Suit of armour
Category
Arms and armour
Date
1615 - 1868
Materials
Brocade, Copper, Gilt, Hair, Iron, Lacquer, Leather, Silk
Place of origin
Japan
Order this imageCollection
Snowshill Manor and Garden, Gloucestershire
NT 1328753
Summary
A suit of Samurai armour consisting of a helmet (kabuto), a mask (mempo) with attached throatguard (nodowa), two shoulder guards (stode), a pair of sleeves (kote) a curiass (do), thigh armour (haidate) and shin guards (suneate). Do-maru (scale armour).
Full description
Chares Paget Wade notebook number 374 The Green Room (1340945.3; SNO.MISC.959.3): 'Suit of Armour. Iron Helmet of 46 plates – large wings and neck guard. Blazon. Mask. Horns. TSUGI (with drawing). TYA-ITO-ODOSI = light Brown lacing. Body of ‘comb’ lacquer. Mole colour braid with coral red. Shoulder pieces of ‘comb’ lacquer. Gold braided coral red. Sleeves of elaborate brocade. Green gold & blue under plates & chain. Apron the same but with lacquer plaques. Leg pieces of plate on brocade. Bear skin shoes. Spear of black lacquer & mother o’pearl shaft. Curved blade. Staff of rank. Old Banner with lettering TSUGI family. fr.Ipswich. BANNER. No 386 ARMOURER'S SIGNATURE. KASHIU NO SU MUNENAO - MUNENAO of KAGA. Pupil of famous swordsmith family of MASAMUNE - hence the "MUNE" in his craft signature.' (Two swastika illustrations). SWASTIKA = good fortune. Emblem of the heart of Budda (sic) i.e. inner true teaching. Also indicates 1000 years. TOKUGAWA - family retained its ruling position for 15 generations. 260 years.' In the margin: PAI KAN TSUGI (with Japanese characters).
Provenance
First suit purchased from Minter, Old Cattle Market, Ipswich, 28th Dec 1903 £3.10s . Receipt not found. Insurance valuation in 1939 was £15. Given to the National Trust with Snowshill Manor in 1951 by Charles Paget Wade.