Tanegashima front sight question

[Malae5]

Hi all,

 

Has anyone seen any teppo with front sights inset brass or bronze?

 

And if so could share some images? I'm only familiar with teppo with all iron front sights.

 

Regards

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Hi Malae,

Are you saying iron front sights, ok, but with various other metals inlaid?
(Why are you asking this question?)

 

Yes, I have seen examples, but not sure if I have any photos right now. Here is an iron front sight on a Bizen gun, with a blob of silver inlay.

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Here is a front sight with missing inlay. Guessing the brass tip had been knocked out, I later had a new piece made and inserted.

 

[Malae5]

Great. Thank you for sharing.  I'm just trying to better understand typologies of different parts of the teppo and what the variations were.

[Bugyotsuji]

No, I was curious, as it is such an unusual question! Forgive me.

Looking back through my photos today in order to answer your question, I discovered that iron sights are definitely in the majority. They would need to be strong in case the teppo ever got dropped, something that must have happened with some frequency. Damaged serpentines you often see, again probably because someone dropped the gun. The other factor is that battle weapons need to be dull, not glinting, so barrel inlay was frowned upon.

 

I do have one decorated 'Daimyo' gun, which has gold and silver nunome zogan on the front and back sights. Sadly a previous owner 'cleaned' the barrel too enthusiastically, losing much of the inlay. Nunome zogan is a kind of surface foil inlay squashed against a filed surface, as opposed to properly inset deeper inlay called hon-zogan.

[Malae5]

Thank you kindly for these insights. I too thought that brass inset sights were basically not common at all on Japanese teppo so wanted to confirm.

 

If you do come across any images of Japanese teppo with such sights, would be interested to see it. Or even other interesting patterns.

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

OK Gen, I'll keep an eye out, but don't expect any immediate updates as I am travelling and teppo are on the back burner.

If anyone else can help Gene out, please join in!

 

There are also extant examples of (brass) 'yagura' sights, detachable folding ladder sights that could be inserted for distance shooting.

 

(Just as an aside, you do occasionally find a rare teppo with a 'hokin' bronze barrel, so naturally these will have bronze sights on them.)