863

Japanese Matchlock Rifle .50 NVSN

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:300.00 USD Estimated At:600.00 - 1,000.00 USD
Japanese Matchlock Rifle .50 NVSN
CURRENT BID
0.00USD
ENTER YOUR MAXIMUM ABSENTEE BID[?]
You must bid at least
300.00USD
USD
300.00 x 1 unit = 300.00USDApplicable fees & taxes are added at checkout.
[?]Live Online Auction Starts In 2025 Oct 26 @ 10:00 (UTC-07:00 : PDT/MST)
Antique Japanese Tanegashima long matchlock rifle. About .50 bore. Early to mid 19th century. Used primarily by the samurai class and their ashigaru (foot soldiers), 39" smooth bore octagonal cast iron barrel with inverted V front sight and a slotted iron block rear sight. A bag/box with a variety of separate sight pieces, apertures that were inserted in slots. The wood stock, which was rested against the cheek, is extensively inlaid with engraved brass panels and decorated plaques. No family "MON". The escutcheons for the barrel pins are cherry blossoms, with three small birds in flight on the underside and there are inlaid animal, floral designs as well as a samurais face wearing a kabuto behind the chamber. There are large brass/copper flowers on the butt stock, surrounding holes in the stock, which apparently were used to direct the excess match lock wick through the stock and out of the user's way. The Hajiki Gane (Spring on lock) has a Chrysanthemum symbol. The matchlock action is all brass, complete with hinged pan cover and serpentine hammer or fuse holder. The trigger is also brass of button form protected by a simple brass bow trigger guard. The rifle has some condition issues as follows, no ramrod, missing a brass rivet from the lock plate, missing the hammer clamp, missing a small escutcheon on the top wrist, the barrel is pitted, stock has a long hairline crack on the underside, two hairline cracks in the wood in front of the chamber, missing 3" brass plate on the underside of the fore stock and the lever that releases the serpentine is short/broken. The trigger works well. Needs some restoration or would make a nice display piece.
NRA Condition-Fair. Antique Firearm.