Collar

Brigandine armored samurai collar (tate-eri or eri-mawashi) with integrated shoulder pad (eri-dai), which would be affixed beneath the armored shoulder straps (watagami) of a cuirass. This removable auxiliary armor would provide padding for the upper back and protection for the back of the neck. The underside is of blue silk with gold brocade in a maple leaf pattern. The underside also has an outer, upper edge of three pleated red, white, and blue frills (keshi), an apparent consequence of European influence. The padded portion of the top is of blue fabric and the armored portion is of hexagonal iron plates (kikko) sandwiched between two layers of fabric. The kikko are beneath a layer of tan leather and then orange thread is sewn through each plate. Black and white tweed thread is sewn around each plate to create a honeycomb pattern. Tweed lacing in the center of the pad shows where it would attach to the cuirass. The armored portion is edged with a trim (fusegumi) of decorative white and gray thread sewn in a herringbone pattern, as well as a blue and brown checkerboard leather strip. The edge is of leather dyed orange.