Page 92 - Christies Japanese and Korean Art Sept 22 2020 NYC

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A PURPLE LACED DANGAE-DO ARMOR WITH A MYOCHIN
HELMET AND FACEMASK
EDO PERIOD (18TH-19TH CENTURY), HELMET SIGNED KASHU JU
MUNEYOSHI SAKU, AND FACE MASK SIGNED KASHU JU MUNESUMI
SAKU
The armor comprising:
Helmet [kabuto]: The helmet of a sixteen-plate russet iron hoshi-bachi
su-ji (riveted ridge), with large knobs, with elaborate shakudo and gilt
seven-tier tehen kanamono, with small fukigaeshi (turnbacks) with a gilt
crane mon, the wide lacquer mabizashi (brim) with two large gilt carved
kanamono of facing three-clawed dragons, the bowl signed kashu ju
Muneyoshi saku
Neck guard [shikoro]: A five-tier lacquered iron ita-jikoro (neck guard)
Facemask [menpo]: A russet iron ressei style menpo (face mask) signed
Kashu ju Munesumi saku, with a bristle moustache and a chin tuft fitted
with four-tier lacquered iron yodarekake (bib), a nodowa (neck guard;
not pictured) with two-tier kittsukezane (lacquer iron plate simulated
rows of linked scales) and printed leather, with silver crane mon
Cuirass [do]: The dangae-do (cuirass) decorated in black leather
and lacquered kozare, purple laced, the top section of a kinkarakawa
(decorated ornamental leather), applied with elaborate rope-edginga
gilt fukurin, silver saihai tsuke no kan in the form of cloud and a gilt
roundel of crane mon with incised details
Shoulder guards and sleeves [sode and kote]: A pair of iron plates
and chain shino gote (sleeves), the tekko (hand covers) with small gilt
crane mon, with a large gilt seven-tier ita-sode decorated with rope-
edginga gilt fukurin, matsukawa bishi mon and another mon, with a pair
of additional extra-large sode (shoulder guards) of lacquered kozare and
leather, a silk katabira (inner garment jacket) of dragons in clouds
Thigh protector and lower leg guards [haidate and sune-ate]: A
lacquer haidate (skirts) with leather
$50,000-70,000

In the seventeenth century, the lord of Kaga Maeda clan, Toshitsune
(1594-1658), invited prominent Myochin and Saotome school
armorers in Kaga Province to promote the armaments of the Maeda
clan. The Kaga style armors are known to have features from both
schools, high quality forged steel and the use of exceptional materials
such as embossed gold-lacquered leather (kinkarakawa) which form a
rich and exquisite armor as present lot.