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Hi Gary, guess I agree with Luc! Interesting helmet. Can you try an endoscope checking for a signature?

Welcome Saad, at first glance it seems that both pieces were once lacquered and for what reason ever, the urushi was stripped. Maybe too much damaging?! The kabuto has a nice shape. Paired with this Nara-men and the matching tare/shikoro (kiritsuke-kozane) makes it a “set”, one can say… Estimating age is, unfortunately, not that easy because Zunari-kabuto as also Nara-men were made over a longer time span. However, provided that the shikoro is original to the helmet, the small fukigaeshi pointing rather to an earlier date, backed by the overall shape of the hachi itself. I would agree with your assumption that the tsunomoto is a later addition. The two holes above might suggest that a narabi-tsunomoto was initially fitted (or the maker changed mind during his work 🤔).

I would suggest “吉明” (Yoshiaki), although one stroke is missing.

Let’s start with the far right, an address… “碓水郡”, 坂本町, 群馬懸” (Usui gun, Sakamotomachi, Gunma ken?) Not sure about the kanji after Gunma… And there is “左藤” (Satou). Probably a name… It’s late this evening, so I’ll leave the left two columns for someone else 🥱

Fuchi seems to be signed “利壽” (Toshinaga), but I’m not sure…

So maybe 啓司 (Hiroshi), do you think?

Or 啓?

No sign, no date, no makers marks… Maybe an attempt to revive a damaged piece?! Old urushi coatings tending to crack and flake over time, depending on storage conditions…

First glance…later…

Lacquerwork seems brand new… First pic is important but too small to get an idea.

I can echo, Luc! Maedate seems to be a replica, though…

Thomas is right in both cases!

Almost all correct, Meghan The other term is "椎実形兜" (Shiinomi nari kabuto). I guess early to mid Edo period. There are at least two other examples extant. Maybe made by the Saotome school?! The first depictes a helmet housed at the Nagoya castle museum (as far as I know...). Nice find...indeed

Mike, the dō is made quite elaborately and bears nice features, like the mentioned leather cover (kawa-tsutsumi) or the (bear) fur trimming on the pendant sections of the hip protector (gessan), called ue-kuma-ge, besides others…. However, the minor damages of the lacing, cords and toggles aside, my main concern is the obviously broken upper back plate (oshitsuke no ita). The pictures are small and blurry, so let’s wait for better shots (front, sides, back, top, bottom and a view inside). Later some close ups of certain areas…

Agreed with John! Nimai -dō, leather or leather covered. Flashy, but with some damages…one, unfortunately, not so nice. Let’s see when it has arrived…

Lower character seems to be 春. Not sure about the first one…try to take some additional pics!

You get the simplified variant if you copy and paste, Bruce. The “real” character is:

Maybe “tsukuru”, like Piers suggested…

Try 直 (Nao)

Maybe “関住岡田兼義作” (Seki jū Okada Kaneyoshi saku)…omitting the last kanji at the moment…

I’ll be a bit late…currently in Dokkum for a stopover!

I’m already on my way…

Noted.... Moriyama San!

Shōwa 14, I guess… (= 1939).

I once started with Dobrée as well and still find it a good entry to the topic! @Piers “yok-ka” hmm, something new learned (hope I can keep it in mind 😓)