Miura

Let me see if I can upload to facebook. You know what Ill put it up on the authentic samurai arms and armor sales page (facebook). Need to get it sold. If somebody wants an excellent example of a leather Iwai Mempo they have a chance! Most iwai armors have the mempo lost because they are so nice. Then they get replaced with light weight Leather mempo from a different armor...... Anyway, have a look.

I have seen signed examples by Iwai made from the same form. The mask that I have on my instagram for sale is from the same school and had a very similar kabuto with it. These types of armor are made with super thick leather. Most of them date to the mid 1800s.

Hi Graham, Hmm... could be old. Or could be somebody made it in the last ten years or so. Messaged you a couple times recently by the way. Getting my messages?

I think we are getting over suspicious here.... sometimes it helps to have better photos though.

The toppai from that auction is absolutely hilarious.

Oh god no! They totally ruined that Iwai kabuto. Why!!!

Dont know about you guys. Looks prety good to me. If you are interested, you can follow Jess' adventures in samurai culture on Facebook and instagram. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessintokyo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessintokyo/

By the way, the helmet and mempo are very recent manufacture.

Here is somewhat of a sad story. Back in February of this year a group of artifacts from a relatively famous sengoku period samurai started popping up for sale on Yahoo, local auctions etc. I did what I could to get a hold of the armor pieces as I knew they had significance because they belonged to a huge guy. Around 2m in height huge. All of the items had the same family crest on them in the form of a gilt coppery brass kanamono that was a very unique christian kamon. VERY sadly, the dou which originally was decked out with these decorative mons all over had been vandalized by a faker who wanted to put them on a composite armor composed of some original pieces and this fake helmet. That way if they all had the antiqu mons on them it would look like a non-composite armor. But it was done at the expense of an important christian daimyo's armor. Just another reason you should support properly trained restorers.

no.

Those were the good old days. When the large Ginko tree that the last Minamoto shogun was assassinated was still standing. Yes a bit too early. But a good time to visit. 😉

Thank you. I consulted Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine in Kamakura for the sale of the armor. It is now the main attraction at the shrine museum. I wonder if anybody here has visited the museum and seen it...

Thank you. I really liked the cinematography actually. I think they still play it on ANA flights.

This is not the best Advice to give to the young man. What you should say is: "Learn your stuff so that when a GOOD yukinoshita dou and a GOOD akoda comes your way as a mismatched set, you will hand over your money and know you got a good deal." this of course would be the opposite if they were bad.