- Japanese Samurai suit warrior woman set to fetch £40,000 at auction
- Mask painted with snarling teeth and moustache to hide the fact it was worn by a woman
- Rare item expected to fetch £40,000 during sale on November 6
Intricate armour crafted for fearsome band of female warriors to be auctioned
The exquisitely crafted armour coming up for sale would have been worn by a diminutive woman by today’s standards who would have stood under 5ft tall.
But with her rigorous training and lethal katana swords she would be more than a match for most men twice her size.
Crouching Tiger hidden woman: This Samurai suit of armour was made for a female fighter of the legendary warrior class.And to disguise the fact it was a female underneath, the bright red mask includes two rows of snarling teeth and a moustache.The suit is now expected to sell at auction for £40,000 after being put up for sale by a private collector who has bought it to London.
Under the hammer: The exquisite armour, dating to the 1800s, is expected to fetch £40,000 at auction
Suzannah Yip, from auctioneer Bonhams, which is selling it, said: ‘There were a small number of female Samurais.
‘This suit of armour differed from the men’s because it was put on differently – more like a komono.
‘They were drawn from the upper-middle classes and many did not actually go into battle.
‘The armour was designed to look intimidating and this has a mask that also disguises that it was being worn by a woman.
‘The style developed over the centuries with different elements coming into fashion.
‘They became more decorative during the 19th century and were designed to be intimidating.
‘This would have been worn by a woman less than five feet high and although lighter than a men’s suit, she would have had to be strong.
‘It is made from numerous materials including iron.’
Samurais were the warriors of pre-industrial Japan who also made up the ruling class from the 12th century to the 19th.
During the 15th and 16th centuries there were many warring factions, but later wars reduced in number.
Later, Samurais often became bureaucrats, artists or teachers and their privileged class was abolished in the late 19th century.
Small but deadly: The diminutive warrior woman who would have worn the armour up for auction would have been more than a match for Tom Cruise, pictured, in the hit film The Last Samurai
Legends: Heroic stories of the Samurai warriors who once roamed the ancient Japanese landscape have become a popular subject for films
THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR: TRADITIONS OF THE SAMURAI
The traditions of the Samurai have developed over more than a millennium and are deep routed in Japanese society.Samurai were the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan.
The samurai followed a set of rules that came to be known as bushidō – literally ‘the way of the warrior’.
The unwritten and unspoken code emphasised frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honor unto death.
But the code also evolved to stress heroic bravery, fierce family pride, and selfless, at times senseless devotion of master and man.
This suit for sale dates from the 1800s and was owned by one of the small number of female Samurais.
Many never actually fought but records do describe one of them, the 12th century warrior Tomoe Gozen.
The history books state: ‘Tomoe was especially beautiful, with white skin, long hair, and charming features.
‘She was also a remarkably strong archer, and as a swordswoman she was a warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot.
‘She handled unbroken horses with superb skill; she rode unscathed down perilous descents.
‘Whenever a battle was imminent, Yoshinaka sent her out as his first captain, equipped with strong armour, an oversized sword, and a mighty bow; and she performed more deeds of valour than any of his other warriors.’
The sale is on November 6 in London.
via daily mail
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment