Hans Jacob Hammer (1819-1886) was a shipping entrepreneur and the British consul in Lillesand, Norway. He contracted, built, and owned a number of ships that sailed the world’s oceans in the latter half of the 19th century. We do not know how he came into possession of the armor, but he clearly had close contact with people who traveled the world.
The suit is complete. The heraldic family mark, mon, of one single comma-shape, tomoe, as used on this armor is difficult to link to any specific family, while the single tomoe placed differently in a circle is found to represent some families. Red amours are often linked to the powerful Ii-clan who favored red and there may be a connection to that clan (even if the mon does not fit).
Helmet, kabuto
Made of 64 plates of narrow triangular shape, each with a flange and each with 26 protruding rivets, diminishing in size as they come towards the top where there is a small hole, tehen, surrounded by a four-layer mount, tehen kanamono, in brass and copper.
The bowl when seen from the side is markedly higher at the back. This is called koseizan no kabuto meaning “rear power mountain helmet”.
Neck guard, shikoro: Made of five iron plates is gold lacquered and bound together by light red-brown laces, the upper plate turned upwards where they meet the peak to form small deflectors, fukigaeshi. On the fukigaeshi of each side is a small round plate engraved with a heraldic crest in the shape of a comma, tomoe.
In the front of the helmet a very steep peak, mabisashi, and a double fixture for a helmet crest, maedate.
Helmet crest, maedate: Gilt brass in the shape of two circles, the smaller inside the bigger, symbolizing the sun and the moon.
Mask, menpō
In iron, with a fierce expression, ressei men, the outside has the russet color made by the artificial rusting technique known as sabi nuri (urushi lacquer mixed with iron filings or iron oxide). Big mustache and a small goatee beard, the open mouth has silver plated teeth on the lower jaw. The inside is lacquered red.
The throat guard is made of four iron plates, lacquered in gold with orange laces.
Cuirass, dō
In two parts, hinged on the left-hand side with cords for tying on the right-hand side. All metal parts are lacquered bright red. The upper part and the lower part of the breastplate have tight white lacing in the middle, around the belly the plates, kosane, have spaced lacing.
The backplate is made of seven rows of small plates, hon kosane, with spaced white laces.
Tassets, kusazuri: Seven kusazuri each of five plates lacquered in gold with red laces.
Shoulder guards, sode
Medium sized, five rows of gold lacquered plates with red lacing.
Arm guards, kote
Chain mail with red iron plates, gourd shaped and rectangular, mounted on brocade, cotton textile lining.
Skirt, haidate
Red lacquered plates on chainmail, kusari, mounted on brocade, cotton textile lining.
Shin guards, suneate
Chain mail with seven vertical iron plates on each, mounted on silk textile, the lower inside of the leg is reinforced with leather.