Reference materials for firearms of the Boshin War

[DavidC]

Howdy folks. I'm new to the forum and I've joined following a referral from the American Long Rifle forums where I was suggested that this forum would have a good answer to my titular question. I'm interested in the arms of the Boshin War. The combination of Japan's long isolation and the already rapidly evolving technology of small arms in the years after the American Civil War make the Boshin War incredibly fascinating to me. Gatling guns, sharps rifles, colt revolvers with percussion and cartridge systems, there's so much cool stuff as the shift from muzzleloader to cartridge gun occurs alongside the background of the massive leap forward in Japanese technology.

I'm looking for material, preferably a good reference book, on the arms of the Boshin War. I'm also looking for information on how to find some of these original arms for sale.


Thank you, Dave