Daimyō, Edo Jidai -- Research/Reference hiatus

My copy of Armures du Japon: 100 pièces sélectionnées dans la collection de la Fondation Kōzu de Kyōtō, edited by Robert Burawoy, from whence our subject's helmet was taken (no. 43, p. 74), arrived last week, and I couldn't be happier! This is a handsome book that fills in some notable lacunae in the reference library. . . as well as opening some very discreet routes of exploration. But before getting on with the matter at hand, I would be remiss if I did not praise the good people at the publisher, ToriiLinks Editions: their service and follow-up/ customer service is simply superb! Given the quality of their publications, I am fairly certain I will be soon availing myself of their services again.

As I mentioned in my initial posting, I believe the very broad-brushed dating for this figure has been based on the provenance of the kabuto. Regrettably I am unable to be precise in the dating, but I am fairly comfortable in asserting that this is an early Edo-period kabuto: say absolutely no later than 1650, and more likely ca. 1625, give or take. My reasons are, admittedly, predominantly circumstantial. 

It would appear that though the sculptor might have done his research, he failed to convey to the painter one critical aspect of the kabuto: the fish-tail crest is silver-leafed! He also did not include the maedate-tsunamoto, which will be easy enough to correct.

Admittedly, the helmet could be simply [loosely] based on this example, but it then begs the question as to why the description in the refsheet is copied from that in the "source" practically verbatim! And while certainly not the path of least resistance, wouldn't a bright, polished silver kabuto be much more appealing? To say nothing of eye-catching and a point of interest??

Obviously, I will be doing mine in silver. The question now is whether to leaf it, or simulate a leafed finish with lacquer?

Daimyō, Edo Jidai -- Pre-prep: Molding Interlude (II)

Rather than add yet another update/follow-up to the existing post and risk it being overlooked, a stand-alone notification that the resin arrived today and I now have a a perfect casting of the full left arm! I do so love fresh resin!!

The project can now resume in earnest. The only mod to the full arm will be the replacement/reworking of the cut-down haft of the yari with/into a saihai. This portion of the conversion is still very much on the drawing board. . .

More to follow. . .

UPDATE - 09.08.2012. . . By way of a quick update, the pour sprues and vents have been removed and finished, and the arm fits perfectly!

I am leaning toward removing the cut-down haft completely, and building a complete saihai from scratch.

Daimyō, Edo Jidai -- Pre-prep: Molding Interlude

The arm is now bedded in clay and the mold frames should be up by the end of the day. The timing is just about perfect, as I can check everything tomorrow, and maybe even pour the first half of the mold, though I have that scheduled for Friday. Regardless, the mold should be finished by the end of the weekend.

On the reference front, I am awaiting the arrival of my copy of Armures du Japon: 100 pièces sélectionnées dans la collection de la Fondation Kōzu de Kyōtō, edited by Robert Burawoy, from whence our subject's helmet was taken. I have admired this reference from afar since it was first published in 2005, and I am very much looking forward to spending some quality time with it. Even if the helmet in question is given a rather short shrift, there is the amazingly spectacular Mori gusoku gracing the cover!

UPDATE - 03.08.2012. . . Just completed pouring the second half of the mold! As my day is pretty much spoken for tomorrow, I will demold tomorrow night or Sunday. . . and if the gods are in good humor, I might have a casting for the left arm by the end of the weekend. . . ! 

FOLLOW-UP - 05.08.2012. . .Or not. . . The mold came out great! It was the first-time using a Smooth-On RTV silicone product, so I had some newbie jitters; but it was all for naught! However, my slow-set casting resins had all given-up the ghost!! The best that can be said is that the trial casting I made indicated that once I get fresh resin, I can proceed with the project with nary a worry.

Daimyō, Edo Jidai -- Pre-prep

My first step was to address the ill-fitting, 2-pc. jimbaori. The fit of the corresponding pieces on the base figure, while problematic, was nowhere near as bad, and it appears as if the torso shrank signifi- cantly more than the enveloping garment halves during the casting of this bust. I will hasten to add that while "fit" and "casting quality" are in the eye of the beholder, it is one of the primary reasons that this beholder has distanced himself from the historical side of the hobby.

As I have already been through this with the base figure, I can honestly say it is much easier the second time around. The torso with its fitted garment is now curing under the lamp.

If all goes as planned, I will have the jimbaori halves cleaned-up by the end of the day tomorrow. That will leave but some relatively minor re-detailing of the lacework along the trailing lateral edges of the visible dou before the torso can be deemed finished.

The next steps will be the molding and casting of the full left arm and the subsequent fitting of the same. Once that is done, I can begin final clean-up before priming--and try not to lose any sleep over how to address the medial seem on the back of the jimbaori(!), as well as plot my painting strategy: as I see it now, the only pre-assembly that will (can!) be done is the attachment of the helmeted head to the torso. As I said earlier. . . questionable design.

Finally, I have begun cleaning-up the shikoro, and have taken the first steps to fitting it to the hachi. As a sidebar, apparently nobody noticed that the built-up crest overhangs the edge of the shikoro. . .


This will have to be corrected with care. . .

FOLLOW-UP - 29.07.2012. . . The jimbaori halves are well on their way to being "finished". Unfortunately, closer inspection revealed some minor mold shifts that will require additional attention, but otherwise it's a go.

Daimyō, Edo Jidai

Subject: Daimyō, Edo Jidai

Stock No.: MS-003
Manufacturer: La Ruota del Tempo
Range: Historical Busts (MS)
Scale: 90mm
Sculpted by Victor Konnov
Adapted (Modified/Converted) by Roberto De Meo
Base Figure: Pegaso Kato Kiyomasa (90-040)
Medium: White Metal.
Parts: 10 + turned wooden pedestal.

I bought this 2011 release at this year's Atlanta Show. This 90mm bust is nothing more than a conversion ("adaptation") of Pegaso's 90mm K.Kiyomasa figure, an idea apparently conceived by Massimo Pasquali, who also painted the boxart.

I believe the very broad-brushed dating for this figure has been based on the provenance of the kabuto. I am still compiling information on this item, so I will address the helmet and the dating of the piece at greater length in a follow-up posting. Regardless, it was the kawari kabuto that prompted my purchase of this bust, as it is one of my favourite designs.

The changes to the base figure (or to be more accurate, to the parts from the base figure that were used: 10 vs. 23) are as follows:

• New crest
• Truncated arms
• Kamon on jimbaori

Casting quality is quite good, though decidedly "heavy"--and I am not referring to the weight! Fit is average, give or take (G 1/2+): there will be some fitting revisions to make sure the jimbaori lies as it should: this is a legacy fault from the base kit. The right arm is fine; the left arm? Not so much. No matter what the miniaturist does, he or she will be faced--literally--with a vertical stump!


I am seriously considering molding the full left arm, adding a gunbai or saihai, and taking it from there.

Can I recommend this kit? NO. This bust is based on a figure with a plethora of problems, not a single one of which has been addressed in this iteration. Add to that questionable design, and unless you are willing to accept the bust as is, or to invest a significant amount of time into the piece, you will more than likely not be satisfied with the outcome.

FOLLOW-UP - 29.07.2012. . . I will replace the unsightly truncated left arm with the full arm from the base kit. While still on the drawing board, I am leaning toward a saihai so that I can control motion and depth.