Japanese armour with Mexica weapon and Turkish shield

[SalaMarcos]

I hope you found interesting this curious story regarding Spanish collections of Japanese arms and armours

. A Japanese armor with a Mexica weapon and a Turkish shield. The armor was a gift from the Tenshō Embassy to King Felipe II of Spain, originally, it seems that it was mounted properly, along with other armor, a nagamaki and two katana, very possibly tachi ōsuriage. However, they were later put away, and in the 19th century they were reassembled in this way. The reason? At that time, strange oriental things were considered "Indian things" as well as American ones. It is very possible that the assembly was after the government of José Bonaparte in Spain, when the pieces had been moved to France or another place in Madrid and that on his return they were assembled in this way, due to ignorance of one culture or another, or rather, out of laziness, because they are not considered pieces of great value. There is a contemporary example. After the French invasion to Spain, numerous works from the Prado National Museum were taken to France, including the collection of grated rock crystals, gold work, cameos and pietre dure called the Dauphin's Treasure, donated by the Soleil King Louis XIV to the first French King of Spain, his grandson Felipe V. In that collection there was a Japanese tea set, lacquered in red urushi. How this set arrived to this collection? A group of samurai of Ishida Mitsunari's side brought to Siam after loosing at the battle of Sekigahara. An embassy of the Sun King bought these pieces and added them to the Treasure of the Grand Dauphin of France. Upon the return of this collection to Madrid after the War of Independence, the curators of the Prado Museum rejected these pieces considering them "Indian things" so they went to the Museum of America until 2016, when a researcher discovered all this history. Today they are once again incorporated into the Dolphin Treasure of the Prado National Museum. Regarding again about the yoroi, it was burnt in fire at the end of XIX century, and today only remains some of the iron parts. 

[ChrisW]

Is that a macuahuitl? It looks like a postcard of the last one known to have existed. If another one was to be discovered, it would be a tremendous find because as far as I know there are no extant period-made macuahuitl in existence. The supposed last one burned up in the Madrid Armory fire of 1884 which I believe is the one being shown here.

[SalaMarcos]

4 hours ago, ChrisW said:

Is that a macuahuitl? It looks like a postcard of the last one known to have existed. If another one was to be discovered, it would be a tremendous find because as far as I know there are no extant period-made macuahuitl in existence. The supposed last one burned up in the Madrid Armory fire of 1884 which I believe is the one being shown here.

Yes Chris, you're right. Just a few parts of this yoroi resisted to the fire and are exhibited at the Royal Armory, the rest burnt in the 1884 fire.