Description

Medium: Iron, lacquer, silk, copper, gold

School: Unkai

Signed: Juryō Mitsushige

Provenance:Private collection UK

Exhibition: Decorative Fair London 2025

This exceptional antique kabuto (samurai helmet) is the work of the smith Juryō Mitsushige, an accomplished artisan of the Unkai school based in the Kaga region, active during the late Edo period. The helmet is a remarkable example of traditional craftsmanship and artistic expression characteristic of the Unkai lineage.
The helmet bowl is forged from iron in the classic suji-tate-nari form, exhibiting a beautiful, deep, chocolaty brown russet iron finish that enhances its commanding presence. Adorning the bowl are two sets of iron shinodare, reinforcing ridges, gracefully applied to both the front and rear of the hachi. At the back, a finely crafted, gilded copper kasa jirushi-no-kan is affixed, traditionally used to suspend an identification tag or an ornamental bow.
At the apex of the bowl is a gilded copper tehen-no-kanamono, a decorative “crown” fitting that elevates the helmet’s aesthetic and ceremonial value. The tsuke-mabizashi (projecting visor) is finished in elegant shibo-urushi-nuri, a textured lacquer technique that presents swirling wind motif imagery which is mirrored on the fukigaeshi (winglets) flanking the sides.
Protecting the neck is a go-dan kasa-style shikoro, composed of five black-lacquered iron plates, robust and elegantly constructed. The kata zuri-no-ita, or lower-most neck guard plate, is decorated with a gilded abstract pattern of tactile, raised bumps. The entire piece is laced in bright blue silk odoshi, a colour and style emblematic of the Unkai school’s distinct aesthetic.
Inside, the original ukebari (helmet lining) remains intact and serviceable, a rare survival that adds to the helmet’s authenticity. Additionally, the original shinobi-no-o (helmet cord) is still present, further underscoring the piece’s remarkable state of preservation.
Accompanying the kabuto is a matching iron hanpo (half-face guard), creating a cohesive and historically appropriate set, ideal for collectors seeking a representative example of late-Edo period samurai armour craftsmanship.