Aoi Art - Hinawa Ju

[Fuuten]

http://www.aoijapan.com/hinawa-ju-matchlock-gun-arquebus-yoshu-jyu-makino-tetsugoro-minamoto-tomokata-saku

 

I don't know anything about Japanese firearms, but could anyone comment on the quality or condition of this piece? Interested to learn more about them.

[Geraint]

Hi Axel.

 

If you click on this link and scroll down you will find two more.  http://www.aoijapan.com/fittings/tsukaothers

 

You might find the comparison between them in terms of quality and price informative.

 

All the best.

[Fuuten]

Geraint, thank you.

 

The ypn 500 000 one is quite nice, the superficial details are clearly nicer and perhaps more wellmade. But i'm also looking into construction of these guns. Perhaps any books you can recommend?

[Brian]

Nice gun for the price. If it stays under $2K it would be a fair deal. Complete..which is nice as so many are missing the pan cover or ama-ooi.

Not a top gun, but one that has fired a LOT in its life. Good entry level piece or the start of a collection.

 

Brian

[Bugyotsuji]

As Brian says, really. Smallish caliber, all three guns show evidence of heavy use. The little Iyo gun which you first posted perhaps the nicest of the three, but my tastes are different. (Some minor refurbishments. One of them has been varnished and the patina has been polished off.)

[jason_mazzy]

Conversations like this make me miss watson

[pcfarrar]

I'm guessing the shipping cost on this gun might be quite high as normally they ship free of charge but not on this item.

 

Still looks pretty decent for the price.

[Bugyotsuji]

Agreed, but not "early Edo" surely. Late Edo makes more sense, judging from the style of workmanship. There was an earlier smith with a similar name, Makino Minamoto Tomokata, but this advertised name here includes Tetsugoro, and is listed below the earlier one, suggesting one of a line of gunsmiths.

 

Whether fired in battle or not, it does show evidence of heavy use. A long thin gun with a 1.1 cm narrow caliber/bore, it would have been used for target shooting, hunting birds etc. It is said that for the battlefield you would need around 1.4 cm upwards. Patina etc., polished off, and the pan could be in better condition but I have always wanted a good example of an Iyo gun. One day, perhaps, when my ship comes home.