Suit of Armour on a Mannequin. Japan, mid 19th century [1892 x 2500]

>This armour is made of iron, lacquered leather, stencilled deer-skin, silk brocade and silk braid, with applied copper alloy and copper-gilt ornamentation, including the badge (*mon*) of the Matsumae family. The breast plate is of hammered iron decorated with an image of Shoki, the mythical demon-queller chasing two demons. The helmet is in the shape of a Chinese court cap with an articulated iron dragonfly fore-crest and two decorative pierced iron side-ornaments. The foot guards and greaves are of iron, the sleeves of silk covered in iron mail with decorative iron plates. The figure is mounted on an original 19th century life-size Japanese mannequin known in Japanese as an ‘*iki-ningyo’,* literally ‘living doll’ seated on a folding campaign stool.

[Source](https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O461495/suit-of-armour/)