A daimyo oyoroi armor, Japan, Edo period, 19th century

Property from an Important Private European Collection
A daimyo oyoroi armor
Japan, Edo period, 19th century

comprised of a sixteen-plate black-lacquered iron bowl with large seated rivets, the apex mounted with a five-stage copper-gilt tehen kanamono of stylised chrysanthemum form, the frontal, lateral and rear plates with copper-gilt ornamental strips on a gold lacquer ground, the broad turnbacks in stenciled Dutch leather and applied with copper-gilt openwork panels of three-leaf arrowheads (omodaka), the stenciled Dutch leather peak with copper-gilt ornamental border, the four-tiered black lacquered neck guard with close-spaced variegated lacing in white, orange and purple braid, all components applied with copper-gilt openwork panels of omodaka among swirling waters, silvered copper kuwagata pierced with ruyi scepter heads mounted on an ornate kuwagata-dai, the gold and red lacquered maedate in the form of a three-clawed dragon, inset eyes, the black lacquered iron face mask with hinged detachable nose-plate, yak hair moustache, red lacquer interior, the wrapped cuirass applied overall in stenciled Dutch leather with karashishi among peonies, ringed throat guard and shoulder strap covers, four tassets of five-tiered kusazuri, six-tiered black lacquered large shoulder guards, the chainmail sleeves lined in silk brocade and edged in leather, the thigh guards with further stenciled Dutch leather and lined with silk brocade, Bishamonten-style shin guards and wild boar hair foot guards, accompanied with a commander’s baton (saihai) applied with horse hair, the armour mounted on top of a rectangular chest (nagamochi) with close-fitting cover on six everted feet, decorated overall in gold hiramaki-e on a black lacquer ground with mon before dandelions and scrolling karakusa, the copper-gilt fittings engraved with hanabishi, two pole handles

The nagamochi: 142 x 75 x 59 cm., 56 x 29½ x 23¼ in.
The armor when seated on the nagamochi: 99 cm., 39 in. high

Condition Report:
Overall the armor is in the fine condition, there are a few minor chips to the top edges of the lacquer lamellae in a few places, there are some slight marks to the lacing, otherwise good condition, the top panel to the nagamochi is slightly worn and scratched, consistent with age and use of the object, the top has a crack running across the chest due to shrinkage which is typical, the edges around the close-fitting cover with some chips. The interior with paper lining and some alterations to the sides. There is some wear to the rectangular base, and some wear to the copper-gilt fittings with a few pins missing.

Provenance:
Mizuno Tadakuni (1794-1851)