Gusoku signed Ietada (家忠), Saotomé School — Early Edo Period, Tokubetsu Kichō Shiryō

[EricMajo]

Price 35.000 Euros

 

Link: Gusoku signed Ietada (家忠), Saotomé School — Early Edo Period, Tokubetsu Kichō Shiryō - Supein Nihonto

Early Edo Period (c. 1600–1650) · Complete Gusoku, Kabuto Signed by the Saotomé School

A complete gusoku from the early Edo period, with the kabuto signed 家忠 (Ietada), a name documented among the hereditary armorers of the Saotomé School — founded by Saotomé Nobuyasu, a direct disciple of Myōchin Nobuie. Certified Tokubetsu Kichō Shiryō by the Nihon Katchū Bugu Kenkyū Hozonkai (27 August 2023), and accompanied by a genealogical scroll dated Hōreki 6 (1756) tracing the school's lineage from the semi-legendary Takenouchi no Sukune down to Myōchin Nobuie himself.

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Kabuto

Riveted hoshi-bachi construction. Gilt-brass kuwagata mounted at the front, black rō-iro lacquered mabezashi with a gold makie dragon, and a repoussé shishi maedate with individually worked mane curls and gilt fangs. Shikoro laced in kon-ito (indigo silk).

Menpō

Iron, finished in black lacquer, with natural-hair moustache and vermilion-lacquered lips. Jaw remains articulated.

Dō

Nimai-dō construction, iron kozane finished in beaten gold leaf (kinpaku-oshi), laced throughout in kebiki-odoshi with kon-ito.

Sode, Kote, Haidate, Suneate

All matching in lacquer, lacing colour and construction. The kote and haidate show floral-patterned textile reinforcement in areas of natural wear — consistent with period repair rather than later intervention.

Mon

A three-lobed Kashiwa-type crest, likely Musubi-gashiwa, on the fukigaeshi. Compatible with the Hitachi/Saotomé context but not treated as conclusive attribution to a specific clan without further specialist review.

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Documentation

• Appraisal: Tokubetsu Kichō Shiryō (特別貴重資料) — 3rd of 5 tiers, issued by the Nihon Katchū Bugu Kenkyū Hozonkai (日本甲冑武具研究保存会), 27 August 2023.
• Genealogical scroll: dated Hōreki 6 (1756), recording the Saotomé lineage through to Myōchin Nobuie (Sakon no Shōgen, Tenbun era). Presented as a keifu documenting the school's hereditary legitimacy, not as a manufacturing certificate for this specific piece — but it independently corroborates the historical use of the Ietada name within the school.

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Specifications

• Classification: Complete gusoku
• School: Saotomé (早乙女)
• Signature: Ietada (家忠), on the kabuto bowl
• Period: Early Edo, c. 1600–1650
• Dō type: Nimai-dō, kinpaku-oshi kozane
• Lacing: Kon-ito, kebiki-odoshi
• Certificate: Tokubetsu Kichō Shiryō, Nihon Katchū Bugu Kenkyū Hozonkai, 27 Aug 2023
• Additional documentation: Genealogical scroll, Hōreki 6 (1756)

[Gakusee]

On 8/11/2026 at 12:32 PM, EricMajo said:

Link: Gusoku signed Ietada (家忠), Saotomé School — Early Edo Period, Tokubetsu Kichō Shiryō - Supein Nihonto

Early Edo Period (c. 1600–1650) · Complete Gusoku, Kabuto Signed by the Saotomé School

A complete gusoku from the early Edo period, with the kabuto signed 家忠 (Ietada), a name documented among the hereditary armorers of the Saotomé School — founded by Saotomé Nobuyasu, a direct disciple of Myōchin Nobuie. Certified Tokubetsu Kichō Shiryō by the Nihon Katchū Bugu Kenkyū Hozonkai (27 August 2023), and accompanied by a genealogical scroll dated Hōreki 6 (1756) tracing the school's lineage from the semi-legendary Takenouchi no Sukune down to Myōchin Nobuie himself.

---

Kabuto

Riveted hoshi-bachi construction. Gilt-brass kuwagata mounted at the front, black rō-iro lacquered mabezashi with a gold makie dragon, and a repoussé shishi maedate with individually worked mane curls and gilt fangs. Shikoro laced in kon-ito (indigo silk).

Menpō

Iron, finished in black lacquer, with natural-hair moustache and vermilion-lacquered lips. Jaw remains articulated.

Dō

Nimai-dō construction, iron kozane finished in beaten gold leaf (kinpaku-oshi), laced throughout in kebiki-odoshi with kon-ito.

Sode, Kote, Haidate, Suneate

All matching in lacquer, lacing colour and construction. The kote and haidate show floral-patterned textile reinforcement in areas of natural wear — consistent with period repair rather than later intervention.

Mon

A three-lobed Kashiwa-type crest, likely Musubi-gashiwa, on the fukigaeshi. Compatible with the Hitachi/Saotomé context but not treated as conclusive attribution to a specific clan without further specialist review.

---

Documentation

• Appraisal: Tokubetsu Kichō Shiryō (特別貴重資料) — 3rd of 5 tiers, issued by the Nihon Katchū Bugu Kenkyū Hozonkai (日本甲冑武具研究保存会), 27 August 2023.
• Genealogical scroll: dated Hōreki 6 (1756), recording the Saotomé lineage through to Myōchin Nobuie (Sakon no Shōgen, Tenbun era). Presented as a keifu documenting the school's hereditary legitimacy, not as a manufacturing certificate for this specific piece — but it independently corroborates the historical use of the Ietada name within the school.

---

Specifications

• Classification: Complete gusoku
• School: Saotomé (早乙女)
• Signature: Ietada (家忠), on the kabuto bowl
• Period: Early Edo, c. 1600–1650
• Dō type: Nimai-dō, kinpaku-oshi kozane
• Lacing: Kon-ito, kebiki-odoshi
• Certificate: Tokubetsu Kichō Shiryō, Nihon Katchū Bugu Kenkyū Hozonkai, 27 Aug 2023
• Additional documentation: Genealogical scroll, Hōreki 6 (1756)

 

If this gusoku is for sale, should it not have the asking price? 

[EricMajo]

You can click the link and see all the details including price, to make it more easy 35.000 Euros. Regards

[Gakusee]

1 hour ago, EricMajo said:

You can click the link and see all the details including price, to make it more easy 35.000 Euros. Regards

That is good, thanks. 
Don’t see the real point of copying the entire description from the website but omitting the price. Here we are transparent. 

[EricMajo]

Well, accusing me of a lack of transparency when the answer was literally one click away seems a little exaggerated to me, but I’m not going to get into passive-aggressive debates.

It has now been updated and the price can be seen clearly, so I hope this is no longer an issue.

Best regards, and good night.

[Brian]

Dealers are free to advertise as they like in their own dealer section. Some use it to drive website traffic, some prefer to give prices on demand or link to to the listing where the prices are. They have more freedom here, and also the ability to moderate replies etc, it's their own space. The advantage of having a dealer section here.

[EricMajo]

2 hours ago, Brian said:

Dealers are free to advertise as they like in their own dealer section. Some use it to drive website traffic, some prefer to give prices on demand or link to to the listing where the prices are. They have more freedom here, and also the ability to moderate replies etc, it's their own space. The advantage of having a dealer section here.

 

Thanks Brian for clarifying the rules. It’s always better to rely on the actual forum policy rather than personal interpretations, so everyone knows how the dealer sections are intended to work.