Live Auction 17148Japanese and Korean Art
A sujibachi kabuto (ridged helmet)
Lot 349

A sujibachi kabuto (ridged helmet)

Momoyama period (late 16th-early 17th century)

Closed19 March 2019

Price Realised

USD 22,500

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A sujibachi kabuto (ridged helmet)
Momoyama period (late 16th-early 17th century)
Helmet [kabuto]: A twenty eight-plate russet iron sujikabuto (ridged helmet), with four-tier hachimanza (decorative component at the apex of the helmet bowl), sweeping expansive mabisashi (brim) with gilt edging, to front of the bowl three gilt shinodare (arrow-shaped decorative components placed between the plates), and two shinodare to rear, the gilt maedate (forecrest) of a butterfly, the gold and black lacquer ushirodate (rear crest) of a single hawk feather
Neck guard [shikoro]: five-tier manju-jikoro (neck-guard) of brown lacquered iron, the fukigaeshi (turn-backs) clad with gilt mon (badges) of kuyomon (nine-circle crest)
Face mask [menpo]: a russet iron menpo (half mask) with deeply-wrinkled cheeks, with three-tier yodare-kake (bib)
Accompanied by a certificate koshu tokubetsu kicho shiryo (Particularly Special Important Material) issued by the Nihon Katchu Bugu Kenkyu Hozonkai (The Association for the Research and Preservation of Japanese Helmets and Armor) in 1996, no. 822

Specialist note

The eighth-century Chronicles of Japan (Nihon shoki 日本書紀) states that the practice of hawking was introduced in the fourth century, after which it became an important seasonal activity at court. Since the Muromachi period (1392-1573), hawking was taken over largely by the warrior elite, who saw the bird of prey as a symbol of their own bravery and might. So potent was this symbol that the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542–1616) banned trade in hawks in 1604 to emphasize his own hegemony. Imagery of hawks in their wild habitat, in cages or tethered to stands is prevalent on hanging scrolls, screens and sliding doors commissioned by the samurai elite.