Tansu box translation

Luka0101

後輩

5 Jul 2018

14

7

• 13 Jan 2022

• #1

Hello guys!

I purchased a tansu box and I need help with translation of some text that I found on it. Any help is MUCH appreciated!

This inscription was on the bottom:



On the front there are two paper stickers with faint text. Hopefully you'll be able to read at least some of it:



And lastly, each drawer has a single symbol inside:



Again, huuuge thanks for the help!

 

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Majestic

先輩

Ten-year veteran

12 Oct 2013

4,071

5,023

• 14 Jan 2022

• #2

The writing on the box says
文化十四丁丑歳十月六日
御隠殿
吟味役所金銀入

October 6, 1817
Money box for the office of the magistrate

the paper label #2 says 薬品 (medicine)
I can't read enough of the label #2 to tell you what it says... paper something, roll something. The item may have started out as a money safe, but ended up serving another function. If it really was made in 1817, it certain would have seen a lot of use. Did it come with the keys? If so, its a really nice find, I think.

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

Moderator

Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

18,266

4,926

• 14 Jan 2022

• #3

PAPER1
端書
封筒
巻紙

Probably it's for envelopes and papers.

 

Luka0101

後輩

5 Jul 2018

14

7

• 14 Jan 2022

• Thread starter
• #4

@Majestic @Toritoribe
Thank you gentlemen for your quick replies!

wow, 1817 is very old. It's incredible!
No, it did not come with keys unfortunately, but from my experience getting one with the keys is pretty rare and expensive.

I googled the term magistrate as I wasn't familiar with it, and found this: Bugyō - Wikipedia
Would it be correct to assume this tansu was in an office of one of these Bugyō magistrates?

One other thing, I tried to google translate the transcript Majestic wrote and I got this:
Bunka 14 Yin Fire Ox October 6th
Shimogoinden
Examination Office Gold and Silver

Did google mess something up or does that make sense? The only result for Shimogoinden is a bridge in Tokyo.
And are Gold and Silver actually mentioned in the text or did google invent that up?

Thanks for the help guys, this detective research is extremely fun!

 

mdchachi

Moderator

Moderator

Twenty-year veteran

6 Mar 2003

9,318

9,447

• 14 Jan 2022

• #5

Luka0101 said:

I googled the term magistrate as I wasn't familiar with it, and found this: Bugyō - Wikipedia
Would it be correct to assume this tansu was in an office of one of these Bugyō magistrates?

Click to expand...

No. Magistrate just means government official. Nothing special.

Luka0101 said:

Did google mess something up or does that make sense?

Click to expand...

Google is completely wrong. He already translated it for you. The first line is the date in the Bunka era.

文化 (元号) - Wikipedia

ja.wikipedia.org

 

Luka0101

後輩

5 Jul 2018

14

7

• 14 Jan 2022

• Thread starter
• #6

@mdchachi thanks a lot for the answer. Good to know that Google is drunk

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

Moderator

Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

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4,926

• 14 Jan 2022

• #7

Majestic-san's translation "October 6, 1817" is the direct translation. Speaking strictly, 文化十四年十月六日 refers to Novenber 14, 1817 in the Gregorian calendar we are using today.

文化 (元号) - Wikipedia

ja.wikipedia.org

The second line is Goinden, not Shimogoinden, i.e., 下御隠殿. Goinden refers to a house noble people live, so there are lots of houses of the same name in Japan.

吟味役所 roughly means criminal court office. Majestic-san translated it the office of the magistrate.

金銀 literally means Gold and Silver, but it's actually money here, as Majestic-san wrote.