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Helmet skull: HEN.M.467-1933

Object information

Current Location: Gallery 31 (Armoury)

Maker(s)

Maker: Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Of russet iron, made in two pieces and embossed with an abalone shell at either side. At the centre where the plates join is a roped seam bordered at either side with an engraved meandering flame scroll. Round the base is a pearled band of iron, and a flange for the shikoro, which has never been pierced. At the front is a peak, embossed with angular eyebrows and brow ridges. Above this is a bracket for a maedate. Associated is a fore crest (maedate) embossed in the form of Fudo Myo-o holding a straight sword (ken) in his right hand and a rope in his left, surrounded by an aura of flames. The crest is hollow, with a flat back inscribed by Myochin Osumi no kami ki no Munesuke and the date.
Signed at the right of the peak Myochin Muneakira. Dated at the left of the peak.

Legal notes

J.S. Henderson Bequest

Measurements and weight

Depth: 310 mm
Height: 200 mm
Weight: 1465 g
Width: 200 mm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933) by Henderson, James Stewart

Dating

18th Century, Early#
Edo Period (1615-1868)
Production date: exact AD 1719

Components of the work

Maedate Height 200 mm

Materials used in production

Iron

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: in Japanese characters

  • Text: inscribed by Myochin Osumi no kami ki no Munesuke and the date
  • Location: Flat back of crest
  • Type: Inscription

Inscription present: in Japanese characters

  • Text: Myochin Muneakira
  • Location: Right of the peak
  • Type: Inscription
  • Location: Left of peak
  • Type: Inscription

Identification numbers

Accession number: HEN.M.467-1933
Primary reference Number: 162521
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Friday 27 November 2020 Last processed: Friday 8 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Helmet skull" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/162521 Accessed: 2024-11-22 06:37:08

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/162521 |title=Helmet skull |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-22 06:37:08|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

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https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-162521

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