Chochin Kabuto!

[Viper6924]

Hi!

 

Here´s another object for the armour-experts on this board. I have this chochin kabuto as part of my complete armour. My question is about the dragonmotif in the front of the kabuto. Can this be traced to some specific clan or area? I know dragons often is used as a protection against fire. And these dragons are ingulfed in flames.

The few chochin kabutos I´ve seen has always had lacings between the metalplates, holding it in place. Not this one. The metalplates are really thick. The top one is at least 5 mm. I have a feel that the top is somewhat older than the rest of the kabuto. When folded it´s flat as a pancake.

Any input is appreciated, as always.

 

/Jan

[Lindus]

Nice one, have had several of this type, can add little as have found virtually no info but am sure Ian will fill you in on this. The last I had was signed by a miochin late chap, sadly did not keep a record way back.

Roy

[IanB]

Jan, An interesting helmet - you keep pulling them out. Decoration on chochin kabuto is unusual in my experience, in fact, yours is the first one I have ever seen. Most of this type of helmet seem to have been made for munition use. As I understand it, the original idea was a type of helmet that could be stored flat, taking up less space in a munition storeroom. Similarly, the karuta gane type kabuto (or zukin) was another solution to the same problem, as were karuta gane dou. You do come across this type of helmet of far better quality, made as part of good quality armours from the Edo period (see p.54 of the Galeno Catalogue). The perceived wisdom is that they were armours made for travelling and certainly the small size of the box must have been easier to handle, but deep down I have never really been convinced by this argument. This is a learned way of saying I haven't a clue why these later ones were made. As for the significance of dragons, I don't think there is one other than the fact that the dragon is auspicious.

Your helmet is different from most since, as you say, there is no lacing, the rings locking into each other by their taper. Normally there is a hinged curving bar that pivots up to lock with the upper plate - yours doesn't seem to ever had have one. I have also seen helmets with sprung studs that pop out to hold the helmet extended. They must have been a devil to operate since you had to press 4 lugs at once to collapse each plate. In the case of your helmet, I assume it only stayed extended when you were wearing it.

Roy, A Myochin example would be quite a rarity - a pity you haven't any pictures.

Ian Bottomley

[estcrh]

Jan, I own several chochin kabuto, and I have a lot of pictures of them but yours is the only one I have seen that is not laced. I have seen one similar kabuto to yours which sold on Ebay a while back. This one while not a chochin was constructed in the same manner, the only difference seems to be that the plates were riveted to each other and like yours it had a very old feeling to it.

[Viper6924]

Thanks a lot for all Your comments. The reason I got this one, was partly because of the dragons and partly because I´ve never seen anything like it before.

It´s heavy like hell. I acctually tried it on before I took the pictures, to my girlfriends enjoyment It acctually keeps it´s shape fairly good once the ironplates are placed togheter. I´ve not been able to find a signature. But it´s def a beefy kabuto.

 

Thanks again!

 

 

Jan

[estcrh]

Here is another one, this type of kabuto seems to be made from thick metal.

 

[Viper6924]

Nice picture, Eric. I´t seems to be in the same league regarding the heavy ironplates. My kabuto is def not for swordtesting :D

I have never seen such heavyduty ironwork in any kabuto, chochin or regular. Somehow it goes against the theory that chochin kabutos was made for easy handling on the road. Ok, it´s flat but heavy.

See if I can take some closer pictures of the inside later on.

 

/Jan

[Viper6924]

Here´s a picture from the inside. You can clearly see the construction of the support.

 

/Jan