Three objects from The Met, none of them made to be useless.
A Nasrid helmet, the only armor to survive the entire period — battle steel buried under gold leaf and cloisonné enamel, until it was too precious to fight in.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/24900
A pair...
Fireman's Coat (Hikeshi-banten), Japan, Edo period, 19th century.
A reversible quilted cotton coat worn by Edo firefighters. They
wore it plain side out and soaked it in water before entering the
fire. Once the blaze was out, they turned it inside out and walked
home showing the...
