| DATE | Momoyama Period (1575 – 1615) |
| MEDIUM | Iron with silver decoration ( nunomezogan) |
| SIGNATURE | Soshu-Ju Myochin Jo |
A 32 iron-plate kabuto each decorated with nunomezogan choji–karakusa with a clove and ivy motif.
The four cardinal plates are bordered with so-fukurin, while all of them have gilt higaki at the base. The frontal plate is larger, with a central shinodare. The tehen–no–kanamono is flat, as used in Momoyama period.
The kuwagata–dai is older and dates back to the Muromachi period.
The use of jo is an unusual feature of the signature, probably an allusion linked with the 13th-century tradition of Haruta’s smiths where the helmets were signed with this kanji: It is one of the earliest forms of attribution of helmets ever recorded.
INVENTORY NR: kab-955
SOLD
(Inv. #955)
