IMPORTANT NOTICE: To celebrate our first year as professional sellers on catawiki and to thank all the customers who have made us grow with 100% positive feedback, during the first quarter of the year we will be offering high quality pieces for sale far below market value. Authentic pieces for the best collectors and enthusiasts at very low reserve prices as a thank you for this wonderful year! ABOUT US: At Supein Nihonto we strive to bring you high quality samurai swords and armors at prices far below the competition. We are probably the largest exporter in Europe and we are proud to anunce that we are number one TOP SELLER in Catawiki Samurai and Japanese auctions. This is especially important to save on taxes and waiting times that can exceed four months deliveries with Japanese sellers also headaches with tedious and sometimes problematic processes that further lengthen deliveries, even returning the parcel to its origin and more than 35% extra on the final price due the customs, tariffs and fees that increase the product but not the quality and the future resell. We are also professional sellers and therefore our satisfaction guarantee, knowledge and standards are superior to private sellers and with higher after sales guarantees. Thanks to this and the lowest professional prices in the industry plus our fast and efficient shipping method which rarely exceeds three days delivery in Europe, we are sure you will enjoy this great opportunity to own a piece of art that will appreciate in value for years to come and a great investment. Trust us to enjoy the samurai art. See my other samurai objects clicking on my seller`s name! It comes with certificate of Supein Nihonto. Item Description: Beautiful kawari kabuto helmet made in Harikaki representing a Sachihoko of extreme quality and detail. With the Mon of the Hachisuka Family clan on the fins, one of the most influential in japan. Similar Kabuto was selled and reached more than 54.000 Euros in a european auction House. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachisuka_clan The Sachihoko represents a mythological fire protection figure placed on temples and castles. Osaka Castle is known to have many of these statues adorning the rooftops and inside the castle museum. The figure is beautifully crafted with urushi lacquer. The work of shaping these pieces is extremely laborious as it has to be done layer after layer. Various elements such as the fins and tail are adorned with gold leaf and the mouth is lacquered in red. It is an exquisite and extremely rare piece of work. These unusual looking kabutos are very rare and only the most opulent Daimyos could afford such work. The helmet is very light as when it was made in the mid to late Edo period, the Tokugawa peace ruled Japan and the job of the important Daimyos was to make a pilgrimage once a year from their residences in various parts of the country to Edo, present day Tokyo to pay homage to the Shogun. They wore their most spectacular armour and weapons to impress wherever they went and to give a sense of power. A helmet of such enormous proportions had to be light in order to be comfortable. The Hachi or upper part is in an almost perfect condition something very uncommon for its age, and the shikoro part of the plates are in good condition with materials of the time and some repairs. The laces are in logical conditions that guarantee its antiquity. Literally a museum piece. These pieces are terribly difficult to obtain even with a lot of money as high level collectors do not usually part with these pieces and they can only be obtained as hidden treasures in old families kept for generations. A great piece for display or wear. It will be the focal point of any room where it is exposed and will undoubtedly attract all eyes, a beautiful piece of samurai art. See my other samurai items clicking in my sellers name.