On 7 November 2024, a selection of 16 Japanese arms and armour lots associated with the Supein Nihonto collection was presented at Bonhams in London as part of Samurai · Snow · Spectacle: Japanese Art across Seven Centuries.
Held at the prestigious Bonhams New Bond Street saleroom, this international Japanese art auction brought together works spanning centuries of artistic tradition, including samurai armour, historical Japanese swords, lacquerware, decorative arts and woodblock prints.
The Supein Nihonto selection comprised nine suits of samurai armour, three kabuto helmets and four Japanese swords or daggers, illustrating the remarkable craftsmanship of Japan’s warrior culture.
From elaborate Edo-period gusoku and distinctive helmet ornaments to traditionally forged katana and a finely mounted tantō, the collection represented several specialised disciplines of Japanese metalworking, lacquer decoration and armour construction.
Today, this sale forms part of the Supein Nihonto International Auction Archive, preserving a record of the pieces presented and their place within the international Japanese art market.
Samurai armour evolved over centuries, adapting to changing military requirements while preserving an extraordinary standard of craftsmanship.
During the Edo period (1615–1868), armour makers continued to produce sophisticated protective equipment, often incorporating traditional forms alongside elaborate decorative elements.
The Bonhams London selection featured different varieties of tōsei gusoku, the modern-style armour developed during Japan’s later medieval and early modern periods.
Their construction demonstrates the relationship between functional engineering and artistic expression. Iron plates, protective sleeves, carefully fitted cuirasses, lacquered surfaces and complex silk lacing formed complete ensembles whose appearance could be as important as their protective qualities.
The 2024 collection also offered an opportunity to examine individual kabuto helmets and Japanese swords, two fields with their own highly developed traditions of craftsmanship.
This traditional five-section cuirass armour featured an eight-plate sujibachi kabuto decorated with a gilded crescent-moon maedate.
The black-lacquered menpō, protective neck guard and horizontal-plate cuirass created a restrained yet distinctive appearance. The ensemble also included arm and leg protection and an armour storage box.
This suit combined a russet-iron sixteen-plate sujibachi kabuto with an imposing gilded dragon maedate.
Its vertically constructed black-lacquered cuirass, dark-blue lacing and contrasting shoulder guards illustrated the decorative possibilities of traditional Japanese armour. The expressive helmet crest was a particularly striking feature of the ensemble.
Among the more elaborate armours offered was this suit with a twenty-four-plate helmet and a large gilded antler-shaped maedate.
Its russet-iron cuirass incorporated decorative gilded elements, while dark lacquer and blue lacing provided contrast. The combination of iron construction, heraldic ornamentation and carefully coordinated protective components reflected the craftsmanship of Edo-period armour makers.
Edo period, 19th century
This black-lacquered armour was distinguished by its twenty-four-plate helmet with an oni, or demon, helmet ornament.
The face mask featured red-lacquered lips and gilded teeth, creating an expressive contrast with the darker surfaces of the suit.
Its construction incorporated a nuinobe-dō cuirass, shoulder protection, armoured sleeves and traditional leg guards.
This armour combined a black-lacquered six-plate helmet with a gilded fan-shaped maedate.
The cuirass was assembled from horizontal iron plates, while its protective components included traditional shoulder guards, sleeves, thigh protection and shin guards.
The overall design illustrated a relatively restrained interpretation of traditional Japanese armour.
One of the most visually distinctive pieces of the auction was this unusual samurai armour featuring a helmet covered in white hair. The helmet incorporated a kuwagata ornament and a heraldic frontal crest, while the cuirass displayed a russet-toned lacquer finish with decorative leather elements.
The ensemble also included black-lacquered shoulder and limb protection, a command baton known as a saihai, and an armour storage box.
This historical armour was notable for its sixty-two-plate russet-iron sujibachi kabuto and the characteristic cross-lacing of its horizontal-plate cuirass.
The helmet was complemented by an iron face mask with gilded teeth, while the suit included chainmail sleeves and an accompanying sashimono banner. The combination of lacquer, silk lacing and ironwork exemplified the complexity of traditional armour construction.
This elaborate black-lacquered armour featured a twelve-plate kabuto adorned with a large silvered crescent-moon ornament.
The cuirass displayed gilded sun motifs on its front and back, creating a particularly interesting relationship between the decorative elements of the helmet and body armour. Gilded fittings, blue brocade and carefully assembled protective components added to the ensemble's distinctive appearance.
This traditional armour incorporated a two-plate momonari-style helmet decorated with an oni maedate.
The horizontally constructed cuirass, brown lacquer and varied lacing patterns were complemented by traditional shoulder, thigh and shin protection. Its comparatively compact helmet profile and expressive demonic ornament provided a contrast to the taller crests elsewhere in the collection.
The auction also included three individually catalogued samurai helmets.
The kabuto occupies a special position within Japanese military history. Beyond its protective purpose, its form, construction and decoration could reflect the identity, status and artistic preferences of its owner.
These examples demonstrated the craftsmanship involved in assembling multi-plate iron helmet bowls and their accompanying neck guards.
This russet-iron helmet featured thirty-two carefully assembled plates and a prominent gilded gourd-shaped maedate.
Its black-lacquered five-lame Hineno neck guard was secured with dark-blue lacing, while decorative metal fittings completed the construction.
This black-lacquered helmet incorporated a rounded twelve-plate bowl, gilded decorative fittings and a traditional kuwagata crest.
Its five-stage tehen ornament and coordinated black-lacquered neck guard illustrated the refined decorative treatment of Edo-period kabuto.
The third helmet featured a russet-iron twenty-plate construction, a substantial tehen fitting and decorative silvered metal elements.
Its prominent frontal ornament and black-lacquered neck guard demonstrated the relationship between structural metalworking and decorative craftsmanship.
The sword selection complemented the armour collection with four examples illustrating the technical and artistic traditions of Japanese sword-making.
Japanese swords are valued not only for their historical associations but also for their forging methods, tempering patterns, blade geometry and carefully crafted mountings.
The pieces presented at Bonhams included a tantō attributed to the Jumyō lineage and three katana associated with different sword-making traditions.
This elegantly proportioned tantō was catalogued as a work attributed to the Jumyō sword-making lineage.
The blade featured an unokubi-zukuri configuration with a distinctive tempering pattern and decorative carvings. Its historical mountings included a red-lacquered scabbard and metal fittings decorated with natural motifs such as birds and butterflies.
Edo period, 18th–early 19th century
This katana was catalogued as an unsigned blade attributed to the Mihara tradition.
Its workmanship included a straight suguha tempering pattern, while the sword mountings featured an iron tsuba with chrysanthemum decoration and other fittings depicting natural motifs.
Momoyama or Edo period
Among the most significant swords in the selection was this katana attributed to Kiyomitsu of Kaga Province.
Its blade displayed traditional forging characteristics and decorative carving, including a dragon entwined around a sword. The Higo-school mountings included a scabbard lacquered to resemble cherry bark and a shakudō tsuba decorated with birds flying above foaming waves.
Late Edo period, 1862
This katana was catalogued as a work by Yoshikuni of Yonezawa, with an inscription dating the blade to October 1862.
The sword combined traditional Japanese forging techniques with historical mountings featuring an iron tsuba decorated with chrysanthemums.
Its dated signature offers an important historical reference to the closing years of the Edo period.
The November 2024 Bonhams sale provides an interesting historical reference for collectors studying the international market for Japanese arms and armour.
The published results illustrate the range of prices achieved by different categories of samurai equipment, including complete suits of armour, individual helmets and traditionally forged swords.
Within the Supein Nihonto selection, several pieces were notable for their specialised construction, decorative features or historical documentation.
The white-haired helmet armour in Lot 102, the sun-and-moon decoration of Lot 104, the Higo-mounted katana in Lot 126 and the dated Yoshikuni sword in Lot 127 demonstrate the diversity of objects represented.
Auction results should always be interpreted in context. Prices can be influenced by preservation, attribution, documentation, completeness, provenance, market demand and the circumstances of an individual sale.
The historical prices recorded here are provided for documentation and should not be treated as current valuations.
At Supein Nihonto, the study and appreciation of Japanese historical craftsmanship form an important part of our work.
Since 2018, we have specialised in Japanese swords, samurai armour and antique works of art, helping international collectors explore the traditions of Japanese metalworking, lacquer decoration and craftsmanship.
Participating in international auctions provides another way to present these historical objects to collectors, researchers and enthusiasts.
The Bonhams London sale of November 2024 remains part of this story.
By preserving a record of the sixteen lots, their catalogue descriptions and their published results, we aim to create a useful historical reference that remains accessible long after the auction has concluded.
he original catalogue remains an important resource for anyone wishing to study the objects presented during the sale.
Visitors can consult Bonhams for the historical listings, original descriptions, photographs and available results.
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