Samurai Helmet

Black-lacquered iron 32-plate samurai helmet with vertical ridges (tetsu kuro urushi nuri san-ju-ni ken suji tate-bachi kabuto). The entire helmet bowl is coated in black lacquer giving it a glossy appearance. A four-tiered fixture (tehen-no-kanamono) sits atop the helmet bowl, tiers alternating between gold and a patinated copper and gold alloy (shakudo), and curves to conform to the shape of the helmet. The protective metal visor (mabizashi) is attached to the helmet bowl with three large, flattened rivets. The visor is lacquered black with lacquer and decorated across the entire width with a gold-painted, sinuous dragon whose head is turned back upon itself. A five lame, hineno style neck guard (shikoro) is attached to the helmet bowl with four rivets. Each lame is made of a single iron plate (ita-mono) coated with black lacquer and connects to the next lame with dark blue silk lacing in the sugake-odoshi style. The bottom lame also showcases a row of tweed lacing above the bottom row of green lacing in a cross knot pattern. Two forward-facing wings (fukigaeshi) emerge from the top lame of the neck guard. Like the rest of the neck guard, the fukigaeshi are coated in black lacquer and each bears a gold-painted family crest (mon) depicting two pieces of ginger root (myoga). The blue helmet lining (ukebari) is intact. Primarily blue lacing with row of green at bottom. Dragon on viser.