Samurai Shoulder Guard

One of a pair of armored samurai shoulder guards (sode). A six lame shoulder guard that attaches to the armored shoulder straps (watagami) of a cuirass. The top of the shoulder guard has two silk cords that attach to the watagami. The top plate has an outcurving rim and the surface below the rim has a band dyed leather. Below the leather on the top plate, lacquer is built up imitating armored scales. Three gold metal plates decorated with ivy are riveted to the top plate. Each lame is coated with dark brown lacquer formed into "false scales" (kiritsuke kozane) to give the appearance of individual scales. The scales on this shoulder guard are wider than those typically seen. Lames are connected to one another with dark blue silk lacing in the kebiki-odoshi style. The reverse/interior has a blue cloth panel edged with blue and white leather which covers the top five lames.