Samurai Face Guard

Russet iron samurai half-mask (tetsu sabiji ressei menpo) belonging to a suit of samurai fighting armor. Facial wrinkles (shiwa) are simulated in the metal to create a fierce and aggressive facial expression. The mouth is open with red-lacquered lips. A separate nose piece (hana no ita) is detached and showcases a long, white mustache (kuchi hige). A short beard (ago hige) is also present beneath the lower lip, as well as two long tufts of hair on either side of the mouth. Decorative plates are present where the ears would be, each with five holes surrounding a rivet. A flange (yadome) on each cheek is designed to both deflect arrows and help secure the helmet cord. Posts (odome) protrude from either side of the chin, also to help fasten the helmet cord. A drainage tube (ase nagashi no ana) for perspiration is located on the underside of the chin and has a decorative chrysanthemum washer at its base. The interior of the mask is painted with red lacquer. A blue silk cord (kake o) is attached to both cheeks and would tie behind the head when the mask was worn.

A two lame throat guard (tare) is attached to the mask beneath the chin with an intermediate band of printed leather (komori-tsuke). Three gold metal plates decorated with chrysanthemums secure the leather to the throat guard. Each iron lame is made up of many small, "true scales" (hon kozane) meticulously bound together to form a solid lame, then coated with black lacquer. The backside of each lame is painted gold. Lames are connected to one another with dark blue lacing in the kebiki-odoshi style. Aside from the lacing connecting the two lames, each lame is decorated with a row of tweed lacing above two rows of orange cross knot lacing.

Signed, 明珍紀宗親, Myochin Munechika (late Edo period) under the chin.