A RARE PARCEL-GILT MUSKET GUN-BARREL Jiajing (3)A RARE PARCEL-GILT MUSKET GUN-BARRELJiajingCast and drilled from solid steel, the barrel of hexagonal form, the lobed and slightly flaring muzzle inlaid with a bronze front sight on the top, the long barrel cast with three raised spines between two sections of plantain leaves and lingzhi fungus cast in high-relief at two ends, the section close to the hammer cast with foliage and plantain leaves in high-relief, the motifs and muzzle in gold damascene, stands. 76cm (30in) long. (3).明嘉靖 䤹金如意蕉葉紋鳥銃鎗管 The matchlock arquebus was introduced to China through Portuguese visitors during the Jiajing period, and known as 'bird gun' (niao chong 鳥銃) or 'beak gun' (niao zui chong 鳥咀銃). The present lot is unusual, however, in being relatively shorter (76cm long) than typical 'bird guns' mentioned in records. The latter were typically five or six chi long (one chi, equal to approximately 32cm). The unusual length combined with the gilt decoration indicate that the present lot was a special commission. A barrel of similar length can be compared with a 'bird gun' in the Tower of London, circa 1600, illustrated by G.Rimer, Wheellock Firearms of the Royal Armouries, Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, 2001, p.26.The plantain-leaf patterns on the body are also typical of the Jiajing period. Compare also the ruyi-scroll pattern, with a similar example on a multi-coloured circular lacquer box with 'dragon and phoenix' design, Jiajing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Lacquer Wares of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2006, p.177, no.135. 鎗管呈六面，鎗嘴略微外侈委角成六瓣，近口沿處安銅質準星，管身起三條棱線，兩端飾浮雕如意蕉葉紋，鎗嘴及浮雕紋飾皆鎗金。此銃無照門，而中間一條脊線等同照門，與準星成一條水平線。嘉靖時一尺長32公分，此銃管長76公分，合兩尺有餘，遠短於明代中晚期文獻記載鳥銃之尺寸，後者一般長達五六尺。且本銃䤹金，似乎非一般裝備於軍中之武器。類似長度之銃管，可比較英國倫敦塔藏一件1600年左右之鳥銃，其銃管長度與本件相同，著錄於Graeme Rimer，《Wheellock Firearms of the Royal Armouries, Royal Armouries Museum》，利茲， 2001年，頁26。鳥銃，即歐洲所謂之musket，於嘉靖時期傳入中國，本銃身裝飾之靈芝蕉葉紋亦帶有濃郁嘉靖朝風格。可比較北京故宮藏一件明嘉靖剔彩龍鳳紋圓盒所飾如意卷草紋，見《元明漆器》，香港，2006年，頁177，編號135。