Monkey head Kabuto

[Lindus]

Have just been sent this picture for a comment,seems it is for sale on ebay for around 40k!!!

 

Is this genuine Ian B

Roy

[runagmc]

I've seen some strange kabuto but this just might be the strangest...

[Justin Grant]

I have been told by another well studied person that the leather would not have been stitched and it looks like auto paint and not urushi.

 

EDIT: Also, if the smith spent all this effort on such a kabuto, do you think he would put such a simple shikoro with sugake lacing in a non-matching color?

While common at times to replace a shikoro, I still think it should be more elaborate.

 

 

Your mileage may very.

[Toryu2020]

Any more photos available? How about an item number?

curious...

-t

[drdata]

For those interested in the link. 55k US. Ouch:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EDO-Japanese-SA ... 2eb637f2e1

[IanB]

Lindus, This item or one very similar has been floating about for quite some time. It, or again, another very like it was on a German site a while ago if memory serves. Kawari kabuto, that is those that are not conventional, are not particularly rare either from the Momoyama or Edo periods. My first reaction is to dismiss this out of hand but a close look at the interior of the chin piece does look like old rotting nerigawa. The 'hide' covering also looks to have age, and if it was originally monkey skin with the fur left on, one would expect it to be bald by now. I suspect the sewing is mainly new and I doubt the shikoro now on the helmet originally belonged. However, there are three aspects that give me some concern:

1 There is no provision for anchoring the front of the lining. Normally the lining of a helmet is sewn to the koshimaki around the sides and the back and is either glued to the koshimaki in front, or with zunari kabuto or kawari kabuto, sewn to a strip of metal that runs from side to side across the brow. This helmet has nothing there at all - meaning the front quarter or so of the lining would be left hanging in space. This might simply mean that an original strip, fastened to the bowl at either end, is now missing. Being a helmet made of nerigawa, such a strip would be sewn in place before lacquering and the stitches may well have rotted away. The remains of the 'lining' now present looks like it was knocked up from some old rags. A real one for such a helmet would be sewn with circular stiches to give it shape.

2. There are normally three (or sometimes four or more) loops for the helmet cord, one at the back and two at the temples. These loops also serve to hold the shikoro in place, passing through the koshimaki and through two holes in the upper plate of the latter. In this case, the two forward loops are so far forward as to miss the present shikoro. However there are two loops present, that look to be old cord, but they have never emerged through the present hide covering. So, did the original shikoro extend further forward and was it held by soft metal rivets alone. I don't know but it is possible.

3. Finally there are the scratches a damage to the lacquer. The colour showing through is a bit on the pale side, but not impossible. It depends on the way the bowl was lacquered.

Without holding the helmet and looking at it in detail I would say the jury is out.

Ian Bottomley

[Lindus]

So,buy a car instead?? But you have to love the dealers description translated by bablefish I would guess.

Roy

 

 

Shape of a monkey face helmet is the helmet shape in a few years ago猿面Yuzuri received 40 former Tibetan local Fangjia I Tamba.

As we enjoy the treasures of my products a long time, this time it is up to Sell Moraitaku you like to hate.This helmet has a love interest in what made ​​the armourer in the Edo period. I have heard that it is this same dedication, such as a helmet at the shrine Izushi. That there is a water main was owned and retainers Hidehisa Yatsu Sengoku Sengoku warlord. Warriors wore hides face in battle wearing comfortably and猿面form, would have been advantageous for difficult to determine if the elderly or the young. You probably guessed that amulet on the battlefield. The warriors would have made ​​had very good luck担Ida. Cloth upholstery is damaged by floating are the times. Famous chance of the helmet instead not ask again. You like, thank you very much to take care Please check our web.

[Jim P]

Hi Roy have a look at http://www.japanesesword.de/?site=armor&id=16&lang=en

[IanB]

Jim, That was the site I saw before. This I think clinches it.

Ian Bottomley

[Justin Grant]

Again, leather was almost always glued down, not swen. The tare is modern and very poorly done, the lacing is very poor.

 

Just my opinion.

[runagmc]

Roy, your babblefish comment cracked me up after I read the dealers description. I have to give him credit for trying though, knowing that if I tried to write something in Japanese I would do much worse than he did.