A very rare example of an Antique Japanese iron samurai chest armor (dou) with Fudo Myo-o. Made in the five plate, four hinge go-mai chest armor sendai or yukinoshita style. On the breastplate, Fudo Myo-o, one of the five myo-o or Lords of Light stands with sword in hands, the flames of his nimbus swirling around him as he stands on churning waves. Fudo is a fitting subject for samurai armor as his name means "the unmovable or unshakable one". With his fierce appearance he guards the Law of... Click for details

Antique Philippine barong sword with carved wooden handle and inlaid scabbard. The single sided leaf-shaped blade is attached to a hardwood handle with silver and natural fibers. The scabbard (taguban) is carved of wood, wrapped with rattan and has shell inlay in elaborate Islamic filigree. From the predominately Islamic Sulu Islands of Southern Philippines.

Age: circa early 1900's

Dimensions: 27 1/2" long x 4" wide

A Mounted Antique Japanese jingasa, samurai's hat. Lacquered a deep brown color with a pattern of armor pieces cross stitched together and decorated with gold double agehonocho (swallowtail butterfly) crest of the Taira clan (also called Heike clan). The underside is lacquered red and it comes with a custom metal stand.

The Taira (or Heike) samurai clan of Hitachi Provence and Ise Provence was one of 4 of the most influential families in Japanese politics during the Heian, Kamakura... Click for details

Antique Japanese jingasa (samuai's hat). Overlapping panels similar to that of a samurai's movable armor and embellished with metal spikes. Lacquered a brownish black with three distinctive Myoga (ginger) kamon of the Nabeshima clan in gold lacquer. The underside is lacquered red. Comes with a custom metal stand.

The Nabeshima clan of Hizen Province controlled Saga Domain from the late Sengoku period through the Edo period. A cadet branch of the Shoni clan, Nabeshima clan... Click for details

Antique Japanese lacquer jingasa, samurai's hat. Round rim with a gradually pointed top. Lacquered black and decorated with a design of 3 flying cranes in swirling clouds and with a Narabi-ya (double arrows) mon in raised gold lacquer.

The samurai class in feudal Japan, as well as their retainers and footsoldiers (ashigaru), used several types of jingasa made from iron, copper, wood, paper, bamboo, or leather. Kasa shares its etymology with the Japanese word for "umbrella" (which is... Click for details

Antique Japanese circular jingasa with a gradually pointed top. Textured to simulate leather and lacquered a bronze color with red and gold lacquer on the underside. The raised, carved lacquer kikusui (chrysanthemum and water) mon is covered in gold leaf. The Kikusui mon was used by Masashige Kusunoki, a samurai lord who helped overthrow the Kamakura Shogunate. Kusunoki was loyal to the Emperor Godaigo and was awarded the use of the Kiku mon which he personalized to create this Kikusui... Click for details

An exempliary Japanese 18th century Edo Period Myochin school iron somen (full facial armor). Constructed in three sections producing a very expressive fearsome face. The stylized curled eyebrows, bulging eyes, forehead wrinkles repouse in high relief.
The bulbous noise and upper lip is riveted on. The mouth section has two large rings on the cheeks and is hinged to the upper face portion. The chin has two cord pegs. The sides have iron coverings to protect he ears. The mustache is... Click for details

Antique pair of Japanese menuki. These small but detailed elements of a traditional samurai sword were originally made to hide the pins (mekugi) that hold the back end of the blade (tang) to the hilt (tsuka). Made in pairs, they were positioned on either side of the handle. These menuki are especially fine and depict two men, likely sages by their long hair. Probably they are the friends, Kanzan (the Zen poet) and Jittoku (a servant at a monastery). They are made of bronze and mixed... Click for details

Antique Japanese uma-jirushi, flag standard for battle. This uma-jirushi is a large inverted gourd surrounded by smaller gourds. The great daimyo, Hideyoshi Toyotomi (famous for being the second unifier of Japan) made the upside down gourd his uma-jirushi symbol. A large upside down gourd was placed on top of his flag pole and smaller gourds were added around it with each victory. Called "Sen nari hisago" or "thousand gourds". The gourd also symbolizes the 7 Lucky Gods, good luck, good... Click for details

Antique Japanese full length tanegashima rifle with working original matchlock mechanism. Made of burl keyaki hardwood with original lacquer finish. The hand forged iron barrel is inlaid with a 3/4 length silver dragon swirling through clouds. Original decorative brass fittings with auspicious animals such as fu-dogs, birds and flowers. Unusual silver inlaid stripes on the mouth of the barrel.

Comes with custom iron stand to aid in display. (In the group picture, this tanagashima is... Click for details