Lot 482. A fine armor with a Myochin helmet. The helmet by Myochin Katsuie, Muromachi period (1333-1573), 16th century, the armor Edo period (1615-1868), 18th century. Sold for US$ 37,500 (€32,202). Photo: Bonhams.

The black-lacquer nerikawa armor laced in green with white and orange highlights and comprising a finely mounted 32-plate hoshi kabuto lacquered black and fitted with a five-stage gilt-copper and shakudochrysanthemum tehen kanamono, the mabizashi and the large fukigaeshi decorated with stencilled leather, gilt-copper fukurin and rivets, and gilt-copper crests of the Suwa family, the kuwagata-dai carved with scrolling leaves against a nanako ground and pierced with inome, and supporting gilt-copper kuwagata and an oak leaf with silver dew-drops, the three-lame, wide shikoro with slightly out-turned lower corners, the bowl signed on the interior rear Soshu Katsuie; the black-lacquer menpofitted with a five-lame yodarekake; the do-maru in mogami style with stencilled leather on the munaita and wakaita, and fitted with seven sections of five-lame kusazuri with scalloped upper edges, the gyoyo applied with stencilled leather, fusegumi, star-rivets and Suwa family crests, the edges with gilt-copper fukurin; tsuba-sode; shino-gote; kawara-haidate of lacquered iron plates; tsutsu-suneate; one wood armor storage box; no armor stand.

Provenance: Suwa family