Samurai Doll for Boy's Day A: Separate head molded from wood paste and dipped in gofun. Painted features and eyes. Eyes are glass and set in. A painted beard at his chin. Eyebrows are drawn in a upward stroke: Closed mouth is painted faintly in red. Hairlines are painted with brush strokes to ward his face: Around the nape pointed painted hairline in a shape of upside down twin peaks. Hair appears to be made of silk, styled in a shaved samurai style with a top knot which is wrapped with purple cotton like twined string with a loose end rests at forehead. B: Body sitting on a stool position with his knees wide apart. His left foot extends forward his hands in thumb down position his left hand in a looser grip. His outer garments are a red brocade robe with white phoenix design framed by gold abstract cloud, green peony on gold back ground. The three white collars are layered on a cardboard. He wears chest and back armour which are suspended by the shoulder straps of olive green cotton with supplementary paper weft with off white and taupe checks piping supported under by paper mache with a boss with a ring at each end. At his right end a purple silk knotted six petal cord with white and purple tassel and a gourd shaped gold painted paper mache piece are attached to the bosses ring. At his left front hangs previously stated purple corded tassel and three tier red cord silk laced miniature armour painted in black made of paper mache. The two layers of shoulder pads. The top is red cotton with taupe paper woven in weft the second pad is of ivory colored cotton with taupe paper in weft. Both pads are piped in a same manner as above shoulder straps. Covered with four layers of armour, red silk laced with bottom bordered with metal decorative plate with clouds, moon design nailed to the armour which are made of paper mache painted gold, are worn on both shoulders. Three layer chest armour is of paper mache painted gold with red silk cord laced in two tiers. The upper area has decorative metal plate same as shoulder armour. Two large gold colored metal bosses in shape of chysanthemum with a ring are attached below the decorative plate. The back armour is of paper mache with two small bosses and rings which are attached at the both upper corners of the armour. A third layer has larger bosses with a silver ring is attached at upper center of the armour. Only second layer of the boss is in gold the rest is in silver. The back robe shows the edge of the woven part showing aqua green, white, gold stripes and large checks in red, White, beige, aqua green and fuschia. White wide damask obi is seen from the back. Two four-tier armour, paper mache painted gold with red silk cords laced in six rows with gold metal decorative plates in same design as shoulder armour. is attached at back of hakama. From the front view the sleeves of the outer garment are bordered with a light beige with darker beige paper strips woven in weft in chysanthemum motif, lined with light blue silk damask of bamboo leaves, bird, turtle, fan, plum blossom motif, sleeves are stiffened. Beneath the outer sleeves other sleeves made of same fabric as the outer garmet are tied at the wrists by faded bluish green cords. He wears hand guard of paper mache painted in metallic dark olive. The white damask belt is tied in a knot in front. Hanging from the waist three four-tier armour of paper mache laced in red silk in six rows and the same decorative plate as the shoulder armour; below the armour aretwo fake tiger skins made of fiber backed by cardboard painted in purple. He wears cotton hakama of off-white woven of brown paper as weft with floral and geometric motif. It is lined with cream colored silk and padded at hem. He wears boots, shin portions are made of six metal strips over brown cotton damask; the foot part is made of wood covered with fake fur like fiber at the toes. Insteps are covered with red cotton pads with paper strips woven in weft. with piped edge same as shoulder pad. Faded green cords are tied in a knot at ankles. C: Sword in Scabbard - L: 17 5/8", Four petal shaped sword guard with four leaves embossed. Top end is metal cased embossed in chrysanthemums and X shaped. The cross section of X is pierced and purple silk ribbon goes through the hole and is wrapped around the handle. The scabbard has four metal fittings wrapped around the lacquered finished with black and gold dust. Black leather like wheels are attached to the top fittings and purple silk ribbon with a tassel at both ends are threaded through the wheels. Condition: Hand guards, paint off, folded marks in robe. Paint chipped off around the side hairlines.

1993.004.071