Southeast Asian caplock arm

werecow · 26th September 2022, 02:21 PM

I think they could also be Lao numerals (but if so the picture looks like it's upside down).

Ian · 26th September 2022, 06:37 PM

The inscription is Thai. Your picture is upside down, as noted above. I cannot make out the first two characters, but the rest are Thai numerals as shown in the attached pic.

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werecow · 26th September 2022, 07:20 PM

Hah, yeah, I was looking at the wrong row header in the numerals table.

The first two characters might be letters; นพ.

Ian · 27th September 2022, 01:19 AM

Hi werecow. Yes, I think you are right about the first two characters.

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werecow · 27th September 2022, 01:51 AM

FWIW google translate says that นพ translates to Dr..

Ian · 27th September 2022, 02:02 PM

Peter, could you provide a full length picture of this gun? Any mark on the barrel or lock? If no marks, I'm wondering if this is a locally made copy of a French or British gun from the 19th C. Interesting that you note a possible Japanese connection mentioned by the seller. There were Japanese groups living in Thailand during the 18th and 19th C, and earlier.

Jim McDougall · 27th September 2022, 07:14 PM

While I know little on firearms overall, it seems to me that (from what examples I can find online) the 'pistol butt' style, if you took away the 'stock' has a certain resemblance to a traditional Japanese matchlock.

There was of course certain Japanese presence in SE Asia. I recall years ago finding examples of Japanese katana among swords of India. It seems in many discussions, there have been mentions of Japanese throughout these regions.

26th September 2022, 06:37 PM	#2
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,611	The inscription is Thai. Your picture is upside down, as noted above. I cannot make out the first two characters, but the rest are Thai numerals as shown in the attached pic. . Attached Images

27th September 2022, 01:19 AM	#4
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,611	Hi werecow. Yes, I think you are right about the first two characters. . Attached Images

27th September 2022, 02:02 PM	#6
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,611	Peter, could you provide a full length picture of this gun? Any mark on the barrel or lock? If no marks, I'm wondering if this is a locally made copy of a French or British gun from the 19th C. Interesting that you note a possible Japanese connection mentioned by the seller. There were Japanese groups living in Thailand during the 18th and 19th C, and earlier. Last edited by Ian; 27th September 2022 at 02:18 PM. Reason: Spelling

26th September 2022, 02:21 PM	#1
werecow Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Leiden, NL Posts: 629	I think they could also be Lao numerals (but if so the picture looks like it's upside down).

26th September 2022, 07:20 PM	#3
werecow Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Leiden, NL Posts: 629	Hah, yeah, I was looking at the wrong row header in the numerals table. The first two characters might be letters; นพ.

27th September 2022, 01:51 AM	#5
werecow Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Leiden, NL Posts: 629	FWIW google translate says that นพ translates to Dr..

27th September 2022, 07:14 PM	#7
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,733	While I know little on firearms overall, it seems to me that (from what examples I can find online) the 'pistol butt' style, if you took away the 'stock' has a certain resemblance to a traditional Japanese matchlock. There was of course certain Japanese presence in SE Asia. I recall years ago finding examples of Japanese katana among swords of India. It seems in many discussions, there have been mentions of Japanese throughout these regions.