cglog254

That is what I thought. Thank you for clarification!

Uwe, I have attached pictures of the helmet from all angles except the bottom. I have also attached images of the mengu which was with the armor from all angles. The kabuto weighs 3.29 kg. Please let me know if there is any other information/images you need. Thank you!

Thank you for sending pictures of the map and going out of your way to locate the smith's name! I am curious where this map came from/how it was produced if you have any more information.

This is another Hideshige? Do you have any more information on this particular example and/or image of the mei? We are trying to compile as much information as possible on our kabuto, and this would be extremely use for comparison! I am also attaching image of the hanbo that was acquired with the helmet. There was no visible mei on first inspection. Do you have any ideas where one would be if it existed on the hanbo? Would mengu/hanbo have traditionally been made by the same craftsmen? Once again, I am sorry for so many questions! There will probably be more as we attempt to document both sets of armor in our possession. Thank you so much for all your help!

Thank you for the information! I am not very well versed in this so I am sorry if my questions seem basic or redundant. Do you have any sources where I may find references to Hideshige of Bushu Province, or more information about him? I do not have pictures from all angles at the moment, so I am attaching what I have on hand. I will photograph from all angles tomorrow and post them to this thread. I am unsure if I will be able to photograph the inside of the helmet tomorrow because the shikoro is very poorly attached due to degradation, and we are trying to avoid causing any unnecessary strain or damage. We are looking at methods to properly document the interior of the kabuto without damaging the shikoro, and I will send pictures when this is achieved. Your help is greatly appreciated! Your information regarding the mei has made my week!

Thank you so much for the reply and the additional information! The reference to the armor smith on the bell is very cool and could potentially be very critical in my research. I was under the impression that the kabuto was much younger than 1630, and I have attached a picture of it to this message. Do you think it could fit the date range that would be provided by the bell? Also, is it possible to share this map of armorers? Thank you! This is very exciting!

Thank you! Do you have any idea why the Kanji in the kabuto is so different, particularly 武 and 秀. Is it just practicality in the act of etching, or is it a difference in Japanese language between the Edo period and today? I have attached an image of the kabuto to this message. It is not in the greatest shape. If you can determine anymore information from the picture, please share!

Hi all! I am researching on two suits of samurai armor that were acquired by my institution. I have very little familiarity with this field but have put together a decent amount of information. There is a makers mark on the inside of one of the kabuto, and I have only been able to firmly make out the kanji for 作 and 住 (though I am not entirely sure about the second one). I showed two of my Japanese colleagues images (which are low quality, as they had to be taken through a tear in the interior lining of the helmet) and they came to the same conclusions, and told me to seek out someone who may have more familiarity with older Japanese. I am attaching those same images here in hopes that someone can point me in the right direction. We are waiting for some specialized equipment so we can get better images of the makers mark. Thank you in advance for the help!