Gold and black lacquer ô-yoroi
Price: € 4.800,00
A stunning Japanese gold and black lacquer ô-yoroi (great suit-of-armour) with orange, white, navy, and green cords, a multicoloured and orange hem and a 2-piece cuirass (kuro’urushinuri iroiro’ito hi’suso nimai’dô tôsei gusoku).
– ‘Russet iron’-lacquered 16-plate hoshi’bachi kabuto with domed rivets, large gold-leaf wooden dragon-maedate (decorative front piece), pair of long brass kuwagata-antlers, 4-tiered chrysanthemum-shaped gilded metal tehen’no’kanamono (decorative apex fitting), 2-tiered black lacquer ‘kiritsuke iyozane’-plate shikoro (neck guards) transcending into broad back-bending fukikaeshi (face guards).
– ‘Angry man’-facial mask (resseibô) with brownish white moustache, separate nose-piece and strikingly wide-spreading 4-tiered ‘kiritsuke iyozane’-plate gorget (yodarekake).
– Black lacquered tôsei’sode (shoulder guards) constructed of 6 rows of ‘kiritsuke iyozane’-plates.
– Gold lacquered kote (bracer), shino-type, metal pieces connected by Japanese mail (kaushi-gusari), placed over light brown silk with geometrical design.
– Black lacquered 2-part cuirass (nimai’dô), kiritsuke kozane type, three large orange silk age’maki (decorative tassel), matching set of a sendannoita (‘satinwood-board’) and a kyûbinoita (dovetail-board), and 6-parts of 5-piece ‘kiritsuke iyozane’-plate kusazuri (tassets).
– Waistband (uwa’obi) made of greenish grey silk with a pink floral design (wear).
– Haidate (thigh armour), shino-type, of 3-rows of 7 gold lacquered plates connected by Japanese mail, placed over matching silk with decorative blue ‘smoked leather’ borders.
– Suneate (shin guards) of tsubo-type with gold lacquer form-fitting metal plates continuing in a wing-shaped top, fastened by colourful brocade silk tateage.
– Pair of kegutsu (fur shoes) made of light brown fur.
With a broad red lacquered store-box for a great suit-of armour (ô’yoroi’bako) with a golden metal plate in front shaped like the character mae 前 (‘in front’). The Kanji ‘Mae” meaning ‘the first’; in other words: ‘I, who has priority above others’.
Including inscribed wooden sign:
‘Two-piece cuirass with individual scales and various coloured cords’ 色々威小札二枚胴具足 (Iroiro’odoshi Kozane Nimai’dô Gusoku);
‘Made by Mitsunobu’ 光忍作 (Mitsunobu shu) ending with a kakihan and red name seal.
Height with box: approx. 160 cm.
Period: Japan – Taishô period (1912-1926).
In a very good original condition with minimal traces of wear consistent with age. Please look at the photos for a condition reference.
We include a wooden stand and an explanation how to put this armour on display. When shipped we will add a certificate of authenticity.
