Lot 62. A kawari kabuto (exotic helmet) with wings, Momoyama-Early Edo period, 16th-17th century. Estimate $35,000 - $40,000. Price Realized $43,750. Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2016.

A tall toppei (rounded cone shape) russet iron helmet of Nanban (Southern Barbarian - foreign) style, of three plates joined with ridges seated within riveted iron bands with irregularly-shaped borders of stylized sea waves, a further such band around the base of the helmet bowl, iron hachimanza (decorative surround to the aperture at the crown) of symmetrical foliate form from which a sphere and spike fixture rises to support a red horsehair plume, gold-lacqueredmaedate (fore-crest) of a chigai-sumikiri kaku mon (badge of linked squares with cutaway corners), wakidate (lateral crests) at the rear in the form of large insect's wings with fine translucent textile, iron riveted mabisashi (brim) with two cutaway arcs for vision, four tier black lacquered (plain sheet) iron shikoro (neck guard), the lower tier clad with crinkled leather, the fukigaeshi (turned-back portions) with twig-like strips of gold lacquer.

Christie's. AN INQUIRING MIND: AMERICAN COLLECTING OF JAPANESE AND KOREAN ART, 15 April 2016, New York, Rockefeller Plaza