A kawari kabuto (helmet)
By Mitsusada, mid/late Edo Period, 18th/19th century
A black-lacquered iron ten-plate shiinari hachi signed Mitsusada, on the front a tosei mabisashi lacquered with gold nashiji, to the rear a black-lacquered iron flange projecting out from the koshimaki mounted with metal mon designs, the helmet covered by a fierce model of a kirin grasping the helmet in its open jaws, modelled with haraikake and lacquered in gold, black, red and silver, the six-lame itamono jikoro split vertically into three sections black-lacquered and laced in white sugake odoshi.
FOOTNOTES
漆塗麒麟形変兜　銘「光定」　江戸時代中期/後期（18/19世紀）

The interior with a red-lacquered inscription Harikake Inaba Etchu Iwa[…] Shitate Futaki on-kabuto ichi Iji Tensho jugo nen’yo (A helmet made by Inaba Etchu Iwa[…] with fittings by Futaki, the 15th year of Tensho [1587]).