The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

25 October - 2 November 2021 • London

Overview
A rare lacquer box | Signed Tamura Hisahide | Edo period, 19th century

1 A rare lacquer box | Signed Tamura Hisahide | Edo period, 19th century

A suzuribako [writing box] | Edo period, 18th - 19th century

2 A suzuribako [writing box] | Edo period, 18th - 19th century

A zaboshi kabuto [helmet with seated rivets] | Edo Period 17th - 18th century

3 A zaboshi kabuto [helmet with seated rivets] | Edo Period 17th - 18th century

A hoshi-bachi [helmet with standing rivets] and mempo [face mask] | Edo period, 17th century

4 A hoshi-bachi [helmet with standing rivets] and mempo [face mask] | Edo period, 17th century

An Iwai school daienzan suji-bachi [hemispherical-shaped helmet] | Edo period, 18th century

5 An Iwai school daienzan suji-bachi [hemispherical-shaped helmet] | Edo period, 18th century

A hoshi-bachi [helmet with standing rivets] | Signed Munetsugu saku (made by Munetsugu) | Edo period, 18th century

6 A hoshi-bachi [helmet with standing rivets] | Signed Munetsugu saku (made by Munetsugu) | Edo period, 18th century

An akoda-nari suji-bachi [helmet with raised ridges] | Edo period, 17th - 18th century

7 An akoda-nari suji-bachi [helmet with raised ridges] | Edo period, 17th - 18th century

A suji-bach [helmet with raised ridges] | Signed Saotome Iesada | Edo period, 17th century

8 A suji-bach [helmet with raised ridges] | Signed Saotome Iesada | Edo period, 17th century

A hoshi-bachi [helmet with standing rivets] | Momoyama - Edo period, 16th - 17th century

9 A hoshi-bachi [helmet with standing rivets] | Momoyama - Edo period, 16th - 17th century

A momonari kabuto [peach shaped helmet] | The helmet bowl Momoyama -Edo period, late 16th - early  17th century

10 A momonari kabuto [peach shaped helmet] | The helmet bowl Momoyama -Edo period, late 16th - early 17th century

A nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 18th – 19th century

11 A nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 18th – 19th century

A hotoke-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 18th century, the helmet 17th century

12 A hotoke-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 18th century, the helmet 17th century

A nerikawa nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 18th-19th century

13 A nerikawa nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 18th-19th century

A nanban-do gusoku [armour] | The kabuto signed Saotome | Momoyama - Edo period, late 16th - early 17th century

14 A nanban-do gusoku [armour] | The kabuto signed Saotome | Momoyama - Edo period, late 16th - early 17th century

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

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

A nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 17th - 18th century

16 A nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 17th - 18th century

A nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 17th-18th century

17 A nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 17th-18th century

A fine honkozane tachi-do gusoku [true lamellae armour with two-plate cuirass] | Edo period, 17th century

18 A fine honkozane tachi-do gusoku [true lamellae armour with two-plate cuirass] | Edo period, 17th century

A nanban-do gusoku [armour] | The helmet signed Saotome Ienari | Edo period, 17th century

19 A nanban-do gusoku [armour] | The helmet signed Saotome Ienari | Edo period, 17th century

A Mori okegawa nimai-do gusoku [armour] | The helmet signed Joshu-ju Saotome Ietada (Saotome Ietada, a resident of Hitachi Province) | Edo period, late 17th century

20 A Mori okegawa nimai-do gusoku [armour] | The helmet signed Joshu-ju Saotome Ietada (Saotome Ietada, a resident of Hitachi Province) | Edo period, late 17th century

A honkozane do-maru gusoku [armour] | The kabuto signed Yamato no Kami Nagakuni saku (made by Nagakuni from Yamaoto Province) | Edo period, 17th - 18th century

21 A honkozane do-maru gusoku [armour] | The kabuto signed Yamato no Kami Nagakuni saku (made by Nagakuni from Yamaoto Province) | Edo period, 17th - 18th century

A nimai-do gusoku [armour] with a rare kazaori eboshi kabuto [helmet in the form of a wind-swept court cap] | Edo period, 17th century

22 A nimai-do gusoku [armour] with a rare kazaori eboshi kabuto [helmet in the form of a wind-swept court cap] | Edo period, 17th century

A gusoku [armour] | The helmet signed Myochin Muneyuki | Edo period, 17th - 18th century

23 A gusoku [armour] | The helmet signed Myochin Muneyuki | Edo period, 17th - 18th century

An iroiro-odoshi nimai-do gusoku [armour with variegated lacing] | The helmet signed by Myochin Nobuie (circa 1504-54) | Edo period, 16th century

24 An iroiro-odoshi nimai-do gusoku [armour with variegated lacing] | The helmet signed by Myochin Nobuie (circa 1504-54) | Edo period, 16th century

A honkozane munatori do-maru gusoku [armour] | The mempo signed moto Munesuke shinzu Myochin Munetaka  (Myochin Munetaka, based on a design by Munesuke) | Edo period, 18th century

25 A honkozane munatori do-maru gusoku [armour] | The mempo signed moto Munesuke shinzu Myochin Munetaka (Myochin Munetaka, based on a design by Munesuke) | Edo period, 18th century

A happuri [solid plate face guard] | 19th -20th century

26 A happuri [solid plate face guard] | 19th -20th century

A tengu men [face mask formed as a tengu] | Edo period, 17th century

27 A tengu men [face mask formed as a tengu] | Edo period, 17th century

A mempo [face mask] | Edo period, 18th century

28 A mempo [face mask] | Edo period, 18th century

A mempo [face mask] | Edo period, 17th century

29 A mempo [face mask] | Edo period, 17th century

A fine somen [full face mask] Signed Myochin Munesada Edo period, 19th century

30 A fine somen [full face mask] Signed Myochin Munesada Edo period, 19th century

A jingasa [war hat] | Edo period, 17th century

31 A jingasa [war hat] | Edo period, 17th century

A jingasa [war hat] | Edo Period, 19th Century

32 A jingasa [war hat] | Edo Period, 19th Century

A fine umiari suikan-gura [riding saddle with double register pommel] Signed Ise Suruga no kami Sadamasa saku (made by Ise Suruga no kami Sadamasa) and with kao Muromachi period, dated Kanoto hitsuji sangatsu hi (a day in March 1451)

33 A fine umiari suikan-gura [riding saddle with double register pommel] Signed Ise Suruga no kami Sadamasa saku (made by Ise Suruga no kami Sadamasa) and with kao Muromachi period, dated Kanoto hitsuji sangatsu hi (a day in March 1451)

A lacquer kura [saddle],  the frame with a date of Koji ninen (1556) and a kao, and abumi [stirrups] ensuite | Edo period, 19th century

34 A lacquer kura [saddle], the frame with a date of Koji ninen (1556) and a kao, and abumi [stirrups] ensuite | Edo period, 19th century

A pair of abumi [stirrups] | Signed Kashu Ju Kunihira saku (made by Kunihira, a resident of Kashu Province) | Edo period, 17th century

35 A pair of abumi [stirrups] | Signed Kashu Ju Kunihira saku (made by Kunihira, a resident of Kashu Province) | Edo period, 17th century

A yari [spear] | Signed Yashu ju Hosokawa Masanori saku (made by Hosokawa Masanori from Shimotsuke Province) | Meiji peiord, dated 1881

36 A yari [spear] | Signed Yashu ju Hosokawa Masanori saku (made by Hosokawa Masanori from Shimotsuke Province) | Meiji peiord, dated 1881

A sasaho yari [young bamboo leaf-shaped spear] | Signed Kanefusa | Muromachi period, 16th century, the koshirae 19th century

37 A sasaho yari [young bamboo leaf-shaped spear] | Signed Kanefusa | Muromachi period, 16th century, the koshirae 19th century

An Umetada yari [spear] | Edo period, 19th century

38 An Umetada yari [spear] | Edo period, 19th century

A tanto | Edo period, 19th century

39 A tanto | Edo period, 19th century

A tanto | Edo period, 19th century

40 A tanto | Edo period, 19th century

A tanto | Signed Izumi no kami Kunisada | Edo period, 17th century | the koshirae | Meiji period, late 19th century

41 A tanto | Signed Izumi no kami Kunisada | Edo period, 17th century | the koshirae | Meiji period, late 19th century

A fine tanto | Edo - Meiji period, 19th century

42 A fine tanto | Edo - Meiji period, 19th century

An aikuchi tanto with ebi-kizami koshirae [sword mount in the form of a crayfish] | Signed Iwato Minamoto Kiyotaka | Edo period, 19th century

43 An aikuchi tanto with ebi-kizami koshirae [sword mount in the form of a crayfish] | Signed Iwato Minamoto Kiyotaka | Edo period, 19th century

A tanto with cloisonne enamel saya [scabbard] | Meiji period, late 19th century

44 A tanto with cloisonne enamel saya [scabbard] | Meiji period, late 19th century

A tachi with cloisonné enamel scabbard | With signature Sadamune | Meiji period, late 19th century

45 A tachi with cloisonné enamel scabbard | With signature Sadamune | Meiji period, late 19th century

A tanto | Edo period, 19th century

46 A tanto | Edo period, 19th century

An Uda School tanto | Attributed to Uda Kuniyoshi and with kinzogan [gold inlay] inscription | Unotsu Muromachi period, circa 1430, the koshirae 19th century

47 An Uda School tanto | Attributed to Uda Kuniyoshi and with kinzogan [gold inlay] inscription | Unotsu Muromachi period, circa 1430, the koshirae 19th century

A katana | Signed Tenmangu ni oite rokujunichi kyoku seishin kitae Yukihira kore o tsukru (made by Yukihira and forged to the most extreme purity for sixty days in Tenmangu) | Edo period, dated Genroku go mizunoe-saru nigatsu saijobi (an auspicious day in February 1692)

48 A katana | Signed Tenmangu ni oite rokujunichi kyoku seishin kitae Yukihira kore o tsukru (made by Yukihira and forged to the most extreme purity for sixty days in Tenmangu) | Edo period, dated Genroku go mizunoe-saru nigatsu saijobi (an auspicious day in February 1692)