This suit of Japanese armour in O-yoroi style is dated 1859 and signed by the armourer Myōchin Muneharu. It is a good copy of an earlier type of armour which was utilised by senior samurai from the late twelfth century to the middle of the fourteenth century. The Myōchin family had a long tradition (documented back to the 16th century) of producing armour for Japan's ruling military class. It is a fine example of a late Edo period copy of armour of the Kamakura period (1185-1333), but with many embellishments that would not be found on Kamakura-period armour. It does, however, represent the type of ceremonial armour and military equipment that were being produced under Japan’s nationalistic revival of the early nineteenth century. The dating of the armour would indicate that it was especially assembled for a diplomatic gift and there was a long tradition in Japan of giving arms and armour as gifts for important people.

History of the Object

In 1859 Sir Rutherford Alcock had been appointed Britain's first Consul General in Japan and on July 14th of that year he wrote 'The day after the ratifications [of the Treaty of Edo] were exchanged I received intimation from the Tycoon [shogun] that His Majesty had caused a list of articles to be prepared as a present to the Queen.' The Japanese delayed handing over the articles and then in 1860 a fire at Edo Castle destroyed many of the proposed gifts. In December 1860 Alcock wrote 'I believe the Queen's presents are really to be ready shortly. I had begun to doubt whether they had not dropped them for they [the Japanese] are not liberally disposed'. The gift was finally shipped to Britain by way of Shanghai.