Japanese Gusoku Etched Red Wine Glass Set from The Met Museum

Our red wine glasses interpret a magnificent 18th-century gusoku, or suit of armor, in The Met collection. Forged by Bamen Tomotsugu (Japanese, active 18th century), the last great master of the Bamen School of armorers, this fine example showcases workmanship of the highest quality. Shakud? (gold-copper alloy) crests of three whirling commas indicate an association with the Okabe family, the feudal lords of Kishiwada, and the skirt, or kusazuri, exhibits a very rare color scheme; armor of this kind typically featured a gradation from light at the belt to dark at the bottom. Here, the colors change between the segments around the torso.