Help identifying object

[uwe]

Hi folks,

 

I found this amongst armor parts, while "straying" through a museum storeroom....

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I´ve no clue what it is

 

So any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[TETSUGENDO]

Portable Table tennis net, good for passing the time between battlefield skirmishes.  Seriously, no idea, perhaps Ian will know.

 

-S-

[IanB]

Uwe,  I once was a similar object but made of kusari tied to the back of an armour. It contained a miniature Buddhist figure as a charm.

Ian Bottomley

[John A Stuart]

I would have thought, just by intuition, something like a tsuhoubako, 通報箱 message case. John

[Bugyotsuji]

What are the ends made of? Lacquered wood? 

I know that 糒 cooked and dried rice (hoshi-i) was carried in aerated string containers around the body for travelling.

[uwe]

Yes Piers, it’s lacquered wood!

So rice carrying container could make sense.... Never seen something like that before. I’ll have a closer look next month, when I’m back in the museum

[Bugyotsuji]

Dried cooked rice was carried by everyone, but it easily went moldy, especially In the rainy season. I have a dark blue net here too somewhere; it is possible that the indigo dye not only kept insects away but somehow helped preserve everything.