Mitsukuwagata-Maetate-Asagiitoodoshi-Niho-Shirosuji Warrior’s Helmet
| Area | History |
|---|---|
| Collection name | |
| Age | The Warring States period (1467-1573) |
| Century | The 16th century |
| Creator | Myochin Nobuie |
| Pronunciation of the creator’s name | Myochin Nobuie |
| Date (year, month, day) | Helmet's bowl: The fifth year of Daiei |
| Year (Christian Era) | 1525 |
| Volume | One item |
| Material | |
| Size | The bowl of the warrior’s helmet: 10.7 long, 22.8 in the diameter at the front and back |
| Designation |
Explanation
This helmet's bowl has 28 stud lines and has niho-shirosuji (golden strips in front and behind). It has the signature of Myochin Nobuie who created the helmet and an inscription of the creation year (1525) inside the helmet. “Myochin’s Helmet” was recognized for its good quality and had become considerably famous by the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1603). Many old Myochin-style creators only inscribed their names, but Myochin Nobuie often inscribed the year of production as well. Mitsukuwagata (a decorative form of a stag beetle attached in front of a helmet) stand on a gilt bronze stand with leaf and grass patterns imprinted by openwork carving. Decorations of mitsukuwagata become frequently used after the Nanboku-cho period (1333-1392). Fukikaeshi and shikoro (parts that hang around the helmet's bowl and protect the neck) repaired in the Edo period (1603-1868) and shikoro took a typical old form in a revival style.
This warrior’s helmet is said to have been gifted to Okudaira Nobumasa by Tokugawa Ieyasu and to have been treasured by Matsudaira Tadaaki, Okudaira Nobumasa’s son who became the lord of the Himeji domain.
(The Collection of Works in the Possession of the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History, 1992, written by Ryosuke Matsui)