Product Details
A 32-BORE MATCHLOCK SINGLE-SHOT MUSKET, UNSIGNED, TYPE 'TANEGASHIMA', no visible serial number,
Japanese, circa 1850, with carved, tapering octagonal 43 1/4in. iron barrel with swollen 'urn' muzzle, blade fore-sight, raised groove fixed rear-sight, the barrel inlaid for half its length with brass, silver and copper decorations of mountains and samurai figures, brass barrel retaining band at breech, provision for pan-cover (missing), plain elongated brass lockplate with large external brass mainspring, hand-cocked serpentine match-holder, wooded full-stock of classic form inlaid with isolated brass decorations of chrysanthemum and rolling cloud or smoke panels to the rear comb of butt and underside of fore-end, brass barrel-band around the fore-end, four take-down cross-pins with floral escutcheons and wood under-barrel ramrod (damaged)
Other Notes: The vendor states that this and the following two lots were once part of a group of four tanegashimas that were believed to have originated from the same workshop in Japan. They were purchased from an antique shop in Aylesbury in 1942 for the sum of £17.10s by a Mr Milligan who subsequently sold them to an American officer stationed at Bovingdon, who on being posted asked the vendors father to pack them ready for shipping to the US. However no details were provided as to the address of the officer concerned and he unfortunately never returned from the war. The fourth example was sold by the vendors father in 1970 for £35
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Estimate £600-800