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Children cerimonial armor with a banner
Japan, XIX century 1860 ca
AA5
polymateric
Composite armor for children used during military parades. A sashimono, a three-tailed banner fixed on the back of the cuirass, is also present. This is likely a complete set (pieces produced by the same workshop), as the helmet and cuirass bear the same decorations, while the shoulder guards and tassets share the same composition and colors. The sleeves and greaves also feature the same fabric.
The helmet is of the suji-bachi kabuto type (spherical bowl with raised ridges) with 62 plates. The maedate (front decoration) represents a five-petaled flower, surmounted by stylized fan-shaped leaves. The mask is of the me-no-shita-men type.
The shoulder guards are made of iron covered in lacquered leather, held together by interlaced cords. The arm guards feature a golden base fabric with an ochre-yellow printed floral decoration, matching the decorative motif of the greaves.
The cuirass is of the sendai-dō type, a modern armor with hinged metal plates; the chest applique depicts a kikyō mon (bellflower crest). This symbol, well-known for its association with the great unifiers of the Japanese Empire, was often represented on modern armor as a historical symbol.


