Standing Samurai Warrior Doll A: Doll with attached head moulded from wood paste and dipped in gofun, eyebrows are painted black, downturned mouth painted red. The forehead and top of the head are bare. The black silk fiber hair has mostly deteriorated--only shreds are left in front of the ears and on the back of the head. In front of the side hair is a vertical painted simulated hair line. A wooden peg, painted white with a black tip extends up from the back of the head. It was probably covered with hair originally. Posture: Standing, right arm raised to eye level, finger tips curved to meet tip of thumb. Left hand extended forward waist high. Clothing: Breastplate the top of which is gold painted metal. with an embossed pattern of a shishi lion dog. The lower breast plate is of laced flexible armour plates and has two metal bosses with attached rings where the two sections meet. The backplate is painted cardboard with a large boss between the shoulder blades from which a metal ring hangs. The back and front plates are joined by brocade cloth strips extending over the shoulders, fastened to the plates by chrysanthemum shaped metal fasteners. Extending from the collar to the elbow the upper arms are protected by laced, flexible armour plates at the end of which a gold painted, embossed metal plate with a pattern of a shishi. In front, hanging down from the waist to below the knees are three sections of the flexible armour under which are two knee guards of simulated leather with crossed braids. In the back hanging from the waist to the back of the knees are two sections of the flexible armour. The laces for the armour are all turquoise. Under the armour on the upper body he wears a kimono of beige brocade with patterns in brown and blue of flowers, phoenix, dragons, and geometric figures. At the neck two layers of under kimono may be seen . On the shoulders, above the flexible armour are epaulets, a top one of the same brocade material as the kimono, the under one of purple brocade with a wisteria pattern. The back if the warriors raised right hand is protected by a leather guard painted gold and black. The right sleeve of his kimono is tied around his wrist with a turquoise colored flat braid. Under the outer kimono another kimono can be seen under his hitched up sleeve. This under kimono is black brocade with patterns of flowers, phoenix, and geometric shapes. Around the warriors waist is a sash of beige crepe silk which lies flat against back but is padded and tied in a simple overhand knot in front. Also around his waist is a girdle of loose sisal or bast fibers. The lower body to mid-calf is covered by a hakama of mud colored cotton and paper damask with a repeat pattern of large floral medallions on the hakama. He wears leggings of a purple brocade with silver colored medallions in a wisteria pattern. These are tied at the ankle with flat turquoise colored braid. On his feet he has beige colored tabi with a brown geometric design. The fabric of the tabi appears to be a blend of paper and cotton. On his feet he wears straw sandals. The hands are carved wood coated with white gofun. He stands on a brown stained wooded base 6.75" X 6.75", H: .5". B: Sword - L: 10.5", W: 1"D: 1 3/16", Metal blade is 6.5" long. The sword guard is of stamped metal with an embossed ribbon like pattern around the perimeter. The sword hilt has an under wrapping of simulated ivory colored snakeskin. It has embossed, gold colored metal fittings halfway up the hilt on each side. The end if the hilt is covered with a fitted cut out metal cap. Under the cut out portion is a covering of purple silk fabric .5" away from the end of the hilt. The hilt is pierced by a metal fitting. Through this fitting a tan flat cotton braid is threaded. It is wrapped around the hilt over the simulated snakeskin in a twisted manner that leaves diamond shaped patterns on either side of the hilt. C: Scabbard - L: 10", W: .5", D: .75". The scabbard curves down and broadens towards its tip giving a scimitar like appearance. The upper 3" are covered with a purple silk fabric over which a brown flat cotton braid is wrapped in a manner similar to the sword hilt. At the top end of the scabbard a metal band is fitted. Below that are two metal fittings, about .75" apart, to which a sword belt or carrying strap would fit. Condition: There are what appear to be three insect holes in the lower back plate, most of the hair has broken away. There are worn and mended places in the lower hakama. There is a crack in gofun running from mid-forehead to the brow of the nose.

1993.004.065