.
 

Is there any evidence the Japanese made them more ornate like this?

 

IMG_5013.thumb.jpeg.d46f900d795ab9f6c8087f1b120fefef.jpeg

  • Thanks 1
Posted

Some of the first Tanegashima reflected ornamentation from Goa and south-east Asia, but most of that was soon lost, Japanese taste tending towards simplicity and minimalism.

 

There was a later school of gunnery called the Namban-Ryu (Barbarian school) or Tanegashima-Ryu which emphasized the strange and ornate, giving an 'overseas' feeling to remind people or the roots or origins of these things. I did see a gun in a cabinet in the exhibition rooms at Nagashino, where the great battle is commemorated, which had an ornate serpentine somewhat like yours Dale, but this was very rare here.) Sakai 'merchant' guns were the most flashily ornate, but the serpentines on even these were plain and smooth.

 

Chinese guns on the other hand were more traditionally more elaborate, and I think they liked to see a strong connection with mythical birds, dragons etc.

 

PS Back in Europe I do have an example of a matchlock hand mortar; the serpentine looks like a squirrel(?) head.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...