Luc T

Malcolm, can you give a bit of explanation?

The pictures are too small to see detais.

I am not sure, but the mother of pearl and the longer stick could point to a momoyama gunbai

Mark, it is an interesting and unusual kabuto after all , thanks for sharing. The information in Sasama's Shin Katchushi Meikan is one of the very few sources we have. Altough it must be said that later research changed insights and knowledge, it is still very valuable as a research tool. Takemura sensei, one of the leading experts of our NKBKHK, is working on a new updated katchushi index. Maybe it will bring new insights on your Ieyoshi kabuto.

Ian, i hope for the day that we can discuss armor with an open mind as we did in the past. This group is too small for troube. It is up to us to change this. Luc T

Ian, ok with your interpretation of the Sasama, but I never wrote baldly ‘this is xxx’. I wrote. :’It seems to be a xxx’. My conclusion is that some people can say the most offending things here, but for others it is forbidden to have a simple opinion. When emotion takes it over from rationality, any serious discussion is over. And about the koshimaki... well, a koshimaki is for a kabuto what a nakago is for a sword (dixit a most respected Japanese expert) the more you know, the more,you know what you don’t know with respect, Luc

try modern art Brian!

Al least, we all agree about one thing: It is a Japanese helmet!

Ian, first point of interest to determine a kabuto is the kabuto itself. The mei can only be a confirmation or another question. The hachi in the Met was seen as a Haruta by Sasama. The details of the , yes, zunari confirm this, no matter what Sasama said. This mei is very close to the mei on Mark’s kabuto. Compare Marks kabuto with the early edo Haruta, as there are Katsusada. Fujiwara and Yamato are names often found in Haruta mei, as you know. Honorary titles, marketing...whatever. Am I sure? Never. But I am sure that I am close. I respect your opinion of course, but what school do you think it is?

thanks Mark. I was hoping that the original mabezashi was reused. Unfortunately, it is later version. Sasama's Katchushi Meikan is a bit outdated at some points. A jo I rated armorer is seen as a very good smith. (chu i = good, jojo I = exellent, Sai jo I = superb)

here it is Uwe. Maybe we can ask a picture on Markus?

Btw, I have the impression that only 30% of the early Haruta smiths are recorded. They are worth a serious study, but he surviving written sources are scarce. On the other hand, they are relatively easy to place in time, due to their evolution from the muromachi till mid edo period.

Uwe, it is a zunari, with some remarcable Haruta looking kirigane.

Here the mei from a Yamato Fujiwara Ietsugu. Also Tameshigiri. Metropolitan museum

Mark, do you have a picture of the mabezashi?

Yamato: Haruta, Iwai or Neo school.

It seems To be a kabuto from the Yamato Haruta. I suppose early edo. Why? Shape and signature. State of the koshimaki.

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Thaks guys, much appreciated!

I can only repeat Uwe and Ian. Permanent wakidate are very unusual. Buyer beware...

Does someone know who we can contact from the Usa token societies? There must be important armor-collectors in the States, not?

I think I am older...

sorry, the picture was a bit small

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I would also say meiji. But a good quality tourist or boys festival product. It is a copy of a kamakura era kabuto, the archaic but heroic era of the samurai.