18th Century Arms, Armor and Weapons

This complete nerikawa Kaga gusoku samurai suit of armor dating to the 18th century represents a stunning fusion of functional design and intric...

Suji-bachi kabuto A russet iron samurai helmet Mid Edo period, 18th century Signed: Jōshū jū Saotome Ieharu Provenance: L. Taelman Collection Literature: T. Orikasa, Helmets of...

This complete samurai okegawa dou gusoku suit of armor dating to the late 18th century is a remarkable rarity and remains in pristine condition. One of the most exceptional sets of Edo Period armor ever to grace the market, this armor would protect an esteemed warrior from head to toe. This suit was made for a high-ranking official of the Kyogoku clan, a house of samurai in Japan. Though today the word samurai is often thought of interchangeably with warrior, it traditionally referred to a specific class of military nobility in Japan. From the late 12th century until the late 1860s when the Meiji era began, the samurai were the ruling military class, ranking directly beneath the emperor. Esteemed Edo-period armorer Yamashiro Kuni Fujiwara Kanehisa created this extraordinary set for a noble samurai, incorporating elaborate details and opulent materials, appropriately highlighting the prestige of the armor’s owner. The set includes all of the traditional armor needed for a samurai warrior, including an elaborate helmet bearing the signature of the armorer. The 62-plate...

Maki-e hotoke-do tosei gusoku Samurai armor bearing the kamon of Inaba family Mid to late Edo period (1615 - 1867) Kabuto bachi signed “Masuda Myochin Minbu Ki no Munesada Saku” and...

Kani-nari kabuto Samurai helmet shaped as a crab’s claw Edo period, 18th century In feudal Japan, the crab was regarded as a majestic creature and was a symbol of the aut...

Hon-Kozane Ni-Mai Do Tosei Gusoku Samurai armor bearing the kamon of the Toyama family Edo Period, 18th century Hand-written origami by Prof. Yamagami Hachiro (1902-1980), dated 31 March 1964. Due to its high production cost, golden armor was infrequent during the Edo period. The hon-kozane (true scale) construction for the cuirass, the engraved gilt brass borders, and the haidate (thigh guard) decorated with a floral scroll motif painted with black lacquer over gold all indicate that this suit belonged to a samurai of a wealthy clan. The armor also features a nodowa, an additional protection for neck and throat that is exclusive to high-rank armor. The helmet is similarly of excellent quality: a 32-plate zaboshi kabuto with 13 rivets per plate and a chrysanthemum-shaped washer on each rivet. The broad sode (shoulder guards) and fukigaeshi (helmet turns-back), the visor’s shape, the use of stenciled leather, and the plate construction of the haidate are all distinctive of revival armor, which was being produced in Japan beginning in the early eighteen century...

Koboshi kabuto Samurai helmet with standing rivets Mid Edo Period, 18th Century Rare eight-plate kabuto with seven rows of twenty-five rivets each for a total of 1,400, which ge...

Tachi-do Tosei gusoku Samurai armor with momonari type helmet Although it has not been possible to identify exactly the armor’s provenance, stylistic analysis suggests a lin...

Samurai Armor with “Kyu” Kamon Mid Edo period, 18th century Exhibition Mei To - Katchu Ten (“Exhibition of famous swords and armor”), Izumi National History Museum, 2002 L...

Iron, paper with pigments and bamboo. Menhari-gata (opening fan), sensu-gata (enlongated shape) Lenght: 31.2 Iron fan with an elegant shape, with eleven bamboo ribs. Customar...

Marugata, diameter: 8 cm; thickness 5 mm Certification: the tsuba comes with a Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu certificate issued by the NBTHK. The tsuba shows a unique yet simpl...

Early to mid Edo period, 18th century The unique construction of this armor is made to resemble the nude torso of a Buddhist guardian deity, Nio. In fact, the front section is com...