A beautiful black lacquered high rank O-yoroi with dark blue cords & large 32 plate kabuto helmet

Japan – Shōwa period (1926-1989)

Very good condition, see description – 170×70×45 cm





A beautiful black lacquered O-yoroi – high rank suit-of-armour with dark blue cords and a red hem (kurenai suso odoshi yoroi).

A large 32 plate domed hoshikabuto-helmet with a tassel at the back; broad neck guards (shikoro); large fukikaeshi decorated with imitation smoked leather and in front large kuwagata-antlers with a gilded wooden dragon maedate. Some very small pieces of the dragons horns and its left claw are missing. With a large maedate in the front of the helmet in the shape of a golden dragon, made of wood. Black facial mask with a separate noose piece and a white moustache (resseibo) and a four-piece gorget (nodawa). Large seven-piece sode protect the shoulders. The arm guards have Japanese mail with metal plates and gourd-shaped metal pieces over brocade (fukubekote). The two-piece bucket shaped cuirass with vertical laced metal pieces (nimai yokohagi okegawa do) is above decorated with a smoked leather hem. In front of the cuirass hang (right) the sendan-no-ita (“satinwood-board”, with cords) and (left) kyubi-no-ita (“dovetail-board”, with leather) pieces as an extra protecting against arrows.

From the cuirass hang six five-piece kusazuri-skirt with an a red hem. Large cuisses (haidate) with laced karuta-plates protect the upper legs. Tube shaped black lacquered greaves protect the lower legs (dosuneate). With an orange brocade waist-band. In a large black lacquered store box, typical for an O-yoroi with the character mae (“in front”). The Kanji „Mae“. Meaning „the first“. In other words: „I, who has priority above others“.



Object Japanese armor

Material Lacquered metal

Period Shōwa period (1926-1989)

Region/ Country of origin Japan

Theme/ depiction Samurai

Title of artwork A beautiful black lacquered high rank O-yoroi – with dark blue cords & large 32 plate kabuto helmet

Condition Very good condition, see description

Dimensions 170×70×45 cm