UCHIDASHI NIMAI-DO GUSOKU JAPON, XVIIEME-XVIIIEME... Lot n° 1019

■ The suite armor is uchidashi nimai-dô type in natural iron. It bears the coat of arms used by two of the younger branches of the powerful Nabeshima clan 鍋島 in Hizen 肥前, that of Kashima 鹿島 and that of Hasuike 蓮池 . The helmet is made of natural iron with 62 slats (suji-bachi) of kôshôzan shape. The shikoro (neck cover) is made of kozane kiritsuke of iron lacquered sabi-nuri (lacquer imitating the oxidation of metal), the inside of the shikoro is lacquered byakudan-nuri. It bears the golden coat of arms on the fukigaeshi, in shakudô on the last blade. Signed: Saotome Iechika 早乙女家親 Armorer active during the 17th century, Iechika was one of the greatest masters of the Saotome school. The mask is of the etchû-bô type in natural iron made up of two removable parts assembled by pitons. It is engraved on its entire surface with fine parallel lines (yasurime). The yodarekake is made of sabi-nuri lacquered iron kiritsuke kozane, the inside is byakudan-nuri lacquered. The last blade, like the shikoro blade, bears the shakudô coat of arms. Iwai School The armour is made up of 2 "half-shells" in natural iron of nanban inspiration articulated by a hinge. Each piece is forged from a single metal plate. The front part is decorated in uchidashi (repoussé iron) with a dragon. Miyata School 宮田 The ô-sode (large shoulder pads) are made of hon-kozane of sabi-nuri lacquered leather. Each shoulder rest bears the coat of arms on the kanamono and on the last blade. The kote (sleeves) are made of chain mail, natural iron plates with openwork forming a karabana-type pattern on the upper part, on the forearm of articulated natural iron plates decorated with a coat of arms. The tekkô (hand protection) bear the natural iron coat of arms. The haidate (waders) are made of black lacquered leather. The suneate (leggings) are made of sabi-nuri lacquered iron. The tatehagi (knee protec