The helmet of this suit of armour is signed 'Myochin Mondo Ki no Muneharu, on a day in the eight month of the sixth [tsuchinoto hitsuji] year of Ansei' = 1859.
The Myochin family had a long tradition (documented back to the 16th century) of producing armour for Japan's ruling military class. It is a fine example of a late Edo period copy of armour of the Kamakura period (1185-1333), but with many embellishments that would not be found on Kamakura suits. It does, however, represent the type of ceremonial armour and military equipment that were being produced under the nationalistic revival of the early nineteenth century.
This armour was part of the diplomatic gift from Tokugawa Iemochi (1846-1866), the last-but-one shogun, to Queen Victoria in 1860, which she in turn presented to the V&A in 1865. The armour was most likely assembled specifically for the diplomatic gift.
In 1859 Sir Rutherford Alcock had been appointed Britain's first Consul General in Japan and on 14 July of that year he wrote 'The day after the ratifications (of the Treaty of Edo) were exchanged I received intimation from the Tycoon (shogun) that His Majesty had caused a list of articles to be prepared as a present to the Queen.'
The Japanese delayed handing over the articles and then in 1860 a fire at Edo Castle destroyed many of the proposed gifts. Finally in December 1860 Alcock wrote 'I believe the Queen's presents are really to be ready shortly. I had begun to doubt whether they had not dropped them for they [the Japanese] are not liberally disposed' and the gift was at last shipped back to Britain by way of Shanghai.The helmet of this suit of armour is signed 'Myochin Mondo Ki no Muneharu, on a day in the eight month of the sixth [tsuchinoto hitsuji] year of Ansei' = 1859. It is a fine example of a late Edo period copy of a Kamakura period armour, but with many embellishments which would not be found on the early suits. It does, however, represent the type of armour which was favoured as part of the nationalistic revival of the early nineteenth century. This armour was part of the diplomatic gift from Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi to Queen Victoria in 1860, which she in turn presented to the V&A in 1865. The armour was most likely assembled specifically for the diplomatic gift.Met, Japan, armour and helmets
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Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets
Met, Japan, armour and helmets