A suji kabuto
Edo period (18th century)
Thirty-two plate, russet-iron suji kabuto decorated with vertical file marks on the surface and mounted with a four-stage tehen kanemono, the mabizashi and fukigaeshi trimmed in gilt-copper fukurin, fitted with a three-lame shikoro lacquered black, the fukigaeshi decorated with stenciled doeskin, silk cord and gilt-copper heraldic crests, the interior lacquered gold and inscribed Myochin Nobuie and dated Tenbun ichinen mizunoe tatsu hachigatsu kichijitsu (1532.8)
Estimate: US$ 5,000 – 7,000
€3,700 – 5,200
£3,100 – 4,400
Footnotes
This helmet is a skillful work in the style of earlier works by Nobuie, most likely produced by Myochin Munesuke. Munesuke (active late 17th-early 18th century) was a skilled armor restorer and armor connoisseur producing evaluation certificates in the mid-Edo period. This practice afforded him access to the armor holdings of many of the most prestigious families where he was able to study the work of early Myochin masters and subsequently adopt classic techniques in his own work.