‘The colour in Japanese armour depends upon the lacing; there is scarlet, or white laced armour, or purple lacing, like as many clans of coloured lobsters, but specialization, as always, is carried further still into silk braid of ‘rotted leaf colour’, or deutzia blossom, and then, again, fern, or water plantain or, more beautifully, jay’s feather, it must be the blue wing feather, lacing.’

Sacheverell Sitwell, Bridge of the Brocade Sash

I have written before of the beauty of Tokugawa era armour. Luckily for us the traditional skills used to make that armour are carried on in the creation of miniature, often very beautiful, helmets for Children’s Day. Here is a still life of one of these, next to some Fuyu persimmons, and accompanied by a wooden plaque bearing the signature of the helmet maker.

And here it is, in a second hand frame that cost five dollars. The painting is on a free MDF off cut. Why pay more?