The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

Online Auction: 30 April–11 May 2021 • 3:00 PM BST • London

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour 30 April–11 May 2021 • 3:00 PM BST • London

W e are delighted to announce the sale of The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour, with a fine selection of works associated with the samurai class. The beginning of the sale features a group of helmets from an American private collection, including a rare hoshi bachi of conical form.

Other helmets in the sale, such as a kawari kabuto shaped as a Dutch puritan steeple hat and a momonari kabuto influenced by the form of Spanish style morions, display the interest in European material and fashions as trade relations were initiated in the sixteenth century.

The sale continues with fine examples of armour from a distinguished European collection, including nimai-do gusoku and okegawa-do gusoku. Concluding the sale is a diverse offering of swords and mounts, from an early tachi attributed to Norishige to an elaborate Omori school koshirae.

Featured Highlights

Scroll through to view more artefacts

The Battles of Ichinotani and Yashima | Edo period, late 17th - early 18th century

The Battles of Ichinotani and Yashima | Edo period, late 17th - early 18th century

Estimate: 25,000 – 30,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A Kawari kabuto [unusually shaped helmet] | Edo period, 17th century

A Kawari kabuto [unusually shaped helmet] | Edo period, 17th century

Estimate: 30,000 – 40,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

An Eboshi-nari kabuto [court cap shaped helmet] | Edo period, 17th century

An Eboshi-nari kabuto [court cap shaped helmet] | Edo period, 17th century

Estimate: 10,000 – 15,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A Momonari kabuto [peach shaped helmet] | Edo period, 17th century

A Momonari kabuto [peach shaped helmet] | Edo period, 17th century

Estimate: 20,000 – 30,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A Kawari kabuto [unusually shaped helmet] | Edo period, 17th - 18th century

A Kawari kabuto [unusually shaped helmet] | Edo period, 17th - 18th century

Estimate: 20,000 – 30,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A Nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 17th century

A Nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 17th century

Estimate: 15,000 – 20,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A fine Okegawa-do gusoku [armour] | Momoyama - Edo period, late 16th - early 17th century

A fine Okegawa-do gusoku [armour] | Momoyama - Edo period, late 16th - early 17th century

Estimate: 80,000 – 100,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A Tachi | Signed Zen Hakushu Nobutaka nyudo | Edo period, dated Kanbun jusannen (1673)

A Tachi | Signed Zen Hakushu Nobutaka nyudo | Edo period, dated Kanbun jusannen (1673)

Estimate: 25,000 – 30,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

An Omori school koshirae | Edo period, 18th century

An Omori school koshirae | Edo period, 18th century

Estimate: 7,000 – 10,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

An Etchu tachi | Attributed to Norishige | Late Kamakura - early Nanbokucho period, 14th century

An Etchu tachi | Attributed to Norishige | Late Kamakura - early Nanbokucho period, 14th century

Estimate: 30,000 – 40,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A Shin-shinto wakizashi with Goto school koshirae | Edo period, 18th century

A Shin-shinto wakizashi with Goto school koshirae | Edo period, 18th century

Estimate: 7,000 – 10,000 GBP

Estimate: 7,000 – 10,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

Exhibition Times

Saturday 8 May	12.00 pm – 5.00 pm BST
Sunday 9 May	12.00 pm – 5.00 pm BST
Monday 10 May	10.00 am – 5.00 pm BST
Tuesday 11 May	10.00 am – 5.00 pm BST

Helmets: The Skill of the Armourer

Featured Lots

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An iron eight plate Kabuto [helmet] | The bowl Momoyama - Edo period, 16th - 17th century

An iron eight plate Kabuto [helmet] | The bowl Momoyama - Edo period, 16th - 17th century

Estimate: 5,000 – 7,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A Kawari kabuto [unusually shaped helmet] | Edo period, 17th century

A Kawari kabuto [unusually shaped helmet] | Edo period, 17th century

Estimate: 30,000 – 40,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A rare Hoshi-bachi [helmet with standing rivets] | Signed Saotome Iyetada | Edo period, 17th century

A rare Hoshi-bachi [helmet with standing rivets] | Signed Saotome Iyetada | Edo period, 17th century

Estimate: 15,000 – 20,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

An iron Hoshi-bachi [helmet with raised rivets] | Edo period, 17th century

An iron Hoshi-bachi [helmet with raised rivets] | Edo period, 17th century

Estimate: 8,000 – 10,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A Hoshi-bachi [helmet with raised rivets] | Edo period, 17th century

A Hoshi-bachi [helmet with raised rivets] | Edo period, 17th century

Estimate: 4,000 – 6,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

The Art of Defense, a History of Samurai Helmets

Japanese Armour from a Distinguished Italian Collection

Featured Lots

A fine Nimai-do gusoku [armour] |The kabuto Momoyama period, late 16th century

A fine Nimai-do gusoku [armour] |The kabuto Momoyama period, late 16th century

Estimate: 60,000 – 80,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A Yokohagi okegawa-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, mid-18th century

A Yokohagi okegawa-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, mid-18th century

Estimate: 30,000 – 50,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A fine Nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, late 17th century

A fine Nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, late 17th century

Estimate: 80,000 – 100,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A fine Nimai-do gusoku [armour], Edo period, mid-18th century

A fine Nimai-do gusoku [armour], Edo period, mid-18th century

Estimate: 70,000 – 90,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

The Soul of the Samurai: Japanese Swords from a Private Collection

Featured Lots

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A Katana | Signed Noshu ju Morihiro | Muromachi period, 15th century

A Katana | Signed Noshu ju Morihiro | Muromachi period, 15th century

Estimate: 8,000 – 10,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A Wakizashi | Signed Hishu ju Seuhide saku | Dated Bunmei sannen hachigatsu hi (A day in August 1471)

A Wakizashi | Signed Hishu ju Seuhide saku | Dated Bunmei sannen hachigatsu hi (A day in August 1471)

Estimate: 7,000 – 10,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

An Echizen katana | Signed Echizen Yasutsugu kore o tsukuru | Edo period, 17th century

An Echizen katana | Signed Echizen Yasutsugu kore o tsukuru | Edo period, 17th century

Estimate: 8,000 – 10,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

An Osaka katana | Signed Tango no kami Naomichi | Edo period, 17th century

An Osaka katana | Signed Tango no kami Naomichi | Edo period, 17th century

Estimate: 8,000 – 10,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A Hojoji wakizashi | Signed Tajima no kami Hojoji Tachibana Sadakuni with kinzogan [gold inlay] cutting test inscription | Edo period, dated Kanbun nananen gogatsu jukyunichi (19 May 1667)

A Hojoji wakizashi | Signed Tajima no kami Hojoji Tachibana Sadakuni with kinzogan [gold inlay] cutting test inscription | Edo period, dated Kanbun nananen gogatsu jukyunichi (19 May 1667)

Estimate: 6,000 – 8,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

A Katana | Signed Chikuzen kuni Minamoto Nobukini Heijiro Yoshinao saku | Edo period, 19th century

A Katana | Signed Chikuzen kuni Minamoto Nobukini Heijiro Yoshinao saku | Edo period, 19th century

Estimate: 10,000 – 15,000 GBP

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

30 April–11 May 2021 | 3:00 PM BST | London

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