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Updated: 28 Mar 2024

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Antique Late Edo Period Iron Black Lacquered Samurai Armor Signed by Myochin Munekane Tokubetsu Kicho Shiryo Certificate

$19,836.02

Included:
Tokubetsu Kicho Shiryo Certificate, 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
49 cm 58 cm 144 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-012 Categories: ,

Antique Late Edo Period Iron Black Lacquered Samurai Armor with Tokubetsu Kicho Shiryo Certificate

Name of the armor : 鉄黒漆塗縦矧胸取五枚胴具足

Period: Late Edo Period (appraised by The Association for the Research and Preservation of Japanese Helmets and Armor).

 There are a few engraved gold plates, saying that this armor was made by Myochin Munekane (明珍宗周) in February, the third year of the Bunkyu era (1863). According to available records, Munekane was a reputable armor maker who served  Tsuyama domain (Today’s Okayama prefecture).

Kabuto (helmet)
■Helmet bowl: Sanjyu Niken Tetsusabiji Suji Kabuto (Helmet)
 This helmet was signed by Myochin Munekane (明珍宗周) in February, the third year of the Bunkyu era (1863). The surface is Tetsusabiji style, which only applied lacquer for paint base for the iron not to get rusty. It looks less shiny than normal lacquered surface. Suji Kabuto consists of many small riveted iron plates to form its shape. This helmet has Sanjyu Niken (32 in Japanese) iron plates. Suji means a stripe in Japanese, and you can see 32 stripes in this helmet. A high-class Samurai might have owned this helmet. 

■Shikoro (side neck guard): Black Lacquered iron half mask.
 Iron plates laced with navy blue.

■Fukikaeshi (side neck guard): 

The family emblem is designed on Fukikaeshi parts; we think its motif is the combination of three arrows. Bows and arrows have been used as hunting tools or weapons since ancient times. It has been used not only for Shinto rituals but also for fortune-telling. Before the import of guns, bows and arrows were one of the primary weapons for Samurais. Understandably, many Samurai families used arrow patterns for their family crests.

■ Front decoration (Maetate): Hachiman belief, Amaterasu-Ōmikami

 Kuwagata (鍬形) is attached to this helmet. It is a kind of Maedatemono (前立物, front decoration) to dignify the appearance. This helmet’s Kuwagata has a shape in which its tip is bifurcated. And you could find different names of gods on each side. On the left side (for you), it is written as 八幡大武神 (Hachiman-Daibushin). It probably means Hachiman-Jin (八幡神, Hachiman God). Hachiman Shinkou (八幡信仰, Hachiman belief) worships Hachiman-Daijin (八幡大神) and Hachiman-Daibosatsu (八幡大菩薩), and it is the most popular religion in Japanese shrines. Hachiman-Jin is considered as God of battle.

 On the other side (the right side for you), you could find another god’s name: 天照皇大神. 天 and 照 are written in old characters. We think it represents Amaterasu-Ōmikami (天照大神/ 天照大御神). She is the goddess who controls the sun, and many people still worship her today. The former owner of this armor might have been a person with strong faith and believed in these religions.

Armor
■Do (Cuirass):  Tetsu Kuro Urushi Gomai Do 

Testsu Kuro Urushi means black lacquered Iron. This Do (Cuirass) is made of black lacquered Iron plates. Gomai Do means Five plates. It was laced with navy blue thread. 

■Signature:

Myochin Munekane/ February, the third year of the Bunkyu era (1863)

One is located on the back of Do (Cuirass) and the other two are located on the upper part of the Kote.

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

■Kusazuri (Skirt of plates attached to the cuirass): lacquered iron Kusazuri laced with navy blue thread. Please keep in mind that some lacquer come off due to its age.

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


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

■Suneate (Shin guard): lacquered iron Suneate

■Gattari (supporter): Sashimono holder

 If you focus on the back of this armor, you will find that a square-shaped metal frame is attached. It is a gear that supports the upper part of the Sashimono (a frag or decorative sign installed at the back of armor). Samurais judged their side and enemies on the battlefields by checking the motifs that were designed for flags. Especially in group battles with infantry, this method was very effective because they could instantly identify affiliations.

■Kacchu-Hitsu (Armor box): wooden armor box

 The family crest is designed on the side of this wooden box. It is the same mark as the helmet (please recheck the Fukikaeshi part). 

Certification:Tokubetsu Kicho Shiryo Certificate

 The certificate was issued by The Association for the Research and Preservation of Japanese Helmets and Armor, which is the most trusted Japanese armor appraiser in Japan. Tokubestu Kicho Shiryo means special rare article. It is ranked as the third highest of five rankings. 

 This Samurai armor was authenticated on May 22nd  2022 as a Tokubetsu Kicho Shiryo and the paper mentions the armor was made in the late Edo period. There is a signature of  Myochin Munekane (明珍宗周) in the helmet, body armor and arms guard and Shin guard. You can receive this original authentication paper. 

An English translation of the certificate is available on request. We won’t charge any additional fee.

 


【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, traditional crafts made in Japan and so on.

【Payment method】
 We accept payment through Stripe (Credit card), PayPal, Apple Pay or ChromePay, all of which are secure payment methods. Also, you don’t need to make an account on Stripe for the checkout. If you prefer other payment method, please contact us. You may either pay in JPY, USD, AUD, CAD, EUR, CHF or GBP. The price is set in Japanese Yen. Prices in other currencies are automatically calculated based on the latest exchange rate. 

【Shipping duration】
 We normally ship via EMS (Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. It usually takes at least 5-14 days to deliver the package after you place an order. We will use DHL instead for those who ordered from Canada or Australia as EMS temporarily stops shipping to these countries due to COVID-19. We offer Free International Shipping as long as we can ship your order by either EMS or DHL (Australia, Canada only). If you prefer other shipping carriers, please contact us.  

 We will inform you of the order’s tracking number via email. Please make sure you fill out your valid email address correctly. 

*Please keep in mind that due to the spread of COVID-19, there might be possible delays in delivery. If you like to make sure if EMS shipping is available to your country, please contact 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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