A FINE BLACK-LACQUER ARMOR WITH A MYŌCHIN-SCHOOL KABUTO Edo period (1615-1868), 18th centuryProperty of various ownersA FINE BLACK-LACQUER ARMOR WITH A MYŌCHIN-SCHOOL KABUTOEdo period (1615-1868), 18th centuryThe cuirass lacquered black, the sangu russet iron, all laced in blue with white and orange highlights, comprising a 24-plate russet-iron suji kabuto of shallow profile and surmounted by a three-stage gilt tehen kanamono chiseled with chrysanthemum scroll, the three-lame russet-iron shikoro laced in sugake style, the lowest lame applied with textured leather, the fukigaeshi applied with printed doeskin and gilt heraldic crests of hishi, the mabizashi decorated with confronted phoenixes in flush-inlaid silver on a polished iron ground, trimmed in gilt-copper fukurin and finished with a two-part brass maedate formed as a Buddhist ken, the interior of the helmet bowl signed Myōchin Munetae saku and with an old label on the ukibari lining identifying Munetae as the 27th Myōchin master; the russet-iron Ryūbu menpō with a straight nose, scalloped flanges on the cheeks, and fitted with a three-lame yodarekake; the cuirass a gomai yokohagi okegawa dō laced in sugake style and fitted with nine sections of five-lame lacquered-iron kusazuri; two gyōyō; the chūsode with kanmuri trimmed in gilt-metal fukurin chiseled with foliate scroll; the russet-iron kote with waffled Iyo-style plates on the upper arm, tsutsu-style plates on the forearms, and solid tekkō, each decorated with flush-inlaid silver stylized dragons in clouds, and coiling vines; the haidate of close-fitting rows of russet-iron scales; the tsubo suneate and the kōgake decorated with clouds and scrolling vines in flush-inlaid silver; with a dark-blue wool jinbaori (surcoat) trimmed in printed doeskin decorated on the reverse with the matching hishi heraldic crest on a red ground and a jingasa decorated with a matsukawabishi crest in gold hiramaki-e; with two armor storage boxes; no armor standNone