Japanese "Obi" pistol

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cane

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I was in an antique mall yesterday and ran across this pistol. Never saw, or for that matter, heard of one before.

obipistol1.jpg

obipistol.jpg

obipistol2.jpg
 
The running vine pattern appears to be wisteria, which was used on at least one other antique Japanese firearm (that I could find). Other than that my Google-Fu is weak.
 
If I`m not mistaken, mama sans wore obis .Seems to suggest this pistol was meant for use by a lady. I think a Japanese male of that era would have scorned using a pistol and preferred a sword for both offense and defense.
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An obi is nothing more than a belt (sash) wrapped around the waist three times. Both males and females wore them in traditional Japanese garb. The samurai wore their two swords, katana and wakizashi through the layers of the obi, wakizashi through the first layer closest to the body and then the katana in the outer layer with a layer between it and the wakizashi.

Even up to the late 1800s the samurai class was still wearing and identified by their two swords. Most shunned the use of guns which makes this pistol even more interesting. Men would fight honorably with a blade if the need arose.
 
Yes, it was definately not used by Samurai, male or female (female members of samurai families were taught the use of the Naginata [halberd] and would also have shunned a firearm). The pattern may be mere decoration then. It may have been carried by a member of the mechant class, and may not have been worn with traditional dress. Western dress was known and used by the Japanese as the century progressed and the Meiji era continued.

The Meiji government began in 1868, with the last big revolt, the Satsuma Rebellion [the basis for the movie The Last Samurai] happening in 1877. The French were heavily involved from 1868 on, it was French officers not Americans, that advised and trained the Japanese army at that time..., so maybe it was made in France?

LD
 
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