Complete novice, need info on possible purchase of kabuto

[chopper88]

Hi all,

I have close to zero knowledge on both nihonto and yoroi, but have been looking at them from time to time without any serious intent to purchase.
Now I came across this Catawiki auction for a kabuto that sparked my interest such that I'm considering buying it. The problem is however that A. it's Catawiki where provenance and experts don't mean anything, and B. the seller is Supein Nihonto, while researching this seller I came across this message board with it's wealth of information warning that one should be wary of this seller. Hence I registered and posted this topic 

 

Before moving to purchasing I have so many questions, but I think the most important ones are:

1. Does this set look period correct to be from the Edo period?
2. Is it likely that all pieces are from the same set, or is there something clearly sticking out here as it looks to be made way later or earlier than the other pieces?
3. If it is period correct, is this worth anything near the estimate? I know that worth is subjective and it's very difficult to answer this, but I have zero clue if this is even in the ballpark.

 

I'm grateful for all answers, it would be great to learn what to look for and why you think this or that based on specific details, but even a simple answer is already very welcome.

Here's the link to the auction:
https://www.catawiki.com/en/l/102449382-kabuto-Japan-edo-period-1600-1868
 

For future reference here's a screenshot of the Auction:

[uwe]

Hi “chopper”,

 

it is a Momonari kabuto (peach shaped helmet). Unfortunately, the pictures saying next to nothing. Black pieces in front of a black background 🫤

 

 

 

[Matsunoki]

Images designed to make it look dramatic without really showing anything (as Uwe says above). That alone makes me very suspicious. Also the black finish on the shikoro does not look like old lacquer. Also the “gold” plates on the shikoro are heavily worn but the lacing looks brand new. Also the missing rivets holding shikoro to hachi suggest it does not fit correctly…..possibly a marriage?

I am also a novice collector of armour and my opinion is worth little but I try to look closely at images to spot things that make me nervous.

To my uneducated eye this looks highly dubious. Parts may well be old but………

[uwe]

Well spotted Colin!

 

There might be a fair chance that the pieces (except the maedate) are/ were Edo period. But it seems that somebody had his hands on it…at least on the lacquer…

I won’t dare a reasonable assessment based on these pictures!

 

Hint:

Katchū is an exciting field of collecting, but, as with Nihon-tō, it sometimes can be a snake pit for beginners (and for the more educated as well 😉) when it comes to acquire something…

 

 

 

 

[chopper88]

Thank you very much for the responses!

I agree, it's very hard to see the black on black... When turning the monitor brightness up quite a bit it does show things more clearly but it would've been better if it were just about any other background color there is.
Good catch on the rivets, there's only one there, I didn't spot that before!

What is the giveaway that the maedate isn't Edo period? The seller even lists it has a 'period correct way of attaching'.

Yeah I already figured this was kind of snake pit/minefield I'm getting into.
I usually do quite a bit of research upfront before getting into a new 'hobby', but sort of ran into this one while browsing Catawiki when killing some time and then started seriously considering a purchase so it's the other way around this time.
Still not dumb enough to blindly buy it though.
 

[chopper88]

For those interested and for future reference, this only went up to 550.

Thanks again for helping me make the decision to bid or not!

For now doing some studying on armor and nihonto first, also bought Kokan Nagayama's connoiseur's book while I'm at it.