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Tanto Pistol History with photos


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In order to understand how the Tanto Pistol fits into the history of Japan during the fedual era, it is necessary to have an understanding of the Political situation in Japan circ. 1790 - 1877. The whole might be summed up as a nation in panic, and a leadership split on what course of action the nation should take when faced with outside interference in domestic affairs. Although the Russians and British had made half- hearted attempts at intimidating the Japanese into opening up their ports, Japan managed by use of limited force and threat of force to hold off these intrusions until finally on July 8, 1853 Commodore Perry of the USA sailed into what is now known as Tokyo Bay. Demands were made of the Japanese for access and trade and by the time of Perry's return in 1854 the Shogunate was deeply divided between rejecting the US demands, and those who realized that Japan must capitulate , and accept the opening of her doors to the West. For the next number of years the two factions carried on the internal squabble as " terror and assassinations " between opposing Daimyo, and spilling over to the occasional killing of foreigners.

 

It was not un-common for neighbouring Daimyo to be on opposing sides, and not trusting their feelings to one-another caused many Daimyo to become quite paranoid. For a Daimyo to receive an invitation from another Daimyo for a visit could well be viewed as a trap, and since one could not lose face by refusing, and since you left your long sword at the entrance to your host's home, you were at considerable risk being armed only with a tanto. A few of these Daimyo ordered a little extra insurance in the form of a Tanto Pistol. No one would suspect the tanto you wore was in reality a pistol. Being percussion they were instantly available for firing as opposed to the old matchlock system.

 

High ranking politicians ( Daimyo ) were no different than politicians everywhere, ... sacrificing a retainer was no big deal, but when it's the politician ( Daimyo ) himself who has a pistol pointed at him, he will think twice, giving the proposed victim an avenue of escape back to his own retinue of well armed and loyal samurai.

 

Many believe these Tanto Pistols were simply a novelty item for the rich. A trinket to show off your personal wealth. This theory in the case of the Tanto Pistol is in this student's opinion hogwash ! Here's why : 1. At the time these rare pistols were made circ. 1855 - 1875 was a time of intrigue in Japan, not a time of Daimyo living the luxury life of the past. It was instead a time of great uncertainty for Daimyo on both sides of the " opening of Japan question ". 2. It was a time of political assassination when having the advantage of a pistol in a world of swords was advantageous. 3. The pistols are almost all ( except for one that I know of ... which may well have been a novelty item ) of the Percussion system. At the time the fastest ignition system of a firearm known. 4. None of the very few I have examined, and very few of the examples I have seen photograhed are elaborate or decorated on the barrel or frame .... they are plain and very purposeful in their design and reason, ... that being to injure or kill. Certainly not to impress your neighbour with a fine inlaid or engraved barrel or frame. A couple I have seen bearing decoration on the barrel or frame are the exception. The decoration on these are modest but elegant as would befit a Daimyo. They certainly are not ostintatious. 5. The mounting is invariably also simple but of high quality as would be expected of a tanto belonging to a Daimyo. 6. I personally know of only one that is signed by the maker, and one would expect if they were simply works of art or an expensive novelty that they would be signed.

 

In closing this short article, I would like to point out that the greatest advantage of carrying a concealed pistol is not the actual firing of a bullet into your opponent, but rather the psychological advantage it gives to the " pointer ", and the psychological disadvantage it instills in the " pointee ". This I know from personal experience having witnessed a " pointee " piss himself on a failed theft of my property many years ago !

 

Now to the Tanto Pistol. It is mounted as Aikuchi. The koshirae: Tsuka is of brown lacquer in imitation of leather. The saya is brown lacquer with black striations. The Fuchi / Kashira / Kurikata are of rich black horn. The pistol is steel of the percussion system. It is .30 inch caliber. On cocking the hammer, the hidden trigger drops down. Squeezing the trigger causes the hammer to rise well above the cocked position, and then drops with considerable force upon the percussion nipple. The action is refered to as a box lock. OA length of the tanto pistol is 13 inches. I hope you will find some interest in the above ramblings. Photographs are attached as a reply ... Ron Watson

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For those interested in further study of the Tanto Pistol, .... Two examples are housed in the Metropolitan Museum in New York and can be seen in the book : Pistols of the World by Claude Blair.

One example is in the Eddie Reider collection and can be seen in the book : Firearm Curiosa by Lewis Winant

An example was sold by Greg Martin Auctions in November 2008.

An example was sold by Christies in London ... lot 620 / sale 4991 June 1993.

An example was sold in one of the famous Haynes autions a few years back.

............ Ron Watson

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Ron, Good description and write up. Well done. Two points arise.

I have seen a couple of these tanto pistols with decorated box-locks and barrels. One was superb with dragons and clouds in silver and gold zogan which was consumate with a koshirae that was equally good. That I would agree was probably made for a daimyo. Most in my opinion are rather too ordinary with only plain average metalwork. The koshirae also are rarely in the daimyo class. If you examine daimyo quality tanto of this era, they seem to have gone for scabbards decorated with their kamon, plain same tsuka but with menuki again of their kamon and black horn fittings. Admittedly, these might be for formal wear, but the quality was superb. I don't think most of these pistols, and the somewhat later ones modelled on European box-lock percussion pistols, come near the quality a daimyo would wear.

Secondly, there was a short period before percussion caps became available in Japan in which detonating pills (pellets of fulminate) were used. There is a tanto pistol designed to use these in the Royal Armouries collection that can hardly be described as elegant. It has a great big ring sticking out of the kashira that you pull to cock the mechanism. One glance and you would know it was something odd.

On the whole I think they were produced for wealthy but not aristocratic clients. Dare I say it, but some I suspect for merchants during those troubled times.

Ian Bottomley

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Ron, Good description and write up. Well done. Two points arise.

I have seen a couple of these tanto pistols with decorated box-locks and barrels. One was superb with dragons and clouds in silver and gold zogan which was consumate with a koshirae that was equally good. That I would agree was probably made for a daimyo. Most in my opinion are rather too ordinary with only plain average metalwork. The koshirae also are rarely in the daimyo class. If you examine daimyo quality tanto of this era, they seem to have gone for scabbards decorated with their kamon, plain same tsuka but with menuki again of their kamon and black horn fittings. Admittedly, these might be for formal wear, but the quality was superb. I don't think most of these pistols, and the somewhat later ones modelled on European box-lock percussion pistols, come near the quality a daimyo would wear.

Secondly, there was a short period before percussion caps became available in Japan in which detonating pills (pellets of fulminate) were used. There is a tanto pistol designed to use these in the Royal Armouries collection that can hardly be described as elegant. It has a great big ring sticking out of the kashira that you pull to cock the mechanism. One glance and you would know it was something odd.

On the whole I think they were produced for wealthy but not aristocratic clients. Dare I say it, but some I suspect for merchants during those troubled times.

Ian Bottomley

IAN,, do you know if merchants of the time would have been samurai, I have never heard anything mentioned on this?
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Dear Ian,

I used the example of a Daimyo as the extreme example, not as a hard and fast rule. Certainly any high ranking government official of the time was at great risk of assassination. The idea that these pistols are a " novelty or trinket " of the wealthy is my point of contention.

The example I picture gives us a very serious glimpse at this short period of turbulent Japanese history. The time frame does not fit a period of frivality, ... but rather a period of great fear not only for the future of Japan, but also for one's personal safety at the time. Personally I doubt the rich Japanese merchant theory, .... He would have been more afraid of being caught by the government or ordinary samurai .. carrying a concealed weapon ... especially a pistol. I'm certain it would have meant his head. Besides the merchant was not so much involved with the politics of the day as were the samurai, and consequently not so much a target of assassination. I think it is too easy to write these items off as aberant items. Rather I believe they served to address a real and immediate threat of the time.

...... Ron Watson

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Eric , Ron, The reason I plumped for merchant was that they were allowed to carry tanto or short swords. It was also a period when there were frequent raids and fighting between samurai groups. Let's face it society was generally breaking down. If you had a lot to lose, but no real skill to defend it using a sword, a pistol was a good choice and was not really a concealed weapon. Think of all the chambara films where various non-samurai hire bodyguards to look after their interests. I've no proof only a perhaps.

Ian

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Gentlemen

What an interesting discussion. In passing I woud mention that in this most interesting Bakamatsu era, Sakamoto Ryoma, a skilled swordsman and emperor restoration supporter, was known to have worn a Smith and Wesson at one time and used it to escape assasination in Kyoto (see my article "The Real Last Samurai" on http://www.to-ken.com under Articles). I also saw a very well mounted percussion pistol in aikuchi-type koshirae for sale at Bonhams in London a couple of years ago.

Hope you are well Ian.

Regards

Clive Sinclaire

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Gentlemen

What an interesting discussion. In passing I woud mention that in this most interesting Bakamatsu era, Sakamoto Ryoma, a skilled swordsman and emperor restoration supporter, was known to have worn a Smith and Wesson at one time and used it to escape assasination in Kyoto (see my article "The Real Last Samurai" on http://www.to-ken.com under Articles). I also saw a very well mounted percussion pistol in aikuchi-type koshirae for sale at Bonhams in London a couple of years ago.

Hope you are well Ian.

Regards

Clive Sinclaire

I ran into this picture a while back, it is supposed to be the actual Smith and Wesson army #2 of Sakamoto Ryoma. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Smith ... _Ryoma.jpg which is linked from this interesting article on what I consider to be one of the most interesting periods of Samurai history.>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boshin_War
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Dear Ian,

I used the example of a Daimyo as the extreme example, not as a hard and fast rule. Certainly any high ranking government official of the time was at great risk of assassination. The idea that these pistols are a " novelty or trinket " of the wealthy is my point of contention.

The example I picture gives us a very serious glimpse at this short period of turbulent Japanese history. The time frame does not fit a period of frivality, ... but rather a period of great fear not only for the future of Japan, but also for one's personal safety at the time. Personally I doubt the rich Japanese merchant theory, .... He would have been more afraid of being caught by the government or ordinary samurai .. carrying a concealed weapon ... especially a pistol. I'm certain it would have meant his head. Besides the merchant was not so much involved with the politics of the day as were the samurai, and consequently not so much a target of assassination. I think it is too easy to write these items off as aberant items. Rather I believe they served to address a real and immediate threat of the time.

...... Ron Watson

Ron I agree with you, I often hear about some samurai weapon being a "novelty" but I personally think that unless a weapon was very extravagant and useless it was not a novelty at all, we just do not understand the circumstances of its manufacture and use. As for merchants, I have read a few things that made me think that at least some merchants may have had a special relationship with the Daimyou's and were either samurai themselves or had some sort of special status with the Daimyou's and might have been given a monopoly on certain kinds of trade which would possibly have made them targets.

 

I do see from time to time items that were obviously expensive, well made and fairly extravagant (but not Daimyou extravagant) which reminded me of objects from other cultures which came from the rich merchant class. Rich merchants are always envied in any culture and would probably be well armed and could afford the best armor and weapons of the time. Just an interesting side note which I would not mind finding more info on.

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I once owned a pair of Smith & Wesson # 2 army revolvers in .32 rimfire long. For a black powder Rimfire cartridge they packed a pretty good punch, .... and great fun to shoot. A limited amount of ammo was produced for a US company called Navy Arms a few years ago. Expensive but, .... isn't everything ! A neat mock up photo to be sure. :D ... Ron Watson

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I had one but sold it and only keep a S&W American model N°2 and a S&W Russian model manufactured by Ludwig Loewe in Germany, both in .44. Easier to get them (ammos) and to reload them.

 

The only rim fire pistol I have (with some ammos) is the double barelled S&W derringer .41

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did these tanto pistols vary much in caliber. .30 would be a good size. but since theamerican derringer varied [John Booth used a .44, if i remember correctly] and they went up to .50, maybe more. and we have .22 and .25 now.

 

did the Japanese try larger calibers? the saya must have looked chunky for a .50 tanto/pistol.

 

great article. thank you.

 

doug e

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Hello Doug,

The largest caliber I have see or read about was .32 inch. The problem with making a larger caliber was exactly as you surmised. The Saya would have been too chunky ( fat ) to accomodate the extra barrel size and still appear to be a Tanto. ... Ron Watson

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