Samurai helmet with cord, and a decorative piece consisting of cord and two tassels. It is made of lacquered iron.
The body of the helmet consists of 66 overlapping flanges held together with rivets, and there is a perforated flange plate on top, in the shape of a war fan. The helmet lining is complete. There is a vertical fukageshi plate on each side of the front of the helmet, each bearing the mon, or family crest. This crest is an open, golden fan inside a golden circle, on a black lacquered background.
There is a five band neck-guard, or shikoro, and each band is laced to the next with dark blue silk braid. The bottom of the five bands is decorated with two bands of silk braid, interlaced to form a pattern of dots in pale bistre brown and faded vermilion. The visor guard is solid, made of iron with a copper edging, and has been treated with a clear lacquer and engraved with karakusa scrolls. The top of the helmet tehen-no-kanamono, rests on a plate in the form of a solid uchiwa fan decorated with engraved karakusa.
There is also a looped knot of vermilion silk cords with two tassels, which would originally have been attached to the small metal loop on the back of the helmet. This loop has become twisted into the vertical, but should be horizontal.
It is a very good quality helmet - kabuto (suji-kabuto) - in very good condition.
