The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 36. A rare and impressive nanban kabuto [European style helmet] and mempo [face mask] | Momoyama - Edo period, late 16th - early 17th century.

A rare and impressive nanban kabuto [European style helmet] and mempo [face mask] | Momoyama - Edo period, late 16th - early 17th century

VAT reduced rateUK: Greenford Park Warehouse

Lot Closed

May 10, 02:36 PM GMT

Estimate

80,000 - 100,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

A rare and impressive nanban kabuto [European style helmet] and mempo [face mask]

Momoyama - Edo period, late 16th - early 17th century


the fine patinated russet iron nanban bowl with standing rivets and diamond shaped openwork to the apex, inlaid in silver with foliate scrolls in European manner, hammered with a horin [Dharmachakra; dharma wheel], tomoe and manji, nawame fukruin [ornamental border with rope impression], the russet iron mabisashi [peak] with stylised clouds, four-tiered black lacquer shikoro [neck guard] with kebiki-odoshi [close-spaced lacing] with dark blue braid, gold lacquered wood maedate [forecrest] in the form of a squirrel with yak hair tail, inset eyes, the russet iron ressei mempo [face mask with fierce expression] forged with deep wrinkles, flared nostrils and open mouth, silver lacquer teeth, red lacquer interior, four-tiered yodaregake [throat protector] laced in matching braid 


The bowl to peak: 30 cm., 11¾ in.

The shikoro to peak: 35 cm., 13¾ in. 

The mempo: 16.5 cm., 6½ in. 

For another example of a similar nanban-style helmet, see L. John Anderson et al., Art of Armor: Samurai Armor From The Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection, (Connecticut, 2011), no. 16 pg. 150.