Page 172 - Bonhams, The H Collection, Classical Chinese Furniture, May 13, 2021 London

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A GOLD LACQUERED KAWARI KABUTO (ECCENTRICALLY-
SHAPED HELMET)
Edo Period (1615-1868), 17th/18th century
An impressive naga eboshi nari kabuto (helmet in the form of an
elongated eboshi), constructed in the form of an exaggerated eboshi
(formal court cap), the mabisashi (peak) and fukigaeshi (turnbacks)
covered with stencilled-leather floral designs and gilt mon (crest),
trimmed in gilt iron fukurin (rim) with engraved foliate scrolls, the
elongated ei wakidate (side decorations in the form of an official’s
hat) of gold leaf over lacquer, the three-lame ita-mono komanju jikoro
(slightly-curved plated neck guard) black-lacquered and laced in
kon ito kebiki odoshi (dark blue lacing in kebiki style), the maedate
(forecrest) a simple gold-lacquered sun disc; with a wood stand.
68cm (26 3/4in) high. (2)

£20,000 - 30,000
CNY180,000 - 270,000

日本江戶時代，十七/十八世紀 金漆頭盔

Provenance:
An important European private collection

來源：
歐洲重要私人收藏

Though a rare and unusual helmet shape, a somewhat similar naga
eboshi nari kabuto was sold with a set of armour at Bonhams New York,
8 October 2013, lot 1029. The helmet from this armour, also exhibited
at The Frazier History Museum, Louisville, KY, is an early copy of a
naga eboshi previously owned by Kato Kiyomasa (1562-1611) which is
currently in the collection of the Tokugawa Museum, Nagoya.

Daimyo of Kumamato in Higo Province, who served warlords Toyotomi
Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), Kato Kiyomasa was
renowned for his prowess in battle. In art, he is often depicted wearing
the easily-identifiable naga eboshi. An Edo Period portrait of Kato
Kiyomasa wearing a similar helmet was illustrated by Galerie Jean-
Christophe Charbonnier, Armures Japonaises à la XXVe Biennale des
Antiquaires (Japanese Armour at the XXVth Biennale des Antiquaires),
Paris, 2010, pp.94-95.

For a gold-lacquered naga eboshi worn by Mizuno Katsunari (1564-
1651), daimyo of Fukuyama in Bingo Province, see Sengoku busho
no yoroi kabuto (Armour and Helmets of Sengoku Period Warlords),
Tokyo, Takarajimasha, 26 February 2016, p.73. Another similar gold-
lacquered example worn by Maeda Toshiie (1538-1599), general to
warlord Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) and later daimyo of Kaga, is
also illustrated in ibid, p.67. This present lot appears to be a unique
example of a naga eboshi fitted with ei wakidate.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
170 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.