Help with Kabuto

[MikeS]

G'day.

Need some help with a kabuto that belongs to the Museum that I work at. I am enjoying researching Katchu (instead of Nihonto) but am afraid I am not able to get to far with the kabuto. It is 32 plate in poor condition. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Mike Smith

Sydney Australia.

[uwe]

Hi Mike,

looks like it was a nice za-boshi bachi in his former life. Goshôzan type, with obviously hardly suffered leather shikoro. What exactly do you want to know?

Uwe

[MikeS]

G'day Uwe.

Thanks for the reply. I was after a school and date, if possible. I thought the rivets with washers may help as well as the two rows of rivets on the front and no rivets on the opposite plate, combined with the goshozan shape. From my limited library I have not been able to achieve much but I am enjoying the challenge.

Cheers.

Mike Smith

Sydney Australia

[uwe]

Hi Mike,

at first glance, the za-boshi may lead us towards Kaga.... .....give me some time and if possible some more pics

Cheers

Uwe

[IanB]

Mike, I have been beaten to it by Uwe but here is what I wrote -The shaped upper edges of the plates of the shikoro (neck guard) and the zaboshi (the standing rivets and washers with radiating lines) show that this is a helmet made in the province of Kaga. As to the date, the general shape is looking back to earlier centuries, a fashion that started around the second half of the 18th century and continued into the early decades of the 19th century. The principle armourers for the Kaga Han were the Haruta but by the 1780's the Myochin, Iwai and Bamen groups were also starting to establish themselves there. The helmet is definitely not Bamen in style. If pushed I would say it is more like the type the Myochin were likely to produce.

Sadly there is absolutely no way to rescue the shikoro. Once the rawhide plates have twisted and warped like that it is beyond recovery. The helmet bowl itself is also in poor shape with the lacquer flaking and cracking. All you can do is try and keep it in an environment where the humidity and temperature is as stable as possible to prevent further degeneration.

Ian Bottomley

[uwe]

Hi Ian,

I hoped you jump in :D I was unsure about age and school. Furthermore, examining the close up of the lacquer cracks, i wonder if it is actually a metal hachi :?

Uwe

[IanB]

Uwe, Yes I think it is metal because it has kept its shape. If it had been neri gawa I think the bowl itself would have warped like the shikoro.

Ian

[MikeS]

Thanks Uwe and Ian.

I was leaning toward Kaga (Haruta) but not enough knowledge to say with any certainty. Everytime I read something, it suggested a different school to the last bit of information. Much more learning in front of me. Interesting bit of information about the shape of the Shikoro. The kabuto belongs to the Museum I work at, so it will remain in its present condition. So should I say on the label...

 

SAN JU NI KEN ZA-BOSHI SUJI-BACHI KABUTO.

Possibly Myochin school, Kaga Province, Edo period.

 

Thanks for the help.

Mike Smith

Sydney Australia

[DaveT]

its odd how the hoshi boshi byo are missing from the suji tate, could you pop a magnet onto the hachi, that should identify if its nerikawa or metal.

[uwe]

Hi Mike,

as an side note. The mon is left unregarded, because of the huge possible assignments. To many families used this mon during the centuries. Among others, Hosokawa, Matsudaira, .....etc.

Uwe

 

 

PS: I think you should mention the material and the lacquer in your description. Tetsu kuro urushi nuri....... ( Dave, Ian )

[DaveT]

hoshi boshi is a classic!

[MikeS]

G'day again.

Dave. Hachi is metal. Don't know about the missing rivets but probably had a hard life when it arrived down under.

Uwe. Yes, should have mentioned the material and lacquer. Will do. Didn't ask about the mon as I knew it was a bit pointless.

Thanks all for the help.

Mike Smith

Sydney Australia.