A heavy Japanese paperweight. It is made of cast-iron. Its prolonged shape makes it great for holding down calligraphy paper. The shape imitates firearms called "tanegashima" or matchlock pistols, used in Japan since the early 16th century by foot soldiers.
It can also serve as a unique interior decoration. The surface is black. Inscribed on the back, the ideograms for "Yonezawa domain", a historical name of the region corresponding to nowadays Yamagata prefecture, where such guns were made; and "hinawajū", meaning matchlock pistol.
