Iron Samurai Jingasa, Signed - Diameter: 38.3 Cm - Edo Period (1603–1868).

JAPAN - Edo period (1603–1868).
Circular samurai jingasa made of iron, worked using the repoussé technique and finely chiseled, with gilded copper elements depicting a dragon amid the clouds. A three-tiered “thehen no ana” (aperture at the top) made of gilded copper; the first tier is polylobed and finely engraved with stylized clouds against an “amati” background. A fastening ring in a melon-shaped design on the back; the thick rim is lightly hammered.
Padded white fabric headrest and chin rest.
Signed (lower right of the dragon’s head).
Dimensions: 38.3 x 38.3 x 5 cm.
Dimensions with base: 38 x 38.3 x 24 cm.
Notes: In samurai iconography, the dragon soaring amid the clouds is a symbol of power, wisdom, and protection. Associated with celestial forces and mastery over the elements, it symbolizes a sovereign energy capable of dominating the forces of chaos. The clouds, which surround it and partially conceal its body, evoke the invisible world, transformations, and manifestations of the sacred. This motif, which features prominently in Japanese decorative arts, thus expresses spiritual strength and martial power, while conferring symbolic protection upon its bearer.