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Originally Posted by Cathey
Please can someone respond to this thread, I am desperate for information, cheers Cathey
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Cathey, beautiful gun and fantastic pictures, here is a link to a thread discussing a similar matchlock, you should use the forum search function, you may find additional information, as for the chain and its use take a look at the image I posted below, the small tubes attached to the chain seem to be for holding the match cord.
Can you tell us more about the type of audience that you will be speaking to?
The Malaysian matchlock along with the Japanese, Vietnamese and a few other Asian matchlocks are "snap matchlocks", which means that the serpentine (the curved lever which holds the smoldering matchcord) locks in place when pulled back and it is released when the trigger is pulled, the smoldering matchcord touches the primer pan which ignites the powder charge which in turn ignites the powder in the barrel.
Matchlocks from India, the Ottoman empire etc used a different lock in which the serpentine fell foward when the trigger was pulled and went back into an upright position when the trigger was released.
The snap matchlock used in Asia is said to be based on Portuguese models produced in their colony at Goa India. The snap matchlock was originally a European model that was brought to Goa by European gun makers working in India. The Portuguese introduced these guns to Japan around 1543, I am not sure when they were first introduced to Malaysia. (Forum members please correct any wrong info or add additional info!!)
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20873
Wikipedia article "Snap matchlock"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snap_matchlock