Single-Owner Collections

A Japanese steel and lacquer-finished mempo and laced gorget, Edo period, with highly stylized features and hook-fitted nose piece, with lace-bound three-section throat guard, height 21cm, width 19cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); ex H. Russell Robinson Collection c.1958.

A rare Japanese embossed leather and lacquer-finished sashimono or temporary banner emblem in the form of three leaves, Edo period, height 23cm, width 23cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); ex Basford Dean Collection. Note: Dr Bashford Dean (1867-1928) was founder and curator of the arms and armour department at the Met, New York. Roald Knutsen notes that these were made as temporary emblems for identifying one samurai clan from another during battle. The emblem would have been applied to the top of a bamboo pole and attached to the cuirass of the warrior. Many of these, if damaged, would need to be replaced or repaired in the field.

A rare Japanese wood, gilt and black lacquered uma-jirushi or processional banner flagpole finial, Edo period, with three gilt angular graduated thunderbolt projections, supported on a black shaft with brass collar, length 38cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025). Note: probably used in the Daimyo Gyoretsu procession.

A Japanese steel and lacquered mempo and blue-laced gorget, late 16th century, with heavily stylized features (lacking nose piece) and fabric-laced four-section lacquered throat guard, height 28cm, width 31cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); ex H. Russell Robinson Collection c.1959.

An 18th century Japanese black bear fur yari-saya of tapered lollypop form, Edo period, with lacquered black and gilt wood shaft fitting, length 43cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025). Note: Roald Knutsen noted this as a very good example.

A Japanese all-steel cuirass, pre-Edo period, with reinforced edges and hinged sashimono fittings, the fields with two panels of script and edge with hinge fitting. height 42cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025). Note: all-steel cuirasses became popular during the early part of the 16th century, when the appearance of firearms on the battlefield gave way to the necessity of more bullet-resistant materials, such as steel. The wearer would need to be aided and essentially locked in, hence the hinge joint to one side. During the more peaceful Edo period, armour became more decorative than functional and these solid steel pieces became redundant. The panels of script are probably a guardianship to the owner.

A Japanese moulded wood composite and lacquer-decorated jingasa, Edo period, the body with six alternating bands of relief decoration, detailed with floral patterns and geometric star motifs, with applied copper crest finial and moulded radiating arrow-form dividers, the front face with applied household crest of Izutsu of well-head form with brushed gilt finish, the interior decorated with red lacquer and gilt splashed detailing and an arrangement of seven applied metal stud loops, diameter 33cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025). Note: these types of helmets mainly come from the more peaceful later Edo period, when helmets became more decorative than functional.

A scarce Japanese kusari dou or upper body armour, Edo period, constructed with an arrangement of geometric and shaped black lacquered wood segments, bound with sections of chainmail over a fabric material lining with lace ties and metal loop attachment fittings, with central mon or household crest, finely detailed with a dragon in gilt and red lacquer, height 68cm, width 48cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); ex H. Russell Robinson Collection 1960.

A Japanese suji-kabuto, Edo period, the black skull body divided into twelve sections with applied copper helm, the lower body with hachitsuke-no-ita and tsuke-mabash or protecting visor, the front with applied gilt finished household crest or symbol, the interior with material lining and part red lacquer finish, height 33cm, width 19cm (overall environmental damage). Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025).

A Japanese nodowa or gorget, Edo period, with shaped black lacquer-finished metal neck piece with attached two-section part-lacquered and fabric brown-laced yodare-kake, articulated on a fabric material body, height 27cm, width 23cm (some fatigue and breakdown in fabric). Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025); ex H. Russell Robinson Collection 1959.

A Japanese wood composite jingasa, Edo period, of shaped bowl form, finished in black lacquer with brushed gilt border decoration, the front with household badge formed of squares, the interior with material lined straps and eight applied metal stud loops, diameter 33cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025). Note: these types of helmets mainly come from the more peaceful later Edo period, when helmets became more decorative than functional.

A Japanese samurai taiko or war drum, Edo period, of typical barrel form, the black lacquered wood body with four wrought steel suspensions and stud-fixed hide batter heads with printed seal marks (now indistinct) and later material cord suspension with tassel ends, height 33cm, diameter 32cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025).

A Japanese suji kabuto, mid-Edo period, the steel skull body divided into thirty-six gilt finished wire divided sections and applied gilt metal helm, the lower body with fukigaeshi and mabizashi or protecting visor, the front with damascened gilt finished household crest or symbol of two facing geese and with shikoro formed of five laced lacquered sections, height 32cm, width 42cm (lacking interior lining, some environmental damage throughout). Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025).

A Japanese stitched leather belt, Edo Period, with lacquer finish and nineteen embossed gilt-highlighted circular motifs and copper alloy triangular-section buckle, length 126cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025).

A Japanese steel jingasa, Edo period, the skull of ten riveted sections, probably once finished in lacquer, now bare steel, the interior with part lacquer remaining and four integral loop attachment fittings, height 14cm, diameter 31cm (overall environmental damage, losses). Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025).

A scarce Japanese yari-saya, Edo period, with fine horsehair plume, attached to a red lacquer-finished body, the finial once gilded, height 28cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025). Note: probably a processional item, carried before a man of rank.

A Japanese samurai do or cuirass, Edo period, with textile padded and lacquer finished shoulder straps and lower body of plate steel construction with lace-bound seams and hinged joints, height 45cm. Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025).

A Japanese period wakizashi, Edo period, with curved single-edged blade, blade length 44.5cm, the signed tang with single hole piercing, with lacquer finished scabbard (lacking tsuba and grip, some spotting to blade, scabbard probably associated, overall losses and repairs and some environmental damage). Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025).

A scarce Japanese haramaki, Edo period, with padded wadakami or shoulder bands, fitted to a lacquer-finished steel munaita with laced tateage vertical plate scale fittings over a six-section laced kusazuri, height 81cm, width 40cm (stand not included). Provenance: the collection of the late Roald Knutsen (1933-2025).