A JAPANESE BLACK LACQUER SUIT-OF-ARMOUR (YOROI) 鎧 WITH DRAGON CREST, SHÕWA PERIOD (1926-1989)

A Japanese black lacquer suit-of-armour (yoroi) with green and orange cords, a multicoloured and yellow hem and a two-piece cuirass (kuro’urushinuri iroiro’ito kiiro’suso nimaidô tôsei gusoku) with a crest in relief of a dragon 竜 (ryû).
The yoroi has a nice black lacquer ten-plate hoshi’kabuto-helmet. In front a pair of brass long kuwagata-antlers with in the middle a short ken-shaped maedate decorated with an black open work scrolling foliage ornament.
The helmet has two neck-guards (shikoro) laced with green and orange cords and finished with a multi-coloured and a yellow hem. Decorative brown ‘smoked leather’ covers its large back-bending fukikaeshi which are fitted with two small chrysanthemum-shaped (kiku) appliques. At the back of the helmet an orange tassel.
Accompanying the helmet is a black lacquer ‘angry man’-facial mask (resseibô) with a black moustache, gold lacquer teeth and a separate nose-piece. Below the mask a black lacquer four-piece gorget (nodawa) laced with cords in the same colour scheme as the helmet.
Protecting the shoulders is a six-piece black lacquered metal ô’sode with the same coloured cords. The sode have from the sides down and at the back orange silk cords with tassels.The arms are protected by black lacquer vertical metal pieces connected by Japanese mail over a light brocade with a subtle floral motif (shino’kote).
The two-piece bucket-shaped cuirass with at the top vertical laced black lacquer horizontal itazane-plates, and in the middle similar itazane-plates fastened with dome-shaped rivets (yokohagi okegawa nimaidô). This part is equipped with a large metal crest in relief depicting a dragon swirling in a circle. Above two orange silk tassels and a similar ‘smoked leather’ border. The back with a very large orange silk tassel.
From the cuirass hangs a laced skirt in six-parts of five-piece kusazuri. Around the waist a moss green silk waistband (uwa’obi).
The haidate that protect the upper legs consists of laced black lacquer metal karuta-plates bordered by a similar brocade and ‘smoked leather’.
The tube-shaped suneate that protect the lower legs have vertical laced black lacquer metal pieces (do’suneate).
With a square black lacquered store-box for a suit-of armour (yoroi’bako). The front of the store-box decorated with the character mae 前 (“in front”) in gold. The Kanji “Mae” meaning “the first”; in other words: “I, who has priority above others”.

Height with box: approx.: 160 cm.

CONDITION
In very good original condition with some traces of age and wear. Mainly some wear of the smoked leather.