TWO JAPANESE ARMOR PIECES: A "RESSEI MEN"

TWO JAPANESE ARMOR PIECES: A "RESSEI MEN" (lower armor steel face mask), having russet lacquer exterior, with a removable nose plate fitted with copper teeth, a grey/white bristle mustache underlined in red, and attached to a "Yodare kake" of four plates with blue laced false scales. Plus a black lacquered "nodowa", designed to protect the upper chest, and to some extent the neck. To this is laced a two-lame "yodare kake" of brown lacquered steel plates laced in blue silk with dark gold cross knots. "Nodowa" like this were worn outside the "do" and under the face mask. Both attributed to the Meiji Period. Note: see Ian Bottomely, "Japanese Armor: The Galleno Collection", p. 158.