A SAOTOME SCHOOL RUSSET-IRON SUJI-KABUTO WITH NICHIRIN (SUN) MAEDATEBy Saotome Ienari, signed Joushu-ju Saotome IenariJapan, mid-16th century, Muromachi period (1336-1573)The 62-plate bowl with a three-tiered chrysanthemum-form tehen kanamono, the lobed mabizashi lacquered red to the interior, the gold-lacquered maedate of nichirin (sun) form, the gilt-copper and leather fukigaeshi with gilt mon fittings incised with foliate designs against a ring-punched ground, the four-lame shikoro lacquered black and with blue lacing. The interior of the helmet with the signature Joushu-ju SAOTOME IENARI.HEIGHT 16 cm (the helmet) and 47 cm (total)Condition: Good condition with minor wear and light rust, the lacquer with expected age cracks, light surface scratches.Saotome Ienari was the third master of the Saotome family of armor makers. He worked in the area that is modern Hitachi, active from 1532 to 1569.Suji-kabuto, or “line helmets” are a style of kabuto helmet that were used in Nanbokucho period through to the Muromachi era. The lines were created by layering long thin vertical iron boards individually. These were connected by small rivets, which were then flattened so that only the layered parts of the iron plates could be seen. These helmets were named according to the number of plates used: in this case, sixty-two.Auction comparison: Compare a related russet-iron sixty-two plate suji-kabuto by Saotome Ienari, dated mid-16th century, at Bonhams, The Samurai Sale, 22 October 2009, New York, lot 3007 (sold for 21,960 USD).