Rock Island Auctions

[Stephen]

has a few Tanegashima coming up next month,,,,FYI

http://www.rockislandauction.com/search/aid/65

 

[Stephen]

Highly Ornate and Massive Gold and Silver Inlaid Japanese Tanegashima Matchlock Musket

 

 

http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/65/lid/255

 

Is the value right?

[estcrh]

Highly Ornate and Massive Gold and Silver Inlaid Japanese Tanegashima Matchlock Musket

 

 

http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/65/lid/255

 

Is the value right?

No!!!

 

 

 

 

Lot #: 255 Estimated Price: $13,000 - $19,000

  This is a superb, very ornate and massive Japanese Tanegashima matchlock. Samurai and regular foot soldiers used tanegashima from the introduction of firearms in Japan by the Dutch in 1543 through the mid-19th century. During much of that period Japan was largely insular and avoided conflict which allowed the use of antiquated weaponry centuries after most of the world had moved on to more advanced firearms. Many surviving examples date to the late part of the Edo period (1603-1868). The heavy barrel gauges at 70 caliber and features extensive silver inlaid decorations of fish, mountains, and foliage. The fish have gold inlaid eyes and at the breech end are gold inlaid Japanese characters in a panel with a silver inlaid line border. One of the markings is a round kamon with three leaves/petals and a round center similar to some gingko inspired mons. The specific family it is associated with could not be located, but the characters signify "Ietsugu who resides in Omi Province." During the Edo Period, the province hosted five stations of the Tokaido and eight stations of the Nakasendo. Koka (Koga) in the south was the home of the famous Koga Ninja which was one of the two main founding schools the ninjutsu fighting style.The top of the barrel is fitted with sighting blocks which have gold inlay on two of the four corners. The muzzle end of the barrel is flared and octagon with gold inlaid band around the muzzle and simple line patterns. It is fitted with a large blade front sight. The mountings are brass and are also inlaid with silver in simple scroll designs. The hammer is decorated in the same manner. The stock is varnished hardwood. Condition: Very fine. Almost all of the original dull brown finish remains. All of the inlays remain and are crisp. The brass components have a pleasant, untouched dark aged patina. The stock is also very fine with some minor cracking of the finish and overall scattered minor dings, dents and scratches. This is possibly the finest matchlock that RIAC has offered for auction!

 

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/bb/aa/96/bbaa96b1e2f2f170b8eabc61e6e863f1.jpg

[Stephen]

Eric 

 

If Not where should it be?

[Viper6924]

Someone at RI must have gotten a bit to excited when they wrote that description. They even manage to get the magic word "ninja" into it.

I would say knock 10000 dollars of the askingprice to start with. And for the guy who wrote this piece of fine text, well a long cold bath perhaps

 

Jan

[Justin Grant]

Sad thing is, some poor sod will pay the price because they don't know better. I agree, it is a 3-4K gun at best. I've seen better at Rago sell for $1,500-$2,500.

[estcrh]

Eric 

 

If Not where should it be?

Stephen, it is hard to put a price on these highly decorated Japanese matchlocks, and in an auction by a company that gets a lot of participants the outcome can be a higher price than what you would expect. Here is one at auction that will start at a much lower price, it is quite plain except for what looks like a relief carved dragon on the barrel. Relief carvings are much rarer and harder to find (in my opinion) than engraved decorations (very common). If the dragon is relief carved, can you imaging how hard it would have been to remove so much metal and then to carve a dragon. This one is way less pretentious than some of the over the top decorated Japanese matchlocks, a good compromise.

 

 

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/40207745_an-interesting-and-rare-matchlock-teppo

[Stephen]

wonderful, thanks

[Death-Ace]

I'm a bit Leary of RIA. I hear they normally overprice their items or have quite a bit of refinished weapons sold as "original finish." Never seen the prices their blade lots go, but considering the amount of publicity they get, most likely have quite a few bidders.

[Justin Grant]

Eric knows it was not the Dutch, but the Portuguese that introduced the weapon. Like Brian was saying, it was a Cut and Paste. I think Eric has forgotten more than I'll ever know about these things and I have been studying for a long time.

[estcrh]

Eric knows it was not the Dutch, but the Portuguese that introduced the weapon.

HAHA...didnt even see that until now.

[kusunokimasahige]

Ha! That is what you all think! But we were there already in 1495. The captain of that ship just lost his map in a storm so we only found it again after 100 years or so!