Luc T

make it possible for all Western-European Katchu people, now we have to go to Paris, New York or Tokyo. London would be great. I would like to come in contact with UK collectors. I know very few about them and their stuff. What about a European symposium once a year? During the Asia week perhaps?

maybe this was done to fit a special maedate..? do you have a picture of the koshimaki?

Thanks for the link. this seems to be a fine armor.

First impression: late muromachi Soshu Myochin. but, the shiten no byo aren't on the same plates left and right front?? do you have a picture of the koshimaki on the inside of the kabuto?

very nice work! congratulations!

I would say first part 18° century. Not cheap... but good.

I must have missed something, can someone give the correct link to the sale results?

could be momoyama. I do not remember I saw it in a book.

I see a lot of Kaga-Myochin influence, kirigane... nice set anyway.

I wonder who made it, Fukutake san?

I was in Rotterdam yesterday to mount my armors, most of the pieces were already there. It will be a very fine exhibition with several armors that were never shown before. I saw the catalogue, Dutch/English. It will be for sale by email from the museum shop next week. The pictures are very good, lots of details are shown. Really a must have for armorfreaks!

there is a samurai exhibition in Rotterdam, Netherlands from october till march 2013. This in cooperation with the Royal museum for art and history, far eastern department of Brussels, Stibbert museum Florence, Museum of Ethnology Leiden, myself and many others. http://www.wereldmuseum.nl

on the inside of a kabuto-bitsu, I found this text. Can anyone help me with the translation?

nice armor, logically built-up. Could be matching by my opinion. Armors were made to be worn, so there were restaurations and adaptions made all the time. As Ian says, second part 18° century. I don't think the kabuto is a Saotome, however it has several details that are made in the spirit of Saotome, and Takayoshi. The mabezashi is in the style of Saotome ienaga, the overall quality too. The shape and the visible rivetts on the outside not. Does it have a Saotome Byo on the inside, just under the apex of the hachi?

Ian, interesting kabuto. It seems Saiga work to me (mabezashi, jigane, tehen..) , but I can be wrong. Mine isn't, it's rather myochin. Also interesting is the application on the front, it looks a little like the mon on my kabuto. Piers, it's entirely one plate, with exeption of the two dragons on top.

I have an original ubu muromachi akodanari, inside 12 plates, outside 22 plates... they use these tricks longtimes.

maybe coincidential, but this bell was ordered by Hosokawa Tadaoki (1563-1645) in honor of his wife who was a Christian. It was made for a church near his castle. In 1613 Christianity became forbidden by the shogunate, and the church was destroyed. This bell survived, and was hidden somewhere in Tadaoki's castle. It's in the collection of the Eisei Bunko Museum.

thanks Ian. this one has a mon on the sides. Looks a bit like Hosokawa.

it is a temple bell indeed. I saw a very simmilar one in a Japanese collection, also published in 'Spectacular helmets of Japan'

some clans used their own style of armour, some had a typical style of kabuto. I have a kabuto, made from one single sheet of steel. Does anyone have an idea about the history of this hachi?

there are some people in Belgium and France. If you do it yourself, take the time to look at original lacing, it is much more complicated than most people think. Beware if you buy lacing in Japan, there are big differencs in the quality. By the way, does anyone know a good adress in Japan for lacing? It's more and more difficult to find good quality...

There are a lot of genealogies in Orikasa's 'studies on arms and armor', but no Kaneyoshi ...

strange... maybe they were there to attach the kote.

most of the nerigawa armors were lost in time, because they are far more difficult to conservate. Personally, I only own some old domaru and haramaki partially made of kawa. Some parts are damaged by hungry insects.. I store them in a dark room (only LED lights) , with 50-70% humidity. I saw several Iwai pieces of kawa. The big avantage is the weight indeed. Some say the were used by older samurai. nice men Jan , with haruta influence.

I once saw a very similar zunari with mabezashi, signed Azai Tomoyuki. I think it was end edo.