Trap doors in armor to dole out cash?

[Tatsunoshi]

Today the local Cincinnati newspaper printed an article in its 'Cool Collections' column that focused on Gary Grose, who has "10 complete sets of (Japanese) armor that date to 1590; 50-plus swords and pole arms date to the late 1300's; and 25 plus matchlock guns date to 1650. There are also Tansu (antique Japanese chests), Tetsubin (iron tea pots from the early to mid-19th century) and early Edo period Buddhist objects". Apparently he gets most of his stuff from Christie's and Southeby's (which we know have a bit of BS 'fluffing' in their descriptions at times), Chicago and Tampa sword shows, and flea markets. Only two black and white photos ran-a kabuto that looked like the real thing and a table with a few dozen tsuba on it. I was really surprised to find someone in my area with a collection that sounds pretty good sized.

He described his favorite piece, which had some stuff in it that sounded really strange. "It's a signed, dated (coat of armor) from 1595. I got it through a collector 22 years ago for $26,000 (now worth about $45,000). There's a trap door in the side-it's morbid, but they would reward people for taking heads and then would pay them off. This was so the wearer could get to his money and pay them. The armored part of the sleeves had two secret compartments that contained opium balls-it was like battlefield first aid".

The bit about a samurai needing to get to his money through his armor to pay someone on the spot sounds like total BS (although it does paint an amusing mental picture). This doesn't sound like the hinged sections some suits of J-armor have, rather a little door.

The bit about the opium sounds a bit more plausible-Ayame tells me opium was introduced to Japan in the mid-to-late Muromachi period and was used as a painkiller. Still, I've never heard of compartments built into armor to carry gear or medicine (like Batman's gauntlets or utility belt).

Since I'm no armor expert, however, I was hoping someone could shed a bit more light on this. Is any of this plausible, or is he a collector that got sold an exaggerated and enhanced bill of goods?

[kitsuno]

Can you scan the article by any chance? I could send it along to Trevor for an opinion.
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[ltdomer98]

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[Thunberg]

I found the article with Google
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130119/NEWS/301190054/COOL-COLLECTIONS-Objects-showcase-love-Japan-its-history

[estcrh]

Do you mean this type of trap door? Some kote do have small containers built into the metal work on the fore arm, I can not remember specifically what was stored in them.

[ltdomer98]

[Tatsunoshi]

[Tatsunoshi]

[ltdomer98]

[Tatsunoshi]

Well, they'd be paying with those kewl Edo period ryo coins...

...oh, wait...


And not to mention that head taking tended to be bureaucratic and not immediate-you didn't pay just anyone with a head. There needed to be paperwork, a viewing ceremony, witnesses so rouge samurai couldn't just stroll onto the battlefield and take the head off a dead body, etc etc.

Still, I would like to know just what those side panels are for. Unless there really were robot samurai like in 'Samurai Seven'.

[lordameth]

I think this is the first I've heard of the use of opium in Japan. Did they actually use opium?
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紫水晶殿 - The Amethyst Lord

[Tatsunoshi]

Yep, introduced in the Muromachi. The Tokugawa Shogunate banned and unbanned it several times in the Edo period, sometimes outright, sometimes restricted to medical use (which worked about as well as the current medical marijuana farce).

[ltdomer98]

[Thunberg]

I wonder how you would store coins or anything else for that matter inside the trap doors. Carrying pouches inside the armour perhaps? As ltdomer98 said, it would be inconvenient, fidgeting with the cords and getting stuff out seems awkward and you probably couldn't even see what you are doing. It could prevent things from getting lost or stolen, but there must be better ways to do that.

The idea that it could give ventilation while marching comes to my mind, but that doesn't seem vey practical either.

[ltdomer98]

[kitsuno]

Yeah but still.
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[Tatsunoshi]

Here's an off the wall thought-what if these are ceremonial suits of armor donated to a temple or just on display in a castle or mansion? Religious relics like small statues or copies of sutras (copied out by a samurai who had taken the tonsure) could have been placed inside the armor, sitting on top of the armor chest. In the case of a 'castle' suit, some sort of family heirloom, account, or religious document. The doors could be there to provide easy access to these items without having to break down the armor stand. While it may seem far-fetched at first, temples did put documents, sutras, and small carvings inside large statues (where the 'head' would come off or there was some sort of door/sliding panel), so there's some basis for it.

[ltdomer98]

[JLBadgley]

About the containers for opium: I've never seen anything like that, but I do believe I've seen tekko compartments for writing implements, so I would assume this is something similar. How would you specifically know it was for opium, though, as opposed to any other medicine?

That side opening is definitely odd; I can't see it being used for strings of cash (why would you need to do that while you still had armor on--plus, how much of that was going on in 1595, given the conditions?

-Josh

[Tatsunoshi]

In 1595 you would be getting paid for Korean and Chinese noses, and precious few of those since it was a lull in the fighting.

[ltdomer98]