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Edited my post at the same time as I got Takayama, Moriyama San. Glad you confirmed… Do you think it is followed by a name?

Happy New Year, Damon! Right side states “水戸士” (Mito shi). Struggling with the left. There is an idea, but I’ve problems to get the pieces together at the moment. Lower most is most probably 造, whereas it seems to start with “高山”…?!

盛世 (Moriyo) on the left!

I don’t think this armor fits in the category “form over function”! A certain gap between the shikoro and upper the edge of the sode is almost unavoidable. In this case, the uppermost plate of the sode (kanmuri no ita) is executed as ori-kanmuri no ita (angled). That should add some additional protection. We also have to keep in mind that the neck of the wearer was often covered by an armored collar (eri-mawashi). Lovley gusoku, BTW!

Variant A is not that bad. Variant B, however, seems to be a better match…at least for my untrained eye

Nice helmet of really good quality! Here some info about the maker: Yoshihisa (義久) Myôchin Yoshihisa (明珍義久), late Edo period, lived in Mito (水戸) in Hitachi province. He was a student of the armorer Aizu-Myôchin Unai (右内) who was hired by the Mito-daimyô Tokugawa Nariaki (徳川斉昭, 1800-1860) to instruct the local armorers of the fief. In this sense Nariaki bestowed the character for “Yoshi” (義) to the armorers and Yoshihisa was one of them. Hey signed “Suifu-jû Myôchin Ki no Yoshihisa” (水府住明珍紀義久). Usually the clan name “Ki” was only given to students of the Edo-Myôchin main line, but Unai's master Muneyasu (宗保) also did not belong to the main line but as he was an outstanding craftsman it is assumed that his use of the clan name Ki was tolerated by the main line. Thus he probably also gave this name to his own students.

Can we see the helmet itself?

Indeed, Piers! Glad to have you by my side 🤓

Thanks for the background info, Piers 🙏

So we have “摂州住榎並屋伊兵衛作” (Sesshū jū Enonamiya* Ihei saku). There is a signature recorded with the date “享和元年” (Kyōwa gan‘nen). That is 1801. * not sure about the proper reading…

Hi Piers, I agree with “Ihei” and wonder if the above is 榎並屋?! Hard to tell from the pic under this light… What do you think?

It’s a gun from Sesshū province “摂州住…..兵衛作“. Will try the rest as soon I’m back home…

Someone should start I guess… ”脇丁落平地” Not sure about the one in red?!

When it comes to the Mon we should bear in mind that the helmet might be not in its original condition!

Hi Yves, your reading is correct! Both inscriptions are not uncommon for a work of “Nobuie”. However, I couldn’t find an exact match for the kao, so far…

Kinda news nobody wants to hear. My condolences to his family and beloved!

Hi Laurens, the maker is Munesuke and Kyōhō marks the period!

It seems to be signed “増田明珍主水宗介”, “享保” (Masuda Myōchin Mondo Munesuke + kao), (Kyōhō)

For completeness “大阪住高橋秀次” (Ōsaka jū Takahashi Hidetsugu).

Here you go (from Sesko‘s): AKISUKE (明督), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Tottori – “Shikon Akisuke” (士魂明督), real name Yata Monji (矢田門二), born August 26th 1899, he was working as a swordsmith from about 1942 onwards, the prefix shikon (士魂) means “Samurai spirit” (see picture right)

上野 and 助包 Moriyama San was faster…

It reads “蘭々亭一柳友随” (Ranrantei Ichiryū Tomoyuki + kao)

Wrong approach, IMHO…

I’m with Piers, might be an earlier piece! How is the shikoro looking?