88 - AN IMPRESSIVE UCHIDASHI ROKUMAI-DO GUSOKU (SIX-PIECE CUIRASS ARMOR) WITH A SUPERB IRON KOBOSHI KABUTO BY SAOTOME IENAGA

AN IMPRESSIVE UCHIDASHI ROKUMAI-DO GUSOKU (SIX-PIECE CUIRASS ARMOR) WITH A SUPERB IRON KOBOSHI KABUTO BY SAOTOME IENAGA The kabuto by Saotome Ienaga, signed Saotome Ienaga Japan, Hitachi Province, 18 th century, mid-Edo period (1615-1868) The predominantly black-lacquered components laced in blue, beige, and orange, mounted on blue brocade, and fitted with kanamono with foliate design. The armor comprises: Kabuto (helmet): A sixty-five-plate iron bowl with raised ridges and pointed rivets decreasing in size towards the top, topped by a six-stage mixed-metal kiku-form tehen kanamono, the lowest tier round and incised with foliate vines against a ring-punched ground, the mabisashi of curved, stylized form, worked with miage-shiwa (simulated forehead wrinkles), and surmounted by a red and gold lacquer maedate in the form of the rising sun, flanked by gently upturned fukigaeshi, all above the six-lame jikoro. The kabuto signed SAOTOME IENAGA [Saotome Ienaga]. Menpo (Mask): An iron menpo with a removable nose plate secured by turning pins, cast with pierced nostrils and an open mouth, partially obscured by a stiff moustache, designed with embossed wrinkles, the chin with ase-nagashi and applied with a stylized foliate-plaque in the center, flanked by two pegs on rhombus grommets, all fitted with a four-lame iron yodarekake, the last applied with printed leather and laced in orange. Do (Chest Plate): A blue laced six-piece rokumai-do with eight sections of five-lame kusazuri, the chest finely worked in uchidashi (repoussé) with an oni head with gilt highlights to the eyes, fangs and ears, all surmounted by a ken (sword), with gilt details. The do further enhanced with gilt kiku-ringed cord apertures to the chest and shoulders. Sode (Shoulder Guard): A pair of iron plate sode, centered by a bonji character relating to Fudo Myo-o and flanked on one side with a stylized kuwagata-dai pierced with an inome and stylized kiku agemaki-no-kan, all below three plaques with scrolling vines applied with kiku bosses, and three silvered sakura blossoms on printed leather, terminating in two lame to the bottom. Haidate (Thigh Guard): A pair of lacquered haidate. Kote (Armored Sleeves) and Tekko (Gauntlets): A pair of lacquered iron and kusari (chain mail) kote and tekko. Suneate (Shin Guards): A pair of iron suneate. Kegutsu (Shoes): A pair of fur shoes. Condition: Very good condition with minor wear. The lacquer with some light flaking, the maedate with the two lowest sun rays lost, the mabisashi with small dents and nicks. With an original wood storage box (yoroibako) decorated with a large Kagekyumaizasa mon within a circular border. Auction comparison: Compare a related okegawa shichimai-do gusoku, the helmet by Saotome Ietada, dated to the 18 th century, at Sotheby’s, The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour, 16 May 2024, London, lot 16 (sold for GBP 114,300 or approx. EUR 147,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Compare a related uchidashi tosei gusoku armor, dated 18 th-19 th century, at Christie’s, Arts of the Samurai and Japanese Art & Design, 7 June 2000, London, lot 38 (sold for GBP 42,300 or approx. EUR 98,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).