A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953 A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953

A JAPANESE GOLD AND BLACK LACQUERED ‘GREAT SUIT-OF-ARMOUR’, MID SHOWA PERIOD 1953

Reference: ART2001726

A wonderful Japanese gold and black lacquered ‘great suit-of-armour’ (ô’yoroi) laced with white cords, a multi-coloured and golden hem and amazing gold maki-e (lacquer design) details (kin’urushinuri shiro’ito kin’suso nimai’dô tôsei gusoku).
This all-matching samurai suit stands out because of the beautiful all-over maki-e peony and scrolling vine decorations and en-suite depictions of a plum crest 梅紋 (ume’mon).

– Black lacquered 18-plate suji’bachi kabuto (helmet with raised ridges) mounted by lacquered maedate (forecrest) shaped like a a long-horned fanged oni (demon), 6-tiered chrysanthemum-shaped tehen’no’kanamono (decorative apex fitting), purple silk agemaki (decorative tassel). The 4-tiered ‘itazane’-plate shikoro (neck guards) and small fukikaeshi (face guards) with covering golden maki-e design. The fukikaeshi display the plum-crest.
– ‘Angry man’-facial mask (resseibô) with separate nose-piece with a white moustache, gold lacquered teeth, and 4-tiered maki-e ‘itazane’-plate gorget (yodarekake). The chin with a relief motif of a flower in circle.
– Sode (shoulder guards), tôsei-type, constructed of 6 rows of gold lacquered ‘kiritsuke kozane’-plates and with purple silk cords and tassels along the side.
– Kote (bracer), hisago-type 瓠 (bottle gourd), constructed with various gold lacquered pieces connected by Japanese mail (kaushi-gusari), some of these pieces are in the shape of bottle gourds, hence the name. The hand guards (tekko) decorated with a design of different flower emblems in relief. This whole is placed over orange brocade silk with a polychrome floral motif.
– Dô (cuirass) of the ‘hotoke’-type with a few laced ‘kiritsuke kozane’-plates along the upper edge. Its entire body covered by lavish maki-e with a large plum crest in the centre. In front two small, and on the back a large purple silk agemaki. From the shoulder hang a pair of so-called ‘apricot leaves’ (gyôyô) with en-suite plum-crest appliques. Lined with decorative ‘smoked leather.
From the cuirass hangs a 7-parts of 5-piece gold lacquered ‘kiritsuke kozane’-plate kusazuri (tassets).
– Purple silk uwa’obi (waistband) with chrysanthemum design.
– Haidate (thigh armour) with 6 rows of laced gold lacquered ‘kiritsuke kozane’-plates mounted on en-suite silk and decorative ‘smoked’ leather borders.
– Suneate (shin guards), tsubo-type, gold lacquered form-fitting metal plates continuing in a wing-shaped top, fastened on matching silk lining.
– Kegutsu (fur shoes) of black&brown ‘boar’-skin with a ‘smoked leather’ tab in front, a silk border, and an golden cord.

With a square black lacquered store-box for a suit-of armour (yoroi’bako) with ‘pole carrying’-handles. The front of the store-box decorated with the plum crest in gold lacquer.

Interior of the lid with a dated label: “Made on March 10, 1953” 製造53年3月10日.
Period: Japan – 1953, Mid-Shôwa period.

Height with box: approx. 160 cm.

In a very good condition with some minor traces of wear conform age.