Nanbokucho - Muromachi Period O-Sode Yoroi

DOU

Period: Nambokucho-Muromachi period with later updates

School: Western Japan Likely Kinki or Chugoku region



KABUTO

Period: Mid Muromachi

School: Nobuie

Signature: Kosho xxx hi Nobuie Saku



SODE

Period: Late Muromachi (Mid 1500s)

School: Likely made around Nara or Kyoto



This is one of the earliest complete armors you will find available for sale. We are proud to be able to present such a fine and rare item on Yamabushi Antiques.


This armor is important on several levels. One reason that it is important is the considerable age of this piece. A second reason is that it has been relatively unchanged and appears for the most part as it did in the 15th century.  The final reason that this armor is important is that some of the components represent intermediate phases in the evolution of armor which is important to our understanding of technological development during the  mid Muromachi Period.

DOU

The dou has components which we believe date from the Nambokucho period through the Early Muromachi period. Once in a blue moon, a hachi from the Nambokucho period comes up for sale, however, it is extremely rare that we find a dou from the 14th-15th century available for sale. This dou has components which possess great age, though, it has been upgraded and thus changed over the ages.

This dou started life as a tetsu hon-iyozane domaru.  Currently it is a “ni mai dou” (two part dou). The dou received an upgrade at the end of the Muromachi period which involved several changes.  First of all the dou was cut on the left side and fitted with a hinge so that it would be possible to break it in two for easier storage. It is evident that the “waki ita” (curved underarm solid plate) was originally a sold plate rather than the current two piece (which facilitates the two piece separation) because each of these pieces has a fukurin (ornamental piping, usually copper) that extends to the horizontal edge and appears to continue downward, however, the part of the fukurin which appears to continue downward is actually a moriage fukurin (a false fukurin) which shows that both of these pieces were originally one solid piece. The muneita, was also slightly altered, but original.  Originally it had a rising lobed pattern on either end of the plate with three “hoshi” copper star shaped fittings.  Currently the rounded lobes at either end have been cut so that they rise slightly, but are flat across the top with only one “hoshi” present. Through careful inspection of the back of the muneita it is evident that there are three holes (for the three original copper hoshi) with only one hole currently being used for the anchor of the hoshi. To accommodate for the change in the shape of the muneita, the original fukurin had to be adjusted. Though it does not fit perfectly (fukurin are considered by some armor smiths to be the most difficult part of armor making) the important (and interesting) thing is that the original fukurin was preserved and re-used. The watagami (shoulder harness) was altered as well. Currently in place is an  iron plate watagami with hinges. Originally the domaru would have had a watagami woven from straw and covered in leather which draped over the shoulders. The current plate iron watagami was likely added at the same time that the muneita was added and the dou altered to be a ni mai dou.

The iyozane are all iron. Not the more usual leather/iron alternating arrangement. They are also slightly longer and thinner than later Muromachi and Momoyama type iyozane. This type of iyozane and arrangement is consistent with domaru from the Late Nambokucho period through the Mid Muromachi period. In fact not a lot is known about this sort of scale, though it is thought to be contemporary with the development of early kozane scale types. The iyozane are covered completely with a hard leather covering which is original to the dou. This sort of leather covering is visible in the earliest of samurai battle paintings from the Kamakura through the Nambokucho periods. There are some examples of this style in the second half of the Muromachi period as well, however it is used on sugake hon kozane not on sugake hon iyozane like this armor.

The kusazuri are also of great age and date (most of them) to the same period as the dou. They are very wide. Too wide to have been used on a Late Muromachi domaru or haramaki. This type of kusazuri simply wasn’t made then. These kusazuri are reminiscent of those used on domaru-yoroi which is the father of the domaru  -  basically a domaru with large kusazuri; which is what I believe this dou to actually have been.  Aside from being very wide, the individual kozane which make up each level of kusazuri are very large ­ not true kozane, rather, a cross between kozane and o-zane used in o-yoroi.

The kanamono on the dou are old as well.  Many of you know me to be a kanamono fanatic, traveling all over Japan to get picture samples. Well from what I have gathered to date, the best age range that I have for these kanamono is Nambokucho to Mid muromachi period. The design is of akebi, which was a common motif during the Nambokucho period and fizzled out sometime before the Mid Muromachi. In any event the design motif is consistent with the construction of the original parts of the dou which leads me to the conclusion that they are all original.  Unfortunately only three remain.  Likely when the original watagami was removed for re-fitting, the kanamono on the back plate were removed as well.  They match the kanamono on the O-shikoro of the kabuto.


KABUTO

The Kabuto is just as, if not more, important than the dou. This kabuto is important for several reasons.  The hachi is hands down, the OLDEST signed and dated hachi in all my studies. It is signed “A Day in Kosho Made By Nobuie”. I believe it to be Nobuie 1 for several reasons.  First of all this kabuto has many features which link it to Nanbokucho-early Muromachi “dai enzan” style kabuto, as well as later Myouchin style suji kabuto.  Thus this is a sort of missing link in the evolution of suji kabuto. The characteristics which make it transitional are:

1)  The mabizashi is similar in form to a Nanbokucho kabuto, yet is more horizontal like that of a Muromachi Suji kabuto.
2)  The suji are upright towards the bottom of the hachi, yet lay relaxed towards the tehen no ana like a Nanbokucho kabuto.
3)  The tehen no ana is large like a Nambokucho or Early Muromachi hachi
4)  The shape is low and almost completely dome shaped rather than elongated to form a slightly egg shaped with a higher profile as seen in the early suji kabuto.
5)  The haraidate is iron like suji kabuto but is fitted with a copper jacket to support a copper tatemono like the haraidate of a kuwagata dai of a dai enzan kabuto.
6)  The signature is “Nobuie Saku” with no Myouchin title ­ it predates the Myouchin title and is likely the first Nobuie.
7)  The rivets are similar to Gitsu’s arrangement yet the profile is clearly NOT Gitsu.  It is thought that Nobuie was likely Gitsu’s father.  I believe this To have been made by the earliest Nobuie and the father of Gitsu and second generation Nobuie.

The shikoro of this kabuto is very early as well, dating to the Muromachi period.  Kabuto hachi dating to the Muromachi period are obtainable, ubu hachi (such as this one) are more difficult to find, but Muromachi period shikoro are nearly impossible to find outside of a shrine. This is simply because the hachi of kabuto are the most re-used parts of any armor that has recycled parts ­ the oldest parts usually being the hachi of the kabuto.. On such kabutos, the part that was most frequently changed was the shikoro. In my studies I have discovered kabutos that have had their shikoro changed several times from the end of the Muromachi to the end of the Momoyama period alone. With the change in the shikoro, the koshimaki (bottom plate joining the plates at the bottom) was often bent down to facilitate a lower profile shikoro, or removed and replaced completely.

This kabuto is ubu­ being unchanged with all its original parts. It has its original, unchanged koshimaki with the original o-shikoro that is of a style predating the end of the Muromachi period. The shikoro is hon iyozane similar to that of the dou except the size of the scale is slightly smaller, and it is composed of iron and leather scale as opposed to completely iron or completely leather. It is unusual to have iron scale in a shikoro from the Late Muromachi period onward­ they are usually completely leather scale. That scale shikoro were never composed completely of iron is due to the fact that it would just be too heavy for the wearer, and in addition would create too much downward pressure on a horizontal koshimaki (for o-shikoro) causing it to buckle or sag. This shikoro is proper and correct for the Muromachi period and fits the koshimaki perfectly. The leather covering the scale is the proper style and matches the style of the leather covering the kozane of the dou. There has been some repair work here and there to the leather covering but it is generally very well preserved for its great age. A piece like this is very rare.

The kanamono of the kabuto match the kanamono of the dou, with engraving representing akebi (a medicinal plant), and being very early in design and form.

SODE

The sode of this armor date to the Muromachi period and are of a style of sugake hon kozane which matches the style of the kusazuri of the dou. These sode are not original to the armor though they are high quality Muromachi period pieces which match the style of the armor. They were originally part of the famous Kozu museum collection and have a very good history in and of themselves. The kanamono date to the Muromachi period. The kogai kanamono are of exceptional work and are more detailed, and fine than most kogai kanamono on Muromachi period o-sode. I believe the kogai kanamono to represent a slightly earlier date and craftsmanship than what is commonly seen on such late Muromachi period O-sode. The top horizontal iron plate which protects the lower neck and shoulder bears a gilt copper fukurin which dates to the same period as the makie fuji kamon which have been skillfully painted over the black lacquer covering the plates. I believe the fukurin and makie to date to the Momoyama period, which was the date of last restoration. Unfortunately some of the lacquer on the top plates of either sode has been cracked and lost. The lacquer is currently stable and is not in any danger of further loss. It is possible to repair this.

Hon kozane sugake laced o-sode are very rare.  Just the sode alone make interesting study pieces.

In all this is a very early, suit of armor possessing some extremely early, rare, and very well preserved components that are not only important as a complete armor, but are important as individual components as well.  This is an armor which will appeal to the most advanced collectors of classical samurai armor.
 

More pictures upon request.

Serious inquiries only.