An elaborately mounted honkozane do-maru tosei gusoku [armour] | The helmet signed Myochin Ki Muneyoshi kore o tsukuru (made by Myochin Ki Muneyoshi) | Edo period, 18 – 19th century

An elaborately mounted honkozane do-maru tosei gusoku [armour]

The helmet signed Myochin Ki Muneyoshi kore o tsukuru (made by Myochin Ki Muneyoshi)

Edo period, 18 – 19^th century

Kabuto [helmet]:

The twenty-four plate russet iron bowl with raised rims and raised rivets, terminating in a five-stage copper-gilt, copper and shakudo tehen kanamono of stylised chrysanthemum, the peak applied in stencilled Dutch leather, gilt fukurin, the large turnbacks applied with with paulownia crests on stenciled Dutch leather, the edges with copper-gilt rivets, the three tiered black lacquer neck guard with close-spaced lacing in blue braid, gilt metal maedate in the form of inome, applied in shakudo with further paulownia crest, gilt metal kuwagata mounted on a copper-gilt maedate-dai with three raised chrysanthemum form rivets, chased and engraved with foliate scrolls and inome-bori on a nanko ground, gilt rims, gilded leather interior lining

Mempo [face mask]:

the black lacquer ryubu mempo well forged with noble expression, wrinkleless face, open mouth and pronounced chin, detachable nose-plate, standing flanges (yadome) to the cheeks), red lacquer interior, the three-tiered black lacquer throat protector laced in matching braid, stencilled Dutch leather edging above the first tier

Do [cuirass]:

the do-maru form cuirass comprised of black lacquer honkozane [true lamellae] with stencilled Dutch leather edging, copper-gilt fukurin chased and engraved with foliate scrolls, two-tiered black lacquer nodawa [throat guard] with stencilled Dutch leather edging, above the first tier gyoyo [shoulder straps] applied in copper-gilt with further paulownia crests, eight tassets of five-tiered kusazuri, all components laced in matching braid

Sode, kote [shoulder guards and sleeves]:

Six-tiered black lacquer shoulder guards with copper-gilt fittings, chased and engraved with further foliage, the russet-iron plate sleeves inlaid in silver with scrolling foliage and applied in chainmail, elaborate silk brocade lining decorated with ho-o birds

Haidate, sune-ate [thigh protectors and shin guards]:

the haidate applied in black lacquer lames, elaborate silk brocade lining decorated with ho-o birds, blue linen lining, the shin-guards applied in russet iron plays inlaid in silver, matching silk brocade lining, stencilled Dutch leather edging and brown leather

Accessories:

the black lacquer saihai [commander’s baton] mounted with yak hair, copper mounts, fitted wood armour storage box, of later date

Accompanied by a certificate of registration as Juyo Kacho [Important Armour], issued by the Nihon Katchu Bugu Rekishi Kenkyu Kai [Society for the Research of Japanese Armour History], dated Heisei 4 (1992); accompanied by a further document written by Dr Sasama Yoshihiko detailing the armour