Viper6924

This one looks very similar to a gun I recently had in my possession. I can bet a tiny beer that this specific matchlock carries a Sesshu (Sakai) signature. As Piers said, the kabuto decoration seems to be an indicator for Sakai. To my eyes, the decoration on the barrel looks good. In there lies the mystery. Because often I find the quality of the inlayed barrels to be much better than some of the brass editions scattered all over the stock. Were the barrel decorations made independently from the brass works? Could some of them, like seen on this specific matchlock, been made during the original production or a later work dated from late Edo to the Meiji era? Jan

Hi Ian! Hope all is fine at your end of the world. It’s funny, me and Piers have just instigated a conversation of our own regarding this very topic 🙂 You write that your Sakai got a Pine-decoration running underneath the stock. Have you checked the inside of the stock. Is there any cracks or old repairs running the length of the stock? Jan

Solid-looking matchlocks, Robert. The first sports some Tabuse-school features and the other one Inoue-school. When it comes to preserving the stock, I use Renaissance Wax for every matchlock in my collection. It gives the stock a pleasant shine and brings out the woodgrain in a nice way. Plus, you only need to use this wax one time. I put some wax on my fingertips and make sure to coat the stock. You only need to apply a thin layer. Then I wait a few minutes so the wax dry properly. As a finishing touch I use a piece of clean cloth with which I polish the stock. The harder you polish the more shine you get. I live in a modern house with central heating. The wax seems to protect the stocks from cracks, so no need to use oil. Good luck! Jan

The placement of the kamon might support the notion that this indeed is a bukuro for an edged weapon like a naginata. This crossed hawkfeather kamon, is placed so that the bukuro should be carried pointing up. On most of the teppo bukuro I’ve encountered, the kamon is placed to facilitate the bukuro to be carried more or less horizontally (resting on your shoulder). Include a picture of a leather teppo bukuro were the kamon is placed according to the above description. Whatever might be the case, it’s still a very nice bukuro. Jan

Quite often they overlook the fact that the artifact comes with a date. On several occations I bought items labeled as 20th century by the seller. You have helped me with countless of these boxes. I’ve got a tabacco bon dated to 1840 and a Bamboo vase from 1811. I’ve bought these items for close to nothing. Something tells me that the seller would have upt his price if he knew that they carried that beautiful label ”Edo period”. Not that I complain 🙂🙂🙂 Jan

I can’t but agree with you on that 🙂 One thing that often surprises me is how Japanese sellers often ignore to mention characters present on boxes etc. I suspect that many of them can’t translate old-style Japanese. To me added characters adds a lot of historical value. Jan

It def got a ”projectile” shape to it. Is that a hole on top? You find the strangest of things inside your barrels. I got 10+ matchlocks at home and the only thing I ever found was a piece of blackpowder-covered cloth in one of them 🙂 Jan

Now that’s what I call a flash in a pan 😂 Never seen so much ”content” down an old barrel. Jan

I think you got a lot of amazing ideas ”floating around in your cerebrum” 🙂 The 1580 mentioning of the melting down guns for bells are really interesting. Keep digging, my friend! Jan

Nothing beats the 30 monme matchlock from Yonezawa 👍 Just look at the amount of stuffed paper flying out from the barrel. That brings a lot of ”Umpf” 🙂🙂🙂 Jan

Happy New Year, Ian! Good to hear from you. First the Satsuma and now this 🙂 Looks like an honest matchlock once owned by a proud samurai. As it happens my first ever matchlock was a 3,5 monme matchlock made by the very same gunsmith as yours. It’s not in top condition but it carries a Maeda-kamon which looks to be original to this gun. It might suggest that the gun was ”exported” to Kaga at one stage. Isn’t matchlocks so much fun 🙂 Jan

Late arrival to this post, but Piers has pretty much sorted out everything needed to be said about this matchlock. Overall a very nice gun in good condition. Kunitomo-signed ”Kishu-style” matchlocks are indeed rather rare, as the majority of guns displaying such features (square-shaped fittings) were made in the Sakai/Osaka area. I believe that the ramrod is the original one to this matchlock, which is always a big bonus in my book. Beside sorting out the missing pancover and possibly trying to straightening out the serpentine, I would leave the gun as is. A very good start to your matchlock collection 👍🙂 Jan

Thanks Brian! It was the ”log in” I missed 🙂 Jan

Where is this download? Can’t seem to find it. Or is it a IPhone thing, as I only use my phone. Jan

I’ve already been in contact with Kelly 🙂 Jan

A nice sized Bishamonten. As you say, it looks like a piece of folk art. The flat back suggest that this statue orginally was housed in some sort of zushi. Bishamonten is usually depicted either holding a small stick/club or a long spear. Depending on which, gives the statue different meanings. I think you did well 🙂 Jan

Amongst the huge collection at the Stibbert Museum in Florence, there is a matchlock that opens up just like a modern shotgun. I’ve only handled it for a few minutes, but if my memory doesn’t fail me, the gun was pretty much a standard-looking matchlock except for how it opened up. Was it a later modification or just a one-off? No idea. I just know that it’s the only one I’ve seen with such a feature. Jan

I stopped reading at the ”by 1544 massproduction of the Tanegashima was was in full sving all over Japan” or something to that effect. At 50-60% historical accuracy, you should not spend too much energy on this text. Quite amazing that a Japanese, which judging by the picture, owns such a large collection, doesn’t know more about his native history. To quote our favorite orange ex-president: Sad, so sad 🙂🙂🙂 Jan

It’s become a part of my morning routine to go through 2-3 different matchlock-related sites in order to see what has happened during the night. Like you Peter, I of course wish that there was a single platform out there with full focus on the matchlock. But in this digital day and age, it’s becoming an impossible wish. Facebook generates a lot of ”members”, so if you are into likes, it’s a great place. But on the other hand, there are a lot of white noice at such large platforms that can become a nuisance. One good thing with Facebook is that I notice more and more Japanese that starts to get involve. This is something I do miss on smaller platforms. So I guess it’s all about taking the good with the bad 🙂 Jan

and here’s the picture Jan

Well, Piers cracked it in fine fashion. I have encircled two areas which differs from a Sendai zutsu. On a ”true” Sendai, the Kaiguchi (match holder) is very elongated. The locals calls it a horse face. The little plate at base of the Hibasami (forgot the proper name) is drop-shaped on a Sendai. Small but important details when looking for the origin of a matchlock. On a sidenote; there were several gunsmith families working in and around of Sendai during the Edo period, that signed their work with Goshu Kunitomo... I guess the Kunitomo pedigree, was so important, that even after the family relocated to Sendai, they continued to sign their work with the famous village of Kunitomo. Jan

There are more genuine antiques present on those pictures than you see in a well-stocked antique-shop 🙂🙂🙂 Jan

What better to read with my morning bowl of porridge, than Piers latest military operations. Tsuyama seems to be a bit of a rain magnet. I remember quite dark clouds and rain, when I visited the place in connection to one of your displays. Very vise move to rest the 50’. Hearing about the power of the new 100’ warms the heart of this ol’ tepponista. Can’t wait to hear it ”live” after this darn pandemic is done with. Interesting piece of insight at the end regarding the amount of effective rounds fired by a matchlock in the rain. Worth keeping in mind when you read about the old battles being fought over several hours. It also strengthen my own opinion that matchlocks were indeed a weapon mostly used as an initial shock-weapon. As you say, after 5-6 rounds, the matchlock had played its part and it was time to bring out the edged weapons. Thanks for taking the time writing this, Piers! Jan

Did they say from which distance they were firing their matchlocks? Jan

Loving the box, Piers! Look at those large rivit-heads protecting the corners. It will be hard work carrying it around Tsuyama Castle. But it will be worth it. Can’t wait to see you firing the 50 monme for the first time. Oh, and let’s not forget the premier shot of the new 100 monme. Will def rattle the Cherry blossoms Jan