Matchlock templegun
Goshu Kunimoto
Category
Arms and armour
Date
1600 - 1700
Materials
Brass, Wood, Silver, Iron
Measurements
80 mm (Width) x 110 mm (Depth); 1185 mm (Length)
Place of origin
Omi
Order this imageCollection
Snowshill Manor and Garden, Gloucestershire
NT 1328799
Summary
Gun; Japanese matchlock templegun, seventeenth century. Massive round barrel, the muzzle moulded in octagonal form, 700 millimetres in length, decorated over its entire length with damascened silver designs representing butterflies and a Mon (crest) comprising of a pair of stag antlers which belonged to a branch of the Kondo family. Signed on the barrel Goshu Kunitomo Rinzayemon Shigemasa (Kunitomo Rinzayemon of Omi Province) The Kunitomo family were the most celebrated gunsmiths of Japan. Plain wooden full stock with short butt. Brass stud trigger. Wooden ramrod. Brass matchlock with external mainspring. Information supplied by Brian Godwin, NT Gun advisor in 29.06.1996).
Provenance
Given to the National Trust with Snowshill Manor in 1951 by Charles Paget Wade.
Marks and inscriptions
Goshu Kunitomo Rinzayemon Shigemasa (barrel signed)
Makers and roles
Goshu Kunimoto, gunsmith