Itayaga-nari kabuto

Samurai helmet hammered in the shape of a scallop

Late Edo period (1615–1867)

Signature: Kashū jū Myōchin ki Munehisa saku

加州住明珍紀宗久作

The latter part of the Edo period saw the production of kawari kabuto of impressive execution quality. Myōchin Munehisa, an armorer working in Kanazawa in Kaga province, was one of the late masters of iron working, and the samurai helmets and masks he produced during the 19th century are true evidence of virtuosity. Attention to every detail makes his works of the highest standard; in fact, in this helmet, Munehisa did not merely seek out a visually striking frontal decoration but also took care of the entire design of the helmet, which was constructed with embossed plates and with the use of za-boshi (rivets attached with shaped washers) in the back, following the style of Saika, whom Munehisa often modeled himself after.

The scallop has always been a popular design for samurai because of its resemblance to the shape of an open fan, a symbol of celebration and happiness. Most samurai helmets with this decoration, however, have an ordinary wooden maedate applied to the front, while specimens made entirely of iron are very rare, due to the difficulty of execution.