Overview

Over time, the number of spaces between the decorative ribs of ribbed helmets (sujikabuto) tended to increase, especially in the Edo period, with technical improvements. There were even helmets with over a hundred interval spaces. The ribbed helmet here is made up of two hundred thin metal plates, fastened with rivets.
The front area is tarnished and the back is overlaid with gold leaf, with the inscription "Made by Sojun" at the center bottom. Although the background of the artist is not known, his style is in line with the armor artisans of the Myochin line. This helmet in the shape of a deep bowl closely resembles the characteristic features of the Myochin style, and the intricate construction using two hundred plates could have only been created by a highly skilled artisan.