Art of Japan

Art of Japan

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 39. A zunari kabuto [head-shaped helmet] | Signed Neo Masanobu | Edo period, 18th century.

A zunari kabuto [head-shaped helmet] | Signed Neo Masanobu | Edo period, 18th century

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November 5, 01:39 PM GMT

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10,000 - 15,000 GBP

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Lot Details

Description

A zunari kabuto [head-shaped helmet]

Signed Neo Masanobu

Edo period, 18th century


the five plate russet iron bowl of zunari [head-shaped] form, the helmet bowl carved, chased and inlaid in gilt and silver with dragonflies, the russet iron peak with clouds to the peak, copper-gilt fukurin [ornamental border], red lacquer underside, the turnbacks applied with copper-gilt and patinated iron ume mon [plum blossom crests] with copper-gilt fukurin, the four-tiered neckguard decorated in black lacquer and applied with bands of leather, with alternating spaced and close-spaced lacing in dark blue braid


The bowl to peak: 28 cm., 11 in.

Kobayashi Ryo et al., The Beauty of Japanese Armors: Rare Kabuto (Osaka, 2007), p. 30.

The zunari, or ‘head-shaped’ style helmet bowl is known to have one of the best protective functions among Japanese helmets. Crafted for functionality and with a simplicity of design, the smooth surface on these types of helmets were often ornately decorated in a variety of techniques, such as soft metal inlay or maki-e [lit. sprinkled pictures] in urushi lacquer. Here, this five-plate russet iron ground bowl was forged with the top plate overlapping the frontal plate, the Hachiman-za [decorative component at the apex of the helmet bowl] is pierced with inome [boar’s eye] and the peak fastened with three large circular rivets (sanko no byo). The top of the bowl is inlaid with large dragonflies; although commonly referred to as tonbo in Japanese, they are also known by another name, kachi-mushi [lit. insects of victory], preferred by the samurai class for its auspicious associations in battle. The richly patinated bowl has been applied with creased brown leather to the turnbacks (fukigaeshi) and neck guard (shikoro).