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Updated: 28 Mar 2024

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Antique Edo Period Tetsusabiji Samurai Armor(A-06)

$10,579.21

Included:
Samurai Armor, Armor Stand, Armor Storage Box ,  Full Exportation Support

Delivery Date:
1.0-1.5 month after you place an order
*There might be delay in shipment depending on countries

Size:

Vertical Width Height
47 cm 56 cm 147 cm

*The size refers to when you display the armor on the box*1 inch=2.54cm

More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us. 

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SKU: Samurai-armor-006 Categories: ,

Antique  Edo Period Tetsu Sabiji Samurai Armor  

We estimate the age of this armor around the early-mid Edo period based on the condition and the style of the armor.

Kabuto (helmet)
■Helmet bowl: Tetsusabiji Kabuto(Helmet)
The surface is coated with uncolored lacquer. You can the iron surface very well. 

■Shikoro(side neck guard):
Iron plates laced with navy blue

■Menpo(face guard):Iron mask with mustache made of horse tail hair.
This type of Menpo(Faceguard) is called Retsusei Menpo(烈勢面頬) It represents the angry face to intimidate enemies. It also has mustache made of horsetail fur.

■ Front decoration(Maetate) ; Kurikara-Ken

The Maetate (前立, front decoration) of this helmet is designed from the Kurikara-Ken (倶利伽羅剣). It is said the Fudo Myo-O (不動明王, acalanātha) brings this sword. The Fudo Myo-O is a protective god in Buddhism, particularly Japanese Shingon Buddhism. This god was also known as a god of wars. According to a theory, this sword has the power to punish evils, crush worldly desires, and achieve the effects of religious training. In sword mountings, the design of the dragon that coils its body around the Kurikara-Ken is often seen. The former owner of this armor might have been a believer of the Shingon sect.

■Fukikaeshi: Family crest; Yatsu-Yaguruma Mon

If you focus on the Fukikaeshi (吹き返し) part of this helmet, you will find that a family crest. This mark is categorized as the Yatsu-Yaguruma (八つ矢車) pattern. This design is a combination of eight arrows. A theory also says that the wheel of an ox cart is its origin. The same crest is also designed on this armor’s box.

Since ancient times, arrows have been used as a weapon, which is the original purpose of this item. It was one of the primary weapons for Samurais. Therefore, people thought the arrow pattern symbolized battle. Also, an arrow goes forward powerfully. It is understandable that many Samurais loved this motif.

Additionally, each home displayed decorated arrows wishing that it would exorcize evil spirits in the house. This talisman is called the Hama-Ya (破魔矢) in Japanese, and this custom is still kept today.


Armor
■Do(Cuirass):  Nimai Do 
Nimai Do is a kind of cuirass for Tousei Gusoku(developed armor style). Nimai Do was named after the fact that Nimai means two plates, and Do means torso in Japanese. This part can be separated into two pieces and connected with a hinge. Typically, the hinge is located on the left side, and you can tighten this cuirass on the right side.

■ Decoration on body armor:

■Sode(Shoulder guards): Tetsusabiji iron Sode laced with navy blue thread. 

■Kusazuri:lacquered iron Kusazuri laced with navy blue thread

Kusazuri is a skirt of plates attached to the cuirass

Small parts
■Kote(Armored sleeves): Intricate iron chain mail with silk 

Japanese wisterias are designed for the cloth of sleeve. This pattern is called as the Sagari-Fuji (下がり藤) pattern. As wisterias have strong fertility and grow being entwined with other trees, people regarded this flower as a symbol of longevity and prosperity for future generations. Also, its Japanese name Fuji (藤) is likened to another word Fushi, which is written as “不死,” which means immortality. According to a theory, that is why the Fujiwara (藤原) family, who reached the height of glory in the Heian period (794-1185), used this motif for their family name and family crest.

Small marks are designed on the cover of the back of the hand. We could see that one of these designs is a cherry blossom pattern. Cherry blossom is one of the seasonal things of spring, and it has been loved for a long time in Japan. Its pattern is designed not only for sword mountings but also for Kimono (着物, traditional Japanese costume) or furnishings. There are various family crests in which this flower is designed. So, the flower pattern designed on this hand cover is probably used to show any Samurai family.

■Haidate(thigh protection): Haidate is a shin guard

■Suneate(Shin guard): lacquered iron Suneate

■Nadokoro(tube): Flag holder

If you focus on the back of this armor, you will find that a square holder is equipped at the back waist. It is the gear put flags. Samurais judged their side and enemies on the battlefields. Especially in group battles with infantry, this method was very effective because they could instantly identify affiliations.

 

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【About us】
Samurai Museum is located in Tokyo, Japan, exhibiting antique artifacts related to the Samurai history. Samurai Museum Shop is the place for those who are interested in Japanese culture and craftsmanship. We deal with antique Samurai swords/armor, original Japanese sword mounting, traditional crafts made in Japan and so on. 

【Antique Japanese Armor and Export process】
After receiving the full payment from you, we will apply for its export permit from the agency for Cultural Affairs to legally export the antique Samurai armor to other countries. It normally takes around 2-4 weeks to receive this permit. And we would like you to expect at least 1-1.5 months for your order to arrive at your given address after you ordered.

【Payment Method】
We accept payment through Stripe(Credit card), PayPal, Apple Pay or ChromePay, all of which are secure payment methods. If you prefer other payment method, please contact us. After confirming your payment, we will apply for an export permit. You may either pay in JPY, USD, AUD, EUR, CAD or GBP. The price is set in Japanese Yen. Prices in other currencies are automatically calculated based on the latest exchange rate.

* If the amount is above 1 million JPY, Stripe or wire transfer will be the only options for payment.

【Shipping】
We offer Free International Shipping as long as we can send antique Samurai armor by either EMS or DHL(If EMS can’t ship to your country). We will send you a tracking number for your order as soon as we hand it to the post office/DHL. We will put 100 % insurance on the shipping document without any extra charge. Based on the total amount, there might be a duty tax or other fee for you to pay, depending on the countries. We use package cushioning to protect the item.

It will normally takes 5-14 days for the item to arrive at your given address after we dispatch it. Time of delivery is estimated as accurately as possible by the carrier but does not take into account any delays beyond our control such as by inclement weather, post office holiday seasons.

  *Please keep in mind that due to the spread of COVID-19, there might be delays in shipping. If you like to know the detail about shipping, please feel free to ask us.

【How to make sure the condition】
  Please keep in mind that what you are going to purchase is an antique item. We uploaded high resolution photos for you to check its condition thoroughly. If you like to see more photos with different angles, please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to send them to you so that you can make informed decision. It is essential for us to know that you are happy with your choice of a sword. and we are prepared to use the best of our ability to serve you.

【How To Contact Us】
Please contact us through email, Facebook Messenger or Live Chat if you have any questions. You can find each icon on the right side of the website. Please click one of them to reach us. We will reply to you within 1-2 business days.

【How To Preserve Antique Samurai Armor】
Dryness, humidity, and bad ventilation might deteriorate the condition of antique Samurai armor. The best temperature to preserve Samurai armor is around 20℃ in Celsius, and humidity should be about 60%.  Direct sunlight should be avoided. We recommend storing armors in a room with good ventilation. If you like to display them outside the boxes for a prolonged time, we suggest using a glass case in order for dust not to be accumulated easily. In case you don’t use a glass case, please make sure to regularly dust off  from the armor by using a soft brush made of delicate cloth or brush for painting.

If you like to know more about the preservation of this armor, please feel free to contact us.

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