Arms and Armour

I have been photographing Japanese Arms and Armour at Christie’s for many years now. Here I was lucky enough to receive instruction on the proper handling of the Japanese sword including the removal of the the blade from the Koshirae, cleaning and etiquette.

Photographing the blade is a very specific setup to ensure all detail is recorded. The lighting is designed to highlight the Hamon or tempering marks but also shows the Shinogi (blade ridge) and Mune (back).

A BIZEN WAKIZASHI, SIGNED BIZEN OSAFUNE JU YOKOYAMA KAGANOSUKE FUJIWARA ASSON SUKENAGA, DATED TEMPO HACHI NEN NIGATSU HI (1837), EDO PERIOD (19TH CENTURY

A RARE NANBAN-BACHI KABUTO [HELMET WITH "SOUTHERN BARBARIAN" BOWL]
INSCRIBED ICHIGYO IN RED LACQUER INSIDE THE BOWL, MOMOYAMA PERIOD (16TH-17TH CENTURY)

A NIMAI-DO GUSOKU [TWO-PIECE CUIRASS ARMOUR], EDO PERIOD (17TH - 18TH CENTURY)

A UNMOUNTED DAISHO, THE DAITO SIGNED OMI NO KAMI TAKAGI JU SUKENAO SAKU; THE WAKIZASHI SIGNED AWATAGUCHI OMI NO KAMI TADATSUNA

A Gomai-Do Gusoku [Armour with Five-Piece Cuirass], The helmet signed Nagamichi, Edo period (17th - 18th century)

STIRRUPS WITH HORSE BITS, WITH DATE HOREKI JU-ICHI NEN GO-GATSU HI (FIFTH MONTH OF 1761), EDO PERIOD (19TH CENTURY)

A NIMAI-DO GUSOKU [TWO-PIECE CUIRASS ARMOUR], EDO PERIOD (18TH CENTURY)

A Suikan-Gura [Riding Saddle] with Christian Mon, SIGNED KITAGAWA KORE WO TSUKURU AND DATED KANBUN JU-NEN SAN-GATSU KICHIJITSU [AN AUSPICIOUS DAY IN MARCH 1670]

A YARO-TO KABUTO [HELMET], EDO PERIOD (17TH CENTURY)

AN UNMOUTED WAKIZASHI SIGNED AWATAGUCHI OMI NO KAMI TADATSUNA, EDO PERIOD (19TH CENTURY)

A Pair of Abumi [Stirrups], SIGNED KANAZAWA JU UJIKIYO SAKU, EDO PERIOD (18TH – 19TH CENTURY)

A Kawari-Kabuto [Exotic Helmet], Edo period (17th century)

A ZABOSHI KABUTO [HELMET], SIGNED MASANOBU WITH KAKIHAN, EDO PERIOD (17TH CENTURY)

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