Koboshi kabuto Samurai helmet with small standing rivets signed Myochin Yoshiie

Edo Period, 17th-18th Century

A 62-plate koboshi-bachi of typical tenkokuzan form, with 30 pointed rivets on each plate decreasing in size towards the top, with the exception of the larger front plate, with three lines of rivets and the small one on the back which is left blank, for a total of 1,890 rivets.

Myochin Yoshiie is probably to be included in the Ichiguchi-Myōchin school. Although it lacks the more classical distinctive features such as the sinuous curved shape of the bowl, the design of the haraidate, and the zaboshi on the visor, other elements seem to point back to this tradition, especially the bracket that locks the haraidate to the front plate and the shape of the mabizashi itself.

Features on the neck protection (shikoro) suggest that this happened in the region of Kaga: the Dutch leather on the fancy fukigaeshi and the last plate covered in leatherare in fact common decorations of the samurai armor from this area.

On this page is a comprehensive glossary of common terms related to samurai armor.

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