6 - 10 Monme Guns

[Tengu1957]

These are all 1.9 cm bore guns between 17 - 22 lbs. All are signed. If you see anything that you would like to see a more detailed image of please let me know. Note the gun 3rd down from the top ,the hibasami has"toad skin" or silver drops to simulate the toad skin.

[EdWolf]

Beautiful collection!

Best regards, Ed

[DRDave]

Wow!  I know nothing about Japanese firearms.  What type of wood(s) were used?

 

Great seeing the photos. 

[Viper6924]

Sweet!!!

Judging by the top picture of the five guns, I would like to place their orgin (left to right) Tosa, Sendai, possible Hizen, Sendai, ? and Sendai.

To see three possible Sendai-zutsu is nothing you see every day.

Could you please take a closeup of the branded kanji underneath gun no 2?

 

Dave, mostly Japanese Oak.

 

Jan

[Tengu1957]

[ChrisW]

These are some gorgeous antique firearms! I'm afraid the best I boast is not even remotely Japanese, just a Walther Autoreloader .22 rifle from the 1890's to 1920's ish.

[DRDave]

Dave, mostly Japanese Oak.

 

Thanks, Jan.  The few Japanese firearms I've handled have been late Arisaka types, and none with wood as nice as these.  

[Viper6924]

IMG_20190213_152232798.jpg IMG_20190213_152242695.jpg IMG_20190213_152310173.jpg

This is really interesting. I have an exact copy of your gun with the small brand. The brand reads ”Sho” which is short for Shonai.

I dare to say that the signature on your gun might read ”Sendai ju Konno Chozaburo Nobuaki saku”.

With the brand in mind, this gun, and mine, was probably part of a larger shipment from Sendai meant for Shonai. Sendai-zutsu was highly sought after all over the northern parts of Japan, as this gun clearly indicates.

Would be fun if you could crack open the old lady to see if she carries the same signature.

 

Jan

[Tengu1957]

Jan ,finally a Mei for you to see! Here is the gun you questioned about.

[Peter Bleed]

And it is a pretty interesting signature. Is that date a Koka 4 which would be in the 1840s? Very interesting, indeed

Peter

[Tengu1957]

Here is another brand for a gun in that group I missed.

[Viper6924]

Well, it’s quite clear from the signature that your gun was made by a different gunsmith. I will leave it to more knowledgeable people to translate it properly. But the 1840s is spot on for this matchlock.

If I’m not total off the inscription in the last picture is a year.

 

Jan

Well, it’s quite clear from the signature that your gun was made by a different gunsmith. I will leave it to more knowledgeable people to translate it properly. But the 1840s is spot on for this matchlock.

If I’m not total off the inscription in the last picture is a year.

 

Jan

[Bugyotsuji]

The last photo on the woodwork shows the 'Bundo-gi' (scale weights) Sendai symbol, and the Jinshin number, registered in Miyagi Ken I would wager. Cannot see the whole thing properly though.

[Bugyotsuji]

Fine guns. Nos.1 and 5 from the top are examples of Ogino Ryu, and No. 4 (Sendai) and No. 6 are Inoue Ryu.

 

The long Koka Mei is one of my favourites because I have a gun by him and another by his son.

Mei: Kao + Bizen Koku Osafune Ju Yokoyama Tatsuemon no Jo Sukenobu Saku. This was around when he was given samurai status and permitted to carry a sword.

*Oh, and inside the stock it says Bizen Kichiju, a stockmaker working at least until the 1860s in Wake.

[Tengu1957]

Thank you for your help