Bought these
Aijirushi at an antiques fair recently. Cost about $200 for the set seen here, but these are about 160 years old, and were owned by retainers of the Ikeda Clan of Kurashiki, modern day Okayama Prefecture. They were probably made just before the Meiji Revolution, circa 1868.
Samurai would wear these on their armour as identification. Samurai armour was rarely made as a uniform, and made to specification and choice of the wearer. For that reason it was hard to tell who was who in battle, therefore
aijirushi came into being. One would be set on the left shoulder plates, one hung in front from the waist, one on the back of the helmet, and another on the back of the armour. They're relatively rare these days, and to get so many together and in such good condition is even rarer still!
Bought these Aijirushi at an antiques fair recently. Cost about $200 for the set seen here, but these are about 160 years old, and were owned by retainers of the Ikeda Clan of Kurashiki, modern day Okayama Prefecture. They were probably made just before the Meiji Revolution, circa 1868.
Samurai would wear these on their armour as identification. Samurai armour was rarely made as a uniform, and made to specification and choice of the wearer. For that reason it was hard to tell who was who in battle, therefore aijirushi came into being. One would be set on the left shoulder plates, one hung in front from the waist, one on the back of the helmet, and another on the back of the armour. They're relatively rare these days, and to get so many together and in such good condition is even rarer still!
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