Luc T

I agree with you Uwe. The okenari has a lot of features that point to a Tohoku or Odawara kabuto. It is possibly older than edo, but again, I can't see this with only this pictures. Myochin? possibly, but it could be pre Myochin too. It is certainly no Haruta, Bamen, Saotome or Nagasone.

I do not dare to suggest a window in the ukebari, a door maybe? :-) no serious. From what I can see, i date this hachi early 15th century

I need good pictures to help with a sufficient answer Peter. It is a illusion to think that everything is visible from the outside.

You are a wise man 😉

And... here it is!

Hello J.D. Justin, Why do you think it’s not Myochin? (The okenari)

Peter, I think you kabuto is much older than expected. do you have a picture form inside?

We are losing the focus of this topic Gary, do you have more news about the kabuto? Endoscopic examination? the number of rivets per plate? the edge of the plates, are they bent over to fit with the koshimaki?

I also have some medieval European helmets. It is unthinkable that someone make a new liner for these old boys. it is also unthinkable to destroy an old one as they are very rare. the approach is completely different.

An ukebari must have been changed very often during intensive use. Most kabuto have heavily damaged ones, so when you make a new one why not make a window in it? When I was a shinsa member, the Japanese were very suspicious when we saw a closed ukebari. Not at least in the case of a kawari with brand new urushi... but if the owner wanted it to stay closed, a proper judgment was impossible.

this is how yo can make the inside visible. Sorry but this ukebari is seriously damaged due to it's age. Notice the skillful finishing of the rivets on the inside, the perfect carved mei, the high number of rivets per plate, etc... All these fine details would be lost with a closed ukebari. Even important museums such as the Ueno in Tokyo are opening ukebari if they expect to find more information. This has nothing to do with destruction.

The size of the tehen no ana is important here, since it could be a muromachi hachi. if you can take a picture fron the inside, the tehen section, it would be helpfull.

Sorry, we are not advocating vandalism. But how can one seriously study swords without seeing the nakago? How can one seriously study kabuto without seeing the inside of the hachi? There are clean ways to see the inside, without damaging the kabuto.

Thomas, we can open it the other way around too, but for me this is no option :-)

The kuwagata are mounted in the ‘Rio de Janeiro’ style :-)