A JAPANESE BLACK LACQUERED SUIT-OF-ARMOUR, LATE EDO PERIOD

Black lacquered suit-of-armour with faded blue cords and a hotoke cuirass (kuro’urushinuri hotoke rokumaidō gusoku).

A twenty-four plate sujikabuto-helmet with three large neck-guards and smoked leather covered fukikaeshi.
At the back a large tassel and in front a wooden three gilded iris-leaves shōbu maedate.
A black lacquer wooden facial mask with a large pointed noose piece (tengubō, a tengu is a mythological being with a large noose that sometimes resembles the beak of a bird of prey).
From the mask hangs a three piece wooden black lacquered gorget (nodowa).
Below the gorget is a second three-piece gorget also from lacquered wood. The shoulders have small five-piece sode.
The protection of the arms consists of tube-shaped plates (sandōkote) and, above, Japanese mail over brocate.
A six piece black lacquered plain plate cuirass (hotoke rokumaidō), at the back with a large tassel.
From the cuirass hangs a kusazuri-skirt in six parts, each with five ita pieces (rokumagodan).
Large haidate with above brocate with dragon design and below laced black lacquered karuta-pieces.
The tube-shaped greaves consists of three laced black lacquered parts (dōsuneate).

With a box for a suit-of-armour dated at the bottom: Ansei 4 (1858). Late Edo Period.