Need Help Identifying an antique firearm

aptheo · 14th July 2013, 08:32 PM

Jim,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. Yes, after working here for a year now, I have learned that the idea of a specifically trained museum professional is really a recent trend, and a lot (A LOT) of our work involves correcting errors made in the past. Family lore is the bane of good history. I will look into contacting those two individuals, I am very interested in finding out more about the gun. Even though it's not Portola's trabuco, it still seems like it could be a great piece of history.

drac2k · 6th August 2013, 01:28 PM

I have seen this style of wall gun used by the Japanese.These matchlocks were sold to them by the early Portuguese traders; as the Japanese evolved, it is not unimaginable that an obsolete weapon would be traded, sold, or stolen by another bellicose people of less martial sophistication.
The gun is a poor reflection on it's initial glory, however as a thing of great worth, it was modified, repaired, and patched, by various different owners painting a mural of many different owners and as such it is a beautiful canvas on which many wonderful stories can be inferred !
David

14th July 2013, 08:32 PM	#1
aptheo Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Southern California Posts: 8	Jim, Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. Yes, after working here for a year now, I have learned that the idea of a specifically trained museum professional is really a recent trend, and a lot (A LOT) of our work involves correcting errors made in the past. Family lore is the bane of good history. I will look into contacting those two individuals, I am very interested in finding out more about the gun. Even though it's not Portola's trabuco, it still seems like it could be a great piece of history.

6th August 2013, 01:28 PM	#2
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,269	I have seen this style of wall gun used by the Japanese.These matchlocks were sold to them by the early Portuguese traders; as the Japanese evolved, it is not unimaginable that an obsolete weapon would be traded, sold, or stolen by another bellicose people of less martial sophistication. The gun is a poor reflection on it's initial glory, however as a thing of great worth, it was modified, repaired, and patched, by various different owners painting a mural of many different owners and as such it is a beautiful canvas on which many wonderful stories can be inferred ! David