Lot 91B: Samurai Armor

Estimate: $2,000 – $2,500

Samurai armor 17/18th c., consisting of Dou/gessan, suneate, Kote (sleeves), and a Tate-eri collar cushion with protective kikko neck plates for the neck (unusual black velvet fabric likely introduced by the Dutch traders, all original and related), plus sode and haidate. The Dou is a dangaye ni mai dou (in two sections, hinged) with more than one lacing style in the torso. Iron lame construction built-up to appear like sugake laced iyozane at the top and kirritsuke laced kozane at the waist and gessan. Most lacing was replaced in recent years. The dou is known as a dangaye dou, one that has the part covering the torso constructed in two layers, sugake laced iyozane (wide scales with spaced lacing) and above, kebiki laced kozane (small scales with all over lacing) down to the waist. Both sections are false scales made from solid iron lamelar plates modelled with lacquer to look like scales, hence they are kirritsuke iyozane and kirritsuke kozane. The rare lacquer finish on the dou is known as byakuden nuri, done by applying a transparent (plant oil based), lacquer over gold lacquer. The gessan, below the yurugi ito, (long lacing) from which the gessan are suspended, are kirritsuke kozane. The bottom lame on the seven gessan may have been covered in fur or leather originally. The dou interior is lined with black lacquered leather.