My first set of Armor - Iyozane Maru-Dou from an Estate

[jasper]

I picked this up a month ago from an estate. From my research so far the Do and kote are 16th century and the other parts have been added on. It is in need of repair as some of the kuzazuri need to be re-laced to the Do. There are two smaller sections that are off completely. All of the kuzazuri are there. The helmet is confusing, as it is very light weight. It appears to be just a thin metal that has been laquered over. I would appreciate some opinions and some advice or repair.

[uwe]

Hi Jasper,

interesting Do, but can`t see iyozane plates. Looks nerikawa, or at least leather covered.

Kote 16th century... ...don`t think so.

Only first glance.....

Uwe

[estcrh]

Hon iyozane maru dou are rather rare, it appears to have bear fur trim on the bottom of the kusazuri. Is there just one suneate? Dont count the zunari kabuto out as not matching as it is an etchu zunari which from what I have read was what would have come with an Hosakawa armor, which I believe your armor may be. I do not think this type of armor would have originally had sode (not all armors did). The kote appear to be of the correct style for this armor also. More pictures of the haidate and suneate would be helpful. Is the inside of the kabuto black instead of the usual red?

 

You can read some info here.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/a ... r-hosokawa

 

You can compare your armor to this one that is a complete suit of Hosakawa armor incuding an etchu zunari kabuto.

http://s831.photobucket.com/albums/zz23 ... f%20armor/

[estcrh]

Hi Jasper,

interesting Do, but can`t see iyozane plates. Looks nerikawa, or at least leather covered.

Kote 16th century... ...don`t think so.

Only first glance.....

Uwe

Uwe, it is indeed a hon iyozane (true large scales) maru dou (no hinge), it is made from hundreds of individual large scales (iyozane), made from iron or mixed iron and rawhide (a magnet is needed to tell), the individual scales would be covered in leather (I have read dog leather) and lacquered and laced together. 1600s from what I have read but I have seen one that was reproduced supposedly in the 1800s armor revival.

 

 

Here is what the inside would look like.

 

Here is a link to another one.

http://s831.photobucket.com/albums/zz23 ... ?start=all

[uwe]

Eric/Jasper,

undoubtedly Hosokawa impression. Hence, the Etchu Zunari is to be expected. Sode are rather later added, as Eric said. Suneate and Haidate seems matching. Kusazuri in kirisuke kozane with bear fur. Well, I have to admit that the Do is Iyozane. What confused me at first, was the rectangular shape of the scales (no dovetail notch)

Uwe

[jasper]

I think that the Do' and Kote are original to each other and are not from the revival period as they have considerable age, but I could be wrong. The Do is made up of individual iron plates as are the kusazari, they are magnetic The sode seem to be the newest parts added and are not part of this style of armor as estcrh pointed out. That is why I think someone just added missing pieces to it over the years. I am missing one suneate and the menpo.

 

This was one of the first examples that I found.

http://tousando.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=armour&thread=3668&page=1#32730

[Toryu2020]

Jasper -

Not sure anybody mentioned it but a damned nice first find - count me jealous...

-t

[jasper]

Jasper -

Not sure anybody mentioned it but a damned nice first find - count me jealous...

-t

 

Not anyone yet, thank you! I was pretty excited when I first saw it and knew it's potential value right away.

[jasper]

Anyone have any ideas about the kabuto? It seems very light. Most of the weight of the helmet is from the shikoro.

[jasper]

More close-ups of the Do.

[Geraint]

Hi Jasper,

 

Great find, I envy you. On the subject of the kabuto, from the pictures the plates appear to have some thickness, though this could be built up with lacquer. A similar helmet that I have has some weight to it and I wonder if perhaps this is a nerikawa kabuto? The magnet test might be in order.

Enjoy.

[Justin Grant]

If the Kabuto is leather, the chips in the urushi spell disaster if not repaired ASAP. Once the leather gets some moisture in it, it will swell and flakes off the urushi.

[jasper]

It is hard to tell if it is leather. It is slightly flexable. It is not magnetic. The shikoro are magnetic and are much heavier. What other materials were used?

 

Any recomendations on repair and costs? The shikoro need to be re-laced. Also need some of the kusazuri re re-laced to the Do as well.

[estcrh]

It is hard to tell if it is leather. It is slightly flexable. It is not magnetic. The shikoro are magnetic and are much heavier. What other materials were used?

 

Any recomendations on repair and costs? The shikoro need to be re-laced. Also need some of the kusazuri re re-laced to the Do as well.

If it is not metal then it is nerigawa (rawhide). Here is a link to someone who repairs samurai armour. http://www.katchushi.com/

[IanB]

Jasper, A splendid iyozane maru do in what appears to be excellent condition. Do though be careful though when handling it, the internal laces holding the sane onto the kawashiki will be brittled and will break if flexed too much. Avoid opening it out too far - that is what will do the damage. As for your helmet, if it is nerigawa it is the first ever zunari kabuto made of this material I have ever heard of, never mind having seen. An exceedingly rare item to be cherished. As Justin says, be very careful of humidity. Rob Soanes will do a good job of the lacquer.

 

Ian Bottomley

[Justin Grant]

Hi Jasper,

 

As Ian said, it would be a one of a kind Zunari to be in nerigawa, can you provide clear closeup photos of the areas I circled in red, it might help in identifying the material.

 

Again, if it is leather, it is critical that you do something with it ASAP to repair the chips, once the leather starts to swell, there is no going back... Same with the Dou.

 

Good purchase, happy for you.

[jasper]

Thanks everyone for the help. It has been very confusing trying to figure out this kabuto. I was thinking it was more of just added to the set for display as a cheap imitation to a metal helmet. I would imagine that making this shape out of leather would be very difficult, getting it exact to the same shape as you could form a metal kabuto. I would also think that this would have been more expensive for the owner to have purchased then that of a metal kabuto?

 

Looking at it closer it does look like very dried out leather, kind of a rust color. I will update some closeups this evening.

[IanB]

Jasper, Don't get the idea that armour of nerigawa was a cheap alternative. It was in fact expensive since the bowl would have to be made in a wooden mould. It was done by beating the wet hide into the mould with a hammer and then letting it dry in situ. In all probability it would involve two or more layers to obtain the thickness needed. Then the hide had to be lacquered with many undercoats to get the surface to the right degree of smoothness and shape before black lacquering. Quite a job. Armours of nerigawa were favoured by old men since the weight was a fraction of iron ones.

Ian

[jasper]

Here are some better pics.

[Justin Grant]

If I had any money, I bet for leather!

 

Ian is the most knowledgeable person about these things, and if he says he has never seen, or read about one being leather, I would say very rare!

 

If you have the means, I ask that you quickly send in for a professional repair to stabilize the leather exposed to the air.

[jasper]

So now comes the choice in what to do. To balance the inital cost and repairs vs. the value of this armor when restored. I got a partial quote back on relacing the sugake odoshi and Shikoro but he could not estimate the lacquer repairs on the kabuto until he saw it. The repair costs seem ok so far, they are more then what I purchased the set for.

 

A rare nerigawa kabuto does not always say that it would be of great value. I do understand the importance of the restoration but sinking money into it has to be justified.

 

I have found a simular set for sale at around $7500 but I have no idea if that is a reasonable price, this is with a metal kabuto.

 

http://www.samuraiantiqueworld.com/antiquesamuraiarmor36.html

 

Any help again would be appreciated.

[Bugyotsuji]

If you buy an expensive car, you show the world your wealth and your ability to cover the upkeep. You can ask people to do the work for you, and you will expect to pay the cost. Or you can learn to do it yourself, and save some of the cost in the long run, if you do it right. It is not an easy choice to make.

 

You can study reversible stop-gap measures, or ask for complete restoration. Or you can sell the thing, along with the concomitant responsibility to future generations.

 

It seems that owners of Japanese weapons gradually learn/ed how much they can/could undertake themselves, and how to do it, and how much they need/ed to ask for outside help.

 

Until then, read and study and attend any workshops going. Good luck!

[jasper]

If you buy an expensive car, you show the world your wealth and your ability to cover the upkeep. You can ask people to do the work for you, and you will expect to pay the cost. Or you can learn to do it yourself, and save some of the cost in the long run, if you do it right. It is not an easy choice to make.

 

You can study reversible stop-gap measures, or ask for complete restoration. Or you can sell the thing, along with the concomitant responsibility to future generations.

 

It seems that owners of Japanese weapons gradually learn/ed how much they can/could undertake themselves, and how to do it, and how much they need/ed to ask for outside help.

 

Until then, read and study and attend any workshops going. Good luck!

 

But if I know nothing about cars and buy a ford pinto, then pay thousands to restore it, I have waisted my time and money. Just trying to balance things out.

[IanB]

Jasper, Whilst your zunari kabuto is rare, I'm afraid it isn't very valuable in today's commercial world. If you have it professionally restored it will cost a lot and you have at the end a restored zunari kabuto, albeit a leather one. Leather armour, although expensive when made, is not I'm afraid regarded as valuable in commercial terms because of its tendency to shed lacquer. To me these armours are interesting examples of what was made and worn. Quite coincidentally I am hoping to acquire a leather helmet myself this weekend - if it is still unsold and I can do a deal.

Your helmet has had the rawhide covered with hemp cloth before the upper lacquer coats have been put on. That might be a saving grace since it has put another layer between the rawhide and the moisture in the atmosphere. Having seen the latest batch of images it doesn't look too bad - after all it has lasted a couple of hundred years or so already. A simple little treatment that isn't going to harm anything is to buy a bottle of clear nail-varnish and just coat the bare areas with it, using a fine brush so you don't get it on the lacquer surface. That should help seal the dodgy bits. Then get a black felt-tipped marker pen with a fine point and tint in on top of the nail-varnish. The damage will be far less noticeable and what you have done will be reversible if someone decides to use urushi in the future. I use the felt-tipped pen dodge for scratches in black lacquer and it doesn't half improve the appearance.

Ian B

[jasper]

Thanks Ian. I will probably end up selling it and have someone else restore it.