RARE ARMOR WITH SOMEN & EBOSHI KABUTORARE ARMOR WITH SOMEN & EBOSHI KABUTOJapan, Meiji period (1868-1912). Iron, metals, leather, lacquer, silk, brocade. Comes with stor-age box, its leather cover and presentation stand. An unusual samurai armor including the helmet, the much rarer eboshi kabuto with five-part gold lacquered iron plates shikoro with sugake odoshi. The facemask is fully figural and called somen, it shows a laughing man and has three lame yodare-kake (throat guards). The chest protector is a do-maru, which can be opened on the side. Mounted to the do are the kusazuri, in six parts, each made of 5 gold lacquered panels hung on long fabric bands. The kote arm and hand guards, the suneate shin guards as well as the haidate thigh guards are made of blue brocade with protective iron onsets. Enclosed is also a velvet vest with round crests. With an old wooden storage box and its protective leather cover bearing Mon crests and a modern presentation stand. HEIGHT approx. 175 cmProvenance: From a Czech private collection.Condition: This set of armor is near complete. With signs of wear and use appropriate for its age, especially tears to fabric and cracks as well some material loss to lacquer or metalwork.