Karabitsu (Japanese samurai armour chest)

ClareBk · 9 Dec 2024

TOKUGAWA KARABITSU (JAPANESE SAMURAI ARMOUR CHEST)

Our museum has a Tokugawa/Matsudaira karabitsu. We need help
identifying which member of the family owned it and more details about
the decorations. Powerhouse Collection - Lacquered 'karabitsu' or samurai armour chest from Japan
This is the link or you can search Powerhouse Collections Database -
A4194. If you need closer up photos I can send them. Domo arigato
gozaimasu.
Clare Banks, Volunteer, (Mondays)

ClareBk · 9 Dec 2024

So far I have found out the braiding is kaku-dai, the oldest form of braiding in Japan. Not done on a marudai as first thought. The gold on black is maki-e lacquerwork. I think the metal work is shokudai. The flower inserts are ivory. Trying to match the kamon with the correct clan - Tokugawa or Matsudaira.

Majestic · 9 Dec 2024

Just a quick note as I'm about to fall asleep on my computer:
1. Maybe not an "armor" chest. More likely a chest for clothes. Armor chests are usually squarish, and not as elaborately decorated (no need for gorgeous lacquer when you are transporting your armor to some muddy, bloody battlefield). Typical armor chests are as below

3、鎧櫃（よろいびつ）

2. The three-leaf hollyhock crest is for both Matsudaira and Tokugawa families. Well, Tokugawa was born as a Matsudaira, and changed his name to Tokugawa. So without provenance it is hard/impossible to tell for sure which family used this chest.
3. Your photo entitled "Red braiding through lid" shows another family crest on that chest.The crest is called "Shippō-ni-hanakaku" (something like "squared flower in cloisonné". You can see it here
七宝に花角紋（しっぽうにはなかく）：家紋のいろは.
So maybe this chest is a clothes chest, and the crest represents that of the wife's family. I mean, it may have belonged to someone who married into the Tokugawa family (or one of its cadet branches). So it has the Tokugawa crest prominently on it, but also has this other crest to acknowledge the wife's family. Just speculation on my part.
goodnight zzzzzzzzzz

Karabitsu (Japanese samurai armour chest)

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