TDM-017 Listing.qxp_Layout 1 26/05/2016 12:05 Page 5
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THE PROPERTY OF A COLLECTOR 15 A FINE JAPANESE HELMET (HOSHI SUJIBACHI KABUTO) BY SAOTOME IYECHIKA, EDO PERIOD, MID-17TH CENTURY with very well formed iron skull of sixty-two plates profusely studded over its outer surface with cone-shaped rivets widening towards the base, fitted with mabizashi lacquered red on its underside, shikoro of five lacquered iron lames, the uppermost with fukigaeshi, five stage tehen-kanamono in shakudo-nanako, shakudo and gilt copper, the fukurin of the fukigaeshi and mabizashi of shakudo-nanako with gilt foliage in low relief, the inside of the bowl gilt and signed ‘Joshu ju Saotome Iyechika’ at the back, with an early padded lining 29.5 cm; 11 ⅝ in high Provenance An Important East Coast Collection, sold Christie’s New York, 20 March 1985, lot 18 Roger Weston collection, Chicago For other helmets by this armourer see Orikasa, Taelman and Anseeuw, 2010, pp. 80-81 and 84-85 £15000-20000
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