A FINE TOSEI GUSOKU
A FINE TOSEI GUSOKU

EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1800)

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A FINE TOSEI GUSOKU
Edo period (Circa 1800)
The sixty-two plate sujibachi kabuto [helmet with standing flanges] russet iron signed Yoshiyuki, the peak leather covered with black lacquered maedate [forecrest holder], the shikoro [neck guard] of black lacquered iron komanju itamono [small round solid plates] form, forecrest of a half sphere of black hair, mask of russet iron crisply forged without wrinkles, silver teeth and hair moustache, two lame black lacquered iron cuirass of gomai yokohagi style [five sections of horizontal plates] but having laced areas at both top and bottom, detachable hinged gyoyo [protection for shoulder strap fastenings] and green agemaki bow on the back, kusazuri [tassets] of black lacquered leather itamono [solid plates], fine russet iron oda-gote [sleeves] with bold hyotan gane on the forearm and rectangular plates with applied cherry blossom on the upper arm, mon on the tekko [back of the hand], chu-sode [medium shoulder guards] of leather itamono black lacquered, russet iron ikada haidate [thigh guards], Shino suneate [shin guards] and leather covered iron brigandine kogake [foot protection] associated, the whole armour laced in dark blue dyed doeskin and finely mounted with shakudo highlighted with gilded copper, contained in black lacquered armour box with a gold lacquered mitsudomoe mon [three comma badge] which appears on the armour

Lot Essay

Yoshiyuki would seem to be an unrecorded smith. The ironwork throughout the armour is of very high standard and stylistically points to Kaga as a likely place of manufacture. (See Bottomley & Hopson, Arms and Armour of the Samurai).

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