A nimai-do gusoku [armour] | Edo period, 17th century

The Property of a Gentleman 

A nimai-do gusoku [armour]

Edo period, 17^th century

Kabuto [helmet]:

the sixty-two plate black lacquered iron bowl with raised ridges, terminating in a five-stage copper-gilt and shakudo tehen kanamono, black lacquer peak and turnbacks, the peak with seven large circular rivets, four-tiered black lacquered neck guard with close-spaced lacing in blue-green braid, gold lacquered sun disc maedate [ornamental crest] and kuwagata wakidate [lateral crests in the form of stylised horns]

Mempo [face mask]:

the ressei mempo [face mask with fierce expression] with yak hair moustache, detachable nose-plate , silver lacquer teeth, red lacquer three-tiered throat protector

Do [cuirass]:

the cuirass hinged in two pieces and mounted in leather, silver fukurin, copper-gilt fittings, seven tassets of five-tiered kusazuri,

Sode, kote [shoulder guards and sleeves]:

Five-tiered black lacquer shoulder guards, chainmail kote with blue silk brocade lining of latrer date,

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

black lacquer thigh protectors with silk brocade edging, shin guards (shino suneate), all components laced in matching braid

Accessories:

surcoat (jinboari) in pale blue weave

Accompanied by a certificate of registration as Juyo Bunka Shiryo [Important Cultural Material], no. 310 issued by the Nihon Katchu Bugu Kenkyu Hozon Kai [Society for the Preservation of Japanese Armour], dated Showa 54 (1979).