Holy freakin' wow.

[gurdymonkey]

I just opened the larger box from the Far West gift exchange. It appears to be an entire set of decorations for Tango no Sekku (Children's day). Miniature sword, banners, a pair of tripod torches that plug in and presumably light up, a music box, all sorts of pinwheel looking things made of arrow fletches, miniature sake flasks, and some folded leaf bundles that may or may not have petrified mochi in 'em. The miniature suit of armor in its own box also goes with all this. I have to wonder from the condition and the fact it's packed in old-ish newspapers whether this belonged to Vail when he was a little boy. Some of the pieces are broken and there's no way to tell how much of that is the result of getting it here and how much from being well loved by its owner.

http://blackcabbit.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/gogatsu-ningyo.jpg shows part of a similar display - and gives me a better clue how to assemble and display all those bits.

I'm going to re-pack it for now, try to get some more info on how a typical display is set up, see if I can reglue the broken items and then put it all up in my camp at Beltane (it being closest to the actual holiday on May 5!) and get photos of it to send to the folks in the Far West. Hoping crimsongriffin  can get me contact info for Vail so I can send him a thank you note too!

Comments

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

WOW. Those things...are not cheap. Not if they cost anywhere near the Hina Matsuri ones. (I've been pricing those for years) Nice haul!!

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

The giver informs me he found it in an antique shop and that it was "not expensive." Some of the items are going to have to be glued back together and I'm not sure whether that's the condition they were in when he got them or whether it happened in transit, but it's still cool.