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

Armour from an Important Private European Collection

A byotoji-do gusoku [armour] 

Edo period, 17^th century 

the sixty-two plate russet iron bowl with standing rivets, terminating in a four-stage copper tehen kanamono, small russet iron mabisashi [peak], leather fukigaeshi [turnbacks] applied with copper-gilt katabami mon [wood sorrel crests], nawame fukurin [ornamental border with impressed rope], four-tiered black lacquer itamono ko-manju jikoro [slightly rounded neck guard with solid plates] with sugake odoshi [spaced lacing] in blue braid, the interior of the bowl signed Soshu ju ... saku (made by... a resident of Soshu Province), the gold and red lacquer maedate [forecrest] in the form of stylised clouds, the russet iron mempo [face mask] forged in ryubu style with unwrinkled face and mouth slightly ajar, detachable nose plate, yadome [standing flanges] to the cheeks, red lacquer interior, four-tiered yodaregake [throat protector] with kebiki odoshi [close-spaced lacing] in dark blue braid, the iron do [cuirass] hinged in two pieces and comprised of horizontal rivetted iron plates carved and cut in tsure yamamichi [connected mountain paths] style, two-tiered sode [shoulder guards] each with a karashishi in uchidashi [repoussé], chainmail kote [sleeves], seven tassets of five-tiered kusazuri [skirt], the haidate [thigh guards] with black lacquer plates and blue linen and leather lining, shino suneate [shin guards], with an armour display stand and armour storage box

Mounted on the armour storage box: 141 cm., 55½ in. high

The armour storage box: 54.5 x 41.5 x 41.5 cm., 21½ x 16⅜ x 16⅜ in.