rare Vietnamese Matchlock Long gun or Musket

 A rare Vietnamese matchlock musket, used by tribal groups in the highlands of Northern Vietnam, sometimes known as a ‘Tonkin’ gun. The matchlock fittings nicely engraved and decorated , made of brass, the characteristic butt mounted with slabs of beautifully patinated ivory/bone. The very long steel barrel of good quality, inlaid with brass and a protruding sight near the breech, held to the wooden stock with multiple silver cappucine bands. The tip has a silver mounted foresight, and a dummy steel ramrod mounted into the stock. The matchlock mechanism is loose and the trigger moves the hammer slightly but this is essentially a non-working firearm. The other side of the stock shows the firing mechanism held with two silver French IndoChine coins. This is a great original piece collected in the field north of Hanoi this year.  55 inches approximately.  south east asia, southern asia, dha, dao, burmese, montagnard, thai, rifle, firearm, oriental arms