An Iron Hotate-Do Suit of Armor. Edo period (18th Century); Helmet signed Doshu Myochin Muneyasu

An Iron Hotate-Do Suit of Armor. Edo period (18th Century); Helmet signed Doshu Myochin Muneyasu

The suit lacquered black and laced in blue sugake odoshi comprising; a thirty-two plate russet iron hoshi kabuto, the fukigaeshi with applied lozenge family crests, the bowl fitted with a three-lame shikoro (neck-guard), an iron forecrest of a bird; an iron face-mask fitted with a three-lame lacquered throat guard; the six section cuirass mounted with the muna-ita, waki-ita and oshitsuke no ita clad with stencilled leather, the cuirass fitted with a kusazuri of nine sections of five-lame solid-plate tassets; the front of cuirass and the central parts of the sode with shishi in high-relief uchidashi (hammered repoussé), the cuirass with signature Myochin Nobuie, Kyoroku gonen (1532), the sode (shoulder guards) with gilt leather upper lame, and two lacquered lower plate-lame, the gyoyo with two lacquered plate-lame ; chain mail shino gote sleeves with russet iron plates of stylized chrysanthemum on upper part, russet iron thigh guards; iron splint shin guards; iron shoes; wood storage box. Estimate $20,000 - $25,000

Christie's. Japanese And Korean Art. 17 March 2009  New York, Rockefeller Plaza www.christie's.com Image Christie's Ltd 2009