Mid to Late 16th Century Patrons for Paper Cartridges

[Matchlock]

The earliest patrons or cartridge containers (Patronenköcher) seem to have been made as early as the 1540's, mostly in Nuremberg but, in the 1580's, also in Brunswick and Suhl, the latter for Saxony. The earliest dated sample known is of 1554.

They all consist of a wooden body drilled out for 4-7 paper cartridges and set into an iron frame which, in some cases, covers the wooden core completely. The lid is spring loaded and there are a few iron loops for leather straps to carry the patron. The catridges were stored with the balls bound on top. For loading, the patron was grabbed at the ball and drawn out, the ball was bitten off by the musketeer's or harquebusier's teeth, the powder was filled into the barrel, the ball went after it smoothly (as it was usually of smaller caliber than the barrel it rolled down easily) and the paper was crunched up and put down the muzzle. Then the whole load was rammed down the barrel with the ramrod.

The usual number of cartridge holes of ca. 4-7 indicates that this was the average number of rounds that 16th century guns could fire before at least the touch hole, and probably the barrel as well, had to be cleaned. There are, however, some patrons known to have received as many as 11 cartdriges. Interesting enough, we do not know of one single contemporary source of illustration of a patron although they are known to have been used together with both pistols and long guns but only for 'military' and semi-military purposes (e.g. by The Royal Saxon Electors' Guardsmen (Trabanten-Leibgarde).

The iron frame was mostly blued, on the Brunswick and some Nuremberg patrons it was finely embossed, and on some highly decorated patrons it was etched and the outer side of the wooden core was sometimes inlaid with engraved bone plaques. They matched the guns in style that they were used along with.

I attach samples from my collection and from other sources.

Michael

[Matchlock]

More.

[Matchlock]

More.

[Matchlock]

More.

[Matchlock]

The rest.

m

[Matchlock]

Plus a few good items from Christie's December 2006 sale, together with the results.

Michael

[Matchlock]

The basic shape of the earliest patrons of the 1550's is of course based upon the design of the Late Gothic quivers for crossbow bolts/quarrels.

Michael

[Jim McDougall]

Completely amazing Michael!!! Up until now I had never heard of one of these, let alone ever seen one.

Sort of a medieval 'banana clip' :)


It seems that the problem of reloading, especially quickly in the heat of battle
is a dynamic that is not often considered in the historical review of many of these events. Interesting too that these 'ammunition' items kept the basic structure of the quivers for bolts or arrows.

It has been fascinating seeing the various multiple chambered firearms, and curiosa such as combination weapons with blade and gun. I think this overall review of all the interesting aspects of firearms esoterica is great as Michael continues to present here is the best, sort of a themed museum display home delivered !!! Thank you so much Michael!!!

All the best,
Jim

[Matchlock]

Hi Jim,

Thank you so much for appreciating my contributions!

I will post some more images of cartridge boxes/patrons from my collection.

All the best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

Some cartridge boxes from the reseve collection of the German Historic Museum Berlin and my collection.

The one with the bone linlays Nuremberg, ca. 1575, and the blued one with the leather covered body Suhl, ca. 1585, both in my collection.
The etched Saxon patrons dated 1587 and 1589 repectively and the paper cartridges at the GHM Berlin.

Michael

[fernando]

Fascinating material, Michael.
Thanks again and again for sharing such continuous treasures.

... the ball was bitten off by the musketeer's or harquebusier's teeth ...

I have once read that guys with missing or bad teeth, had problems in acquiring shooters jobs.

Fernando

[Matchlock]

These two etched Saxon patrons dated 1587 and 1589 repectively and the paper cartridges at the reserve collection of the German Historic Museum Berlin.

Michael

[Matchlock]

One more.

[Matchlock]

Of Nuremberg type, etched and gilt profusely.

Michael

[cornelistromp]

Of Nuremberg type, etched and gilt profusely.

Michael

Dear Michael,

absolutely beautiful display of those very rare cartridge boxes, I'm totally blown away by it.

I have one similar to the christies lot 171 you placed in this thread.
Do you know if it's made in Nurnberg, or is this difficult to tell?

kind Regards

[Matchlock]

Hi Cornelis,

I am absolutely sure that your fine patron was made either in Ausburg or Nuremberg. The style of the bone inlay corresponds exactly to that on the wheel-lock puffers and guns characteristic of the late 1570's and 1580's. The iron parts were originally blued, with some of the bluing retained on the inside of the lid of your cartridge box.

It is true that some Saxon patrons were inlaid in the same style but they all usually open by shifting a button on the underside whereas your piece opens by pressing a button on the obverse side.

You're doing very well indeed! :)

All the best,
Michael

P.S. Could you post an image of that spanner seen in the background?

[cornelistromp]

Dear Michael,

thank you for the info.
Herewith a picture of the spanner/panflask

Best regards

[Matchlock]

Hi Cornelis,

Thank you for posting that fine combined spanner and priming flask; it is in optimum patinated surface condition and was made in Nuremberg in about 1550. Would you have expected it to be as early as that?

An almost identical sample is in my collection.

I just have started a separate thread on early wheel-lock spanners and their dating:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?p=80827&posted=1#post80827

and it would be great if you attach the images of your piece there as well.

All the best,

Michael

[celtan]

Hi Michael,

We are in the process of making thousands of BP cartridges for our next reenactment. It's a labor intensive process. I was wondering who actually made these during the 17-19th Cs. Did the soldier themselves use their time making the cartridges, or was this left to the invalides who stayed serving within the garrisons? Were they made by the armourers? Were there any mechanical contraptions available to speed up the process?

Best

Manuel

[Matchlock]

Hi Manuel,

I have often thought about these issues myself.

The mere fact, however, is: there seem to exist no records on them. I think that is was the soldiers themselves that made them.

What litlle we do know is that each gun was delivered together with its bullet mold. Bores used to vary within small tolerances those days. So he who had the mold would have to cast the balls. For paper cartridges, the lug was not cut off but used to fasten the cord.

Good luck! :)

Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

Hi Manuel,

I found this old photo of a Saxon cartridge box and one original late 16th century paper cartridge taken from it. Maybe it provides some inspiration for your project.

I also attach images of original late 16th century paper cartridges in my collection.

Michael

[Pukka Bundook]

Hello Michael,

Very good pictures as always!

Like Jim, I've not seen these before.
The ball tied into the cartridge by the neck probably accounts for the many "unfinished" balls encountered, with the sprue uncut. I would never have thought of tying them in in such a manner.

In the last photos, it is interesting to see the small pouch on the front, for holding tow, to clean the barrel.

Can you account for the "foot" on these cartridge boxes?

Is it to press down upon, whilst withdrawing a cartridge?

All very interesting Michael!!

Richard.

On looking again at these boxes;
Do you think some of the more elaborate ones could have been used with target arms, and the widened base would have allowed them to be used standing on a loading bench, rather than being worn on the person?
I see there are still loops for carrying straps, so they would not be limited to bench use only.

I also observe that some with the catch on the underside could not be used in this manner.
Thanks for the pictures!

R.

[Matchlock]

Hello, Richard,

Exquisite remarks and theses as alyways.

I just beg to differ about the probable intended use of the tow in the pouch of the better quality frog; it is tow indeed but I am afraid it would just have been scattered when trying to clean the barrel with it, and would have left considerable remains on the barrel walls. May I put forward as a thesis instead that it was rather meant to be put in the barrel after the powder and under caliber rolling (!) ball - with the whole load then rammed down with a few strokes of the rod, thus preventing the ball from rolling out of the muzzle when firing down a hillside, e.g.?

The same function has been generally attributed to the paper of a paper cartridge.

That brings us back to the patrons or cartridge boxes.

We do not know anything about their possible use with target guns but usually the bore of their drilled holes is considerably bigger than the usual target bores. Also, their main purpose was rapid loading which as far as I know was never considered to be preeminent in target shooting.

Their widened basis, in my opinion, just seems to have made it easier putting it on a table and inserting the cartridges. As the wood inside the drillings is quite rough we should assume that the actual cartridge bore was slighty below that of the box, otherwise the paper would have been torn open or the tied in ball ripped off. This would, to me, also exclude using pressure or force in withdrawing the cartriges.

As I have tried to show above, I just think that their general shape followed that of the former Gothic bolt quiver; please remember quivers originally had leather lids, too (almost all of them missing now). From ca. the 1520's, we have sources of illustration of harquebusiers's powder flasks which were also based on the basic triangular quiver shape.

I attach the only known source of illustration depicting a cartridge box and the way it was worn by its bearer. It is from an epitaph of ca. 1580.

Michael

[Pukka Bundook]

Hello Michael,

Thank you for answeing my questions, and for the added pictures.

It seems for everything we learn, we have two more questions!
These patrons are something else I'd like to try making.

Regarding the tow for cleaning a barrel Michael, I am afraid I must beg to differ. In the 18th, 19th, and 20th century, tow has been used for cleaning barrels. (before that time I do not know)
I still have two fairly large rolls that belonged to my grandfather.

To clean a muzzle-loading gun, it is wound onto a tow-worm or a cleaning jag, and when wrapped on tightly, it does a very nice job of cleaning, and does not leave debris behind. I still clean my flint and matchlock gun with it.

I can not say that the tow in the pouch was indeed for cleaning, or for use as wadding though, so you may well be spot on in your belief!

Thank you for sharing these wonderfully ancient and fascinating items with us all. They are another small window into another age!

with best wishes,

Richard.

[celtan]

Hi Guys,

Tow was also used to remove the residues from the pan and flint after ever 4 to 5 shots, otherwise the left-behind goo would prevent the BP in the pan from igniting. We still use it for this very same purpose.

Best

M

BTW: Nice tomb statue...

Hello Michael,

Thank you for answeing my questions, and for the added pictures.

It seems for everything we learn, we have two more questions!
These patrons are something else I'd like to try making.

Regarding the tow for cleaning a barrel Michael, I am afraid I must beg to differ. In the 18th, 19th, and 20th century, tow has been used for cleaning barrels. (before that time I do not know)
I still have two fairly large rolls that belonged to my grandfather.

To clean a muzzle-loading gun, it is wound onto a tow-worm or a cleaning jag, and when wrapped on tightly, it does a very nice job of cleaning, and does not leave debris behind. I still clean my flint and matchlock gun with it.

I can not say that the tow in the pouch was indeed for cleaning, or for use as wadding though, so you may well be spot on in your belief!

Thank you for sharing these wonderfully ancient and fascinating items with us all. They are another small window into another age!

with best wishes,

Richard.

[Pukka Bundook]

Quite right, Celtan.

Cleaning the barrel isn't the only use for tow, Use as wadding, and for general cleaning was common....and still is as you state.

Cheers,

Richard.

[Matchlock]

Hi Manuel and Richard,

Of course you are both right, but I forgot to mention that the tow in the pouch of my frog consists of many short fibers, each only ca. 5 cm (2 in.) long.

Best,

Michael

[Pukka Bundook]

Ah! Thank you Michael.
That Does make a difference!!

Probably wadding then as you alrady stated. Would be much easier to pluck out a small wad of it, than if it were in long strands.

Thanks again for the photos!

R.

[Matchlock]

Hello Richard,

Interesting enough, I sometimes extracted wadding plugs and felt plugs out of some loaded smoothbore flintlock barrels over the decades. They were placed on top of the ball to obviously keep it from rolling out.

In 17th century loaded military barrels I sometimes discovered very fragile wadding pieces from newspapers or books, especially in wheel-lock pistols. They may have been used to form the paper cartridges. A few torn and crumbled pieces of printed paper I found in an untouched leather holster for a long wheel-lock pistol of ca. 1620; the text was German, printed in early 17th century types, with the date 1621 clearly visible. This must have been from a paper cartridge because it contained traces of black powder and was found on the bottom of a lateral compartment containing a wooden block drilled for four paper cartriges, the wood heavily damaged and with considerable remains of black powder on the inside walls.

Even for me who has actually seen and handled a great lot of unique things, this was so unbelievable that I made a photo documentation (sadly not of the paper fragments) which I attach. The length of the holster was 64 cm, the caliber of the bores ca. 12 mm each.

This considered, I now doubt myself that those short strands of tow were actually used as a wadding because the paper of the cartridges would have served that purpose. I think that Manuel's thesis is more convincing than my own and that tow was used for cleaning the priming pan of the match- or wheel-lock musket.

Extremely demanding, these discussions, thank you so much! :) ;) :)

With all my best wishes,
Michael

[Matchlock]

The rest.

[Matchlock]

... for officers of the Trabanten-Leibgarde (bodyguards) of the Electors of Saxony, ca. 1580.
As you may have noticed on one on the samples in my collection, all Saxon patrons open by a shift button on the underside while Nuremberg or Ausgburg productions open by a push button on the front.

Photos taken by the author in the collection of famous Burg Eltz.

m

[Matchlock]

For comparison with the items in the previous post, I repost my fine Suhl made Saxon patron of ca. 1580, which features the same shifting knob opening mechanism installed in the bottom mount.

m

[Matchlock]

Another etched Saxon patron, identically equal to my sample posted in the previous thread in both form and workmanship, apart from the etching and the fact that the wooden body of my piece is not stamped in imitation of natural staghorn but leather covered.
This one is dated 1587 and numbered 'NUMERI 23', for guardsman #23.

Best,
m

[Matchlock]

The remaining images.

m

[Matchlock]

This beautiful etched patron of earliest type, datable to ca. 1550-60 on the grounds of the style of its etching, its formal criteria and the fact that instead of the usual loops for leather strings found on other patrons, this one features a straight belt hook which is punched with the Gothic trefoil decoration.
It was sold Christie's, 12 December 2006.

I posted it here before but now I found almost his pair in the Saxon Electoral Armories in Dresden (attached). Thus both can be attrributed to the guard of the Elector August of Saxony.

It is also comparable to the etched and gilt patron dated 1559 in the Musée de l'Armée in Paris, see post #14.

The last attachment shows the belt hook of a powder flask dated 1552, originally belonging to Pfalzgraf Ottheinrich; its belt hook is very similar in both shape and decoration.

m

[Piotr M. Zalewski]

Dear Colleagues!
I am a restorator of antiques in National Museum in Warsaw, I specialize in metal objects and miscellaneous materials, but beside of this, I work to prepare to doctorate in art and military technique. My subject is about origin of Polish cavalry cartridge box (pouche). It means that I am looking for objects similar to, for example Lancer cartage box from Napoleon period, but from XVIIth or even XVIth century, Of course I know that it was in use others pouches & webbing patterns to carry ammunition, but I am very poor in this information. I have got all information about objects from Polish’s museums but it is not enough. In hope to find more information. Do you know anything about cartridge boxes from XVIIth century similar to these I present on my photos?
Looking forward for reply,
mgr Piotr M. Zalewski
Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie
On phothos you can see my copy (as a matter of fact it is reconstruction ) of polish National Cavalry cartige box for "Towarzysz" (nobil man in service as a private in cavalry) in use 1786-1791.

[fernando]

Welcome to the forum Piotr,
I hope you find some answers to your question; surely if there are members familiar with this subject, they will soon post their comments :cool: .

[Piotr M. Zalewski]

Thank you for invitation!
I have forgot to write, that on phothos you can see my copy(as a matter of fact it is reconstruction) of polish National Cavalry cartige box for "Towarzysz" (nobil-private) from 1786-1791.
Piotr M. Zalewski

[fernando]

Great work :cool:

[M ELEY]

Welcome to the Forum, Piotr! Always good to have an expert in their field posting here!

[Matchlock]

This the shape of a typical High Gothic quiver for quarrels/crossbow bolts; its basic form with the straight sides strongly influenced the earliest trapezoid powder flasks and, for the complete short span of time of their production, which was only from ca. 1550-1590, the rare patrons for paper cartridges.

First quiver in the Bavarian Army Museum Ingolstadt, the second, with the concavely curved sides, in a private collection.
Author's photoographs.


m

[Matchlock]

For an extremely fine, early (ca. 1550) and highly unusual patron combining various functions both technical and mechanical in one single device, please see

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15278

m

[Matchlock]

Please also see my threads on wheellock spanners 1520-1650:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=9319&highlight=wheel-lock+spanners

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10210&highlight=wheel-lock+spanners

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17500&highlight=wheellock+spanners

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7540&highlight=wheel-lock+spanner


Best,
Michael

[Piotr M. Zalewski]

Dear Matchlock!
I admire your knowlage so may be you will know anything about such objects, I have seen in Viena Arsenal Museum. I had asked them, but they said me that this cartridge pouches (which for me looks as polish onces) are withougt history. About sabre with cartridge I had know that it is from Grace Museum.
Can you help? As I had written you in private mesage I am writting a doctorate work about origin of "polish cartridge pouch" so any information I need is very important for me.
Looking forward....
With best regards...
Piotr M. Zalewski

[Matchlock]

Dear Piotr,


Thank you so much for your kind words, they made me blush!

Let's get serious though: actually, admiration is not at all what I deserve. Having dedicated more than 35 years of my life solely to the studies of a section of historical weaponry almost completely neglected so far, I feel obliged to be able and clarify with authority literally any question, as well as produce actual samples to back up my statement.
If it were not so I would have to regard myself as a flash in the pan -to abide by the matchlock image (I do like this pun :eek::cool: ).

Concerning your query, I leafed through my 280,000+ analog photo archives for hours until I finally managed to come up with the samples attached. I took them at the Graz Armory (Landeszeughaus) in Styria, Southern Austria, and at the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum (Army Museum) in Vienna.
Depicted are so-called Fuhrmann-Dusäggen (carters' tessaks), ca. 1580-90, meaning Austria manufactured sabers the scabbards of which are combined with a patron. The latter consists of a core of tin-plated sheet divided in an average of 5 soldered cylindrical compartments for paper cartridges. This tinned iron patron was covered with thin leather and formed an integral part of the scabbard locket (German: Mundblech).

For today, and to make your mouth water, I attached a few photos of Styrian Dusäggen in the Graz Armory..
Of course, I will digitalize and post more soon.


Best,
Michael

[Piotr M. Zalewski]

Dear Matchlock,
Thank you for information. Could you tell me what type of firearms they use?
Piotr M. Zalewski

[Matchlock]

Dear Piotr,


Be patient! ;)
And please call me Michael.

I will add a lot more photos, and of course I will try and find out about the guns that originally belonged to these sabres, the scabbard/sheath of each fitted with a cartridge bag each. Both the sabers and the firearms formed the armament of the Styrian carters from about 1560-90.
The leather cartridge bag of the scabbard of each saber held a tinned iron tinned-iron cartridge container consisting of five caliber-size tubes soldered together.

The Michael Trömner Collection holds such an original cartridge bag retaining its tinned-iron cartridge box, and all preserved in fine, virtually ‘untouched’ condition for some 440 years. The inner width of each small tube is 14 mm, corresponding to .55 caliber. In the late 16th century, this was regarded as rather ‘small bore’ whereas it was the most common inner diameter of the barrels of both matchlock and wheellock arquebuses from ca. 1500-1560. My sample still even holds considerable traces of black powder as fine as meal powder – and an original paper cartridge! According to my experiences, black powder from that period will not even burn any more, let alone explode.As black powder was not grained yet in those days, the three components – sulphur, saltpeter and charcoal – have demixed long since and got moist over the centuries. See attachments in the following post.

I remember purchasing that bag from the German dealer Dieter Schempp, at an antique weapons show in Stuttgart in the early 1990's. At 980 Deutsche Mark/490 euros, it was all but cheap for such a small object; I was aware, though, of the fact that that little piece was an extreme rarity and purchased it right away.
It was to turn out that I acted right for I have never come across the like of it ever since. That guy Schempp, who lived near the Bodensee, often sold objects that came from the Graz armory; as I was the one collector he usually offered these things first I acquired most of my Graz related pieces of accouterment from him, and for more than 30 years.

The fact is known among old and skilled collectors that in the 1970’s and 1980’s, a member of the staff of the Graz Landeszeughaus took lots of items – all not documented and photographed at that time – from the reserve collection/depot rooms and sold them, right after closing time of the Graz museum, to a tiny group of three or four Austrian collectors who regularly met at a nearby Gasthaus. A great collector, and long-time friend of mine who lived in Linz/Austria, told me all about it, he, too, acquired a lot of items that way. Sadly he died a few weeks ago. Of course, all those objects were sold for a song, like a supper and a few pints of beer.
Apart from that, the Graz armory/Joanneum officially sold hundreds of pieces of all kinds of weapons, armor and accouterments on various occasions; they also still trade in pieces from the Landeszeughaus/Joanneum depots when collectors offer them an item they are interested in but cannot buy it.
My friend Armin König and I eye-witnessed that fact in September 2005 when the Graz curators Dr. Muchitsch and Dr. Toifl were willing to trade in many objects, among them a short cast-bronze Late Gothic handgonne. I still keep their emails inviting us and stating their willingness to trade and swap items from their collections.

That is a story of its own, though; so let us get back to those cartridge bags.
I do not know if Graz holds any records identifying the sort of guns the Styrian carters employed but they must have been short wheellock arquebuses. Attached find images of such a wheellock arquebus, ca. 1580-90, and preserved at the Graz armory.

Enjoy the photos, as they depict details which hardly anybody has ever been given the chance to detect - or has cared to before I started doing research in such far-out things. Thanks to internet publishing, now we can study each and every little detail magnified and zoomed up to a multiple of its actual size! This quality just cannot be matched by any kind of traditional print media, not matter what book, journal article or catalog!


Best,
Michael Trömner

[Matchlock]

Here is a Nuremberg manufactured wheellock arquebus of the 1580's to ca. 1590.
It should be considered as the characteristic type of short wheellock gun that would seem ideal for Styrian carters, together with their sabers; its caliber of 13.6 mm excactly fits the inner diameter (14 mm) of the cartridge containers wrought integrally with the scabbards.
The saddle ring mounted opposite of the lock denotes that it was employed by a horseman, probably one of the armed riders escorting the carts.
Landeszeughaus Graz, inv.no. RG 10.
Scans from:
Robert Brooker: Radschloss Sammlung (sic!) - Wheellock Collection. Landeszeughaus Graz, Austria, 2007, p.319.


The long iron finial of the wooden ramrod threaded for a worm or scourer is an early feature that, in some instances, was tradionally kept until the end of the 16th century; it emerges first in about 1530 when wooden ramrods were often fitted with iron finals to both ends.
A very fine, long (1.63 m overall) and elegantly designed sniper's wheellock musket of ca. 1590, in the Italian manner but obviously made at an Augsburg workshop, and preserved in almost mint condition, is in The Michael Trömner Collection and will be introduced in a thread of its own.
Attached at the bottom are three images which I took in my collection on 19 June 2014.

This extraordinary and outstanding musket comes from the amory at the Fortress Hohensalzburg from where it was deaccessioned illegally (to say the least), together with literally thousands of all kinds of weapons, by the museum's director Dr. Albin Rohrmoser, in 1986-89. Right on dectection, he shot himself. Nevertheless the Salzburg museum Carolino Augusteum was scandalized because some people know the facts, and my analog photos are documents.

I photographed the reserve collection just a few days before its disposal; there was literally heaps of guns and long pikes all of which, so I was told by a staff member, got readied to be collected by some dealers the next day.
Dieter Mayer, who lives in Neuötting, Bavaria, eyewitnessed everything I am telling.

Attached to the following post find two photos I took - two, out of 200+ ...
I definitely know the people involved. For years thereafter, sheer masses of Salzburg arsenal arms and accouterments kept floating the market, including international sales houses like Christie's London, Galerie Fischer Lucerne and Hermann Historica Munich, e.g.

- some 60 combined wheellock and matchlock muskets, Suhl, ca. 1665-70, their butt stocks all drilled! for crude attachment to the wall by long screws, all done in the early 20th century; when I attended the Carolino Augusteum in Salzburg first on 8 November 1987, on the walls of the aisle to the bureaus of the museum staff I noticed old b/w photos depicting the early 20th c. display - with a long row of those muskets screwed to the walls!
One of them has been in The Michael Trömner Collection since April 1988, when I bought it from Franz Christof in Greding, Bavaria; both he and Georg Britsch had acquired hundreds of firearms deaccessioned from Salzburg only weeks ago from another dealer, Werner Mewes, Ulm:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14071&highlight=combined+wheellock+matchlock


- mid-16th century long pikes, the iron heads retaining almost all their original bluing!, and mounted on their original ash wood hafts (original length ca. 6 meters, and cut down to 4.60-4.80 meters in the 1st haf of the 17th century; I purchased my two fine specimens at Christie's sale on 19 September 1990, lots 47 and 48, and they have been in The Michael Trömner Collection ever since:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7123&highlight=pikes+christie%27s

- musket rests with their original fir wood hafts painted red, the iron forks and pointed shoes both preserving either their original case-hardened or blackended finish, and still retaining their Salzburg inventory brass tags
Also attached to the following post are three photos of a Thirty Years War musket rest which I took in the Salzburg depot at the Fortress Hohenwerfen on 8 Nov 1988 - only 2 months before I was offered, and bought, that very same item doubtlessly identifiable by its brass inventory tag!


- finely decorated Nuremberg manufactured patrons/cartridge boxes from the very same series delivered to the Graz armory in 1577-78. I won my sample at Christie's sale of The Eugen Nielsen Collection, 31 March 1993, lot 176; it represents the top quality officers version adorned with dozens of tiny brass studs all shaped like strars. The Graz armory holds the only other two samples I have ever come across, inv.nos. PK 15 and PK 18; cf. Brooker, p. 625 - cf. previous post, and my posts #1 and 10 - right above in the thread you are reading at this moment:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8540&highlight=patrons+cartridge+boxes+nuremberg


Although some stylistic features of the Graz arquebus in discussion can be found with guns dating from ca. 1570 in general the author is convinced that this Styrian arsenal specimen should not be dated any earlier than ca 1580.
Its latest feature is definitely the bridle (German: Studel) bridging the arms of the dog spring as well as the leaf spring of the safety catch, and securing both of them to two screws simultaneously.

The earliest known wheellock featuring an external bridle to the dog spring is an unusually long combined wheellock and snap-tinderlock musket of ca. 1570, the bridle! to the spring of the tinder holder dated 1574.
According to the Schloss Dyck inventory, that fine and most likely Nuremberg manufactured gun measured 2.45 m overall.
Cf. Max v. Ehrenthal: Die Waffensammlung des Fürsten Salm-Reifferscheidt zu Schloss Dyck, Leipzig, 1906, no.111, p.18.

That piece was probably a paramilitary sniper's gun, its barrel providing long range performance by its length of 211 cm. It was sold Christie's London, as part of the whole Armory of Their Serene Highnesses the Princes von Salm-Reifferscheidt at Schloss Dyck: Part II, 23 Sept. 1992, lot 388.
See attachments to this post.

The bridle to the dog spring of that musket may be considered to be an original Nuremberg technical innovation of the early 1570's, and as an amendment added to this specimen in 1574. This would also account for the unprecedented fact of dating such a tiny part as a bridle.
According to his more than 35 years of research studies, the author defines the long tubular slotted rear sight called 'unusual' in the catalog description, to form - together with the triangular bone inlays of the stock - another stylistic and technical criterion for limiting the time line of dating this gun to ca. 1555-1575, which would generally mean 'ca. 1565-70'.
The long tubular rear sight originated in the 1550's. As the gun combines both traditional and most current elements for post-1570, the date 1574 struck on the bridle definitely marks the year of manufacturing.

The decisive fundamental principle for correctly dating any item, defined first by the author is the most recent/latest stylistic, formal and technical feature found on any object.
Working life alterations and adaptions basically have to be considered of course, and are especially typical of arsenal arms that were kept in working order, and ready to be used in case of an emergency over centuries.
E.g., in the former arsenal at the Fortress Hohenwerfen near Salzburg, Austria, sold at auction in New York in 1927, there were a few Late Gothic haquebut barrels dating from ca. 1490-1500, the stocks probably 16th to 17th century, and transformed to percussion in the mid-19th century!
Cf. sales catalog The Great Historical Collection of Arms & Armour: the Entire Contents of the Armoury, Fortress Hohenwerfen near Salzburg, Austria; Inherited & Augmented by H.I.&R.H. Archduke Eugen, F.M. Anderson Galleries, N.Y., 22nd February through 5th March 1927, lots 583 and 584, p.94;
these two lots sold again, with one of them illustrated:
Sotheby's N.Y., 1 June 1991, lot 420.
Original copies of both catalogs in the author's 3,000+ volume library.



Best,
Michael Trömner

[Matchlock]

Attachments:

- ... close-ups of my long and higly elegant marksman's wheellock musket, Augsburg, in the Italian manner, ca. 1590; note that the original ash wood ramrod is fitted with an iron finial to either end: the one at the fore end reflecting the bulbous style of the muzzle section whereas the longer, rearward finial is internally threaded for a worm or scourer:



- two photos I took of a heap of long guns and pikes at the arms depot of the Fortress Hohensalzburg, Salzburg, Austria, all ready to be deaccessioned; 8 Nov 1987

- three photos of a Thirty Years War musket rest, the fir wood haft characteristically painted red, and with the iron parts retaining all of their original blackened finish; together with many similar specimens, it was removed retaining its Salzburg brass inventory tag shortly after I photographed it on 8 Nov 1987


m

[Matchlock]

.

[fernando]

The following pictures should have been uploaded in post #45 but, for some reason, Piotr couldn't manage to do it.
Please consider them por your comments, as he kindly requests.

.

[Matchlock]

Hi Nando and Piotr,


These images undoubtedly depict a load or patron/paper cartridge belt (German: Ladungs- oder Papierpatronen-Gurt) comprising a patron/cartridge bag, with a wooden core drilled for ten paper cartridges covered with ooze or chamois leather (German: lohgares oder Sämischleder), and curved to fit the waist.
This is an extremely rare instance of ammunition related accouterment for Austrian and German musketeers and calivermen, ca. mid to late 17th century/post-Thirty Years War (1618-48), which has not been noted by historic weaponry before today.
Actually, the author signing this post is the first researcher to ever define, and herewith publish, this piece of accouterments.

The images in the previous posts, obviously copyrighted by Piotr :cool:;) - thanks a lot Piotr: you sure did a GREAT JOB! - , and posted by Nando ;) - thanks as well Nando, my friend! - , were taken in the exhibition rooms of the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum (Army museum) Wien/Vienna, Austria.

Attached to this post and the following, find photos of the very same items, taken by the author in the show rooms of the same Vienna museum, and by special appointment, on 12 July 1990.
Besides a leather hat for a musketeer, the attachments also include some singular and original ... century Austrian test fabric samples of raw linnen which the soldiers standardized garments were made of - all of them perfectly documented by enlarged copies of excerpts from the original archived documents on these fabric samples.

The next in line attachments introduce
another very rare sample of a late 17th c. German or Austrian load or cartridge waist belt, the wooden core drilled for 20! paper cartridges, and the outside of the bag's leather blind-tooled with a lozenge pattern (German: blindgeprägtes Leder); German private collection:
- 2 attachments

and some fine ca. 1680-1700 Dutch/North Western Germany type of patron/cartridge bags; author's photographs of 6 June 1987 taken in the exhibition rooms at the Emden Rüstkammer (The Emden historic armory) in Ostfriesland:
- 2 attachments

Those patron/cartridge bags were most probably used along with one of the latest types of matchlock or wheellock muskets, including combined versions of these igniting systems.
For the latter type of 17th century 'high tech' infantry long guns/muskets please cf.
a fine ca. 1665-70 Suhl made Austrian combined wheellock and matchlock musket in The Michael Trömner Collection, coming straight from the former reserve collection/depot of the Fortress Hohensalzburg, mainly via the dealer Werner Mewes, Ulm/Germany; also involved were Georg Britsch sen. and Franz Christof, and together with many other amost identical muskets all representing the very same model manfuctured in Suhl/Thuringia and delivered to German, Austrina and Swiss arsenals:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14071&highlight=combined+wheellock+matchlock+Suhl+Austri a

As I stated in post #49 above, literally thousands of weapons of all sorts were illegaly 'deaccessioned' from the reserve collection/depot located on the Fortress Hohensalzburg/Austria in 1987-9.


Those patron/cartridge bags in discussion may have been used together with early type combined flintlock and matchlock infantry muskets of ca. 1670-80 as well, though.

Attached are author's photos of caracteristic samples preserved in the Graz Landeszeughaus (Styrian arsenal); these photographs were taken on 9 July 1987 and 3 September 1990.
- 1 image attached at the bottom of this post, illustrating the Graz museum arrangement of wheellock pistols, scabbards and patrons/cartridge boxes.

For all other attachments please see my following posts.


Alas, this group of 1680's Suhl manufactured muskets is incorrectly termed, and defined as belonging to the almost mythic MONTECUCCOLI system - by the present Graz museum staff.
I have sufficient proof to state that the Graz curators succeeding in office to Dr. Peter Krenn, all have neglected the obvious fact that all the combined flintlock and matchlock Suhl muskets in both the arsenal collections of the Graz Landeszeughaus and the Vienna Heeresgeschichtliches Museum are actually far from deserving to be termed as 'MONTECUCCOLI' muskets ...


As the author has stated various times, The Michael Trömner Collection is the only collection known to hold a true sample of the legendary M 1666 MONTECUCCOLI type, coming straight from the arsenal of The Counts von Stauffenberg, and preserved in optimum original condition overall.
I won it phone bidding at SOTHEBY's London sale of 10 July 2002, lot 242 - cf. my thread:

1666: The MONTECUCCOLI musket - a MYTH Verified! And Common Type Combined Flintlock and Matchlock Suhl Made Muskets, 1680's:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?p=172119#post172119

The only other type of military type contemporary with these patron/cartridge bags are earliest Germanic/Suhl manufactured types of flintlock infantry muskets of ca. 1700-20.
- Attached are images I took of such guns preserved in the Graz Landeszeughaus (Styrian arsenal).


Best,
Michael/Michl
Michael Trömner

[Matchlock]

..

[Matchlock]

...

[Matchlock]

,

[Piotr M. Zalewski]

Theory and a short history of the POLISH CARTRIDGE BOX ( ŁADOWNICA POLSKA)

A Polish cartridge box (ładownica Polska) is a type a box made of wood
and metal, covered by material or leather with an arm belt and a
leather or a material lid with an added metal plate. It is similar to
cartridge boxes used by XVIII/XIX cavalry.
As that I know, it appeared at the end of XVI century or at the
beginning of XVII century during Polish Ottoman war at the Polish
territories, that constitute present-day Ukraine. Turkey and their
allied Crimean Tartars constantly attacked Polish borders. There were
also similar incursions from Moscow and Moldova. Polish army of the
period consisted of a small, albeit a well trained infantry and
artillery as well as more numerous cavalry. Due to a mobile nature, the
cavalry constituted a primary and most efficient arm at the vast and
empty territories of Ukraine.
During XVI century, conquest of the neighbouring territories was a
primary object of the West-European wars (seizure of castles/towns
etc). In case of the Kingdom of Poland, protection of the vast
territories against enemy invasion was most important. There was plenty
of land for everyone, and there was no need for territorial expansion.
The Kingdom needed peace. Therefore physical elimination of the enemy
forces constituted a main task of the Polish army and its commanders .
It is not well known that there were a lot of firearms during the
period. Polish units protecting the border, by standards of the day,
had a considerable firepower. A standard tactic, was to move quickly,
attack with sabres and lances, defend on foot with fire arms. Since the
wagons would slow-down the movement, the army moved with personal
equipment and ammunition. Therefore Polish Cartridge boxes carried 10
to 20 and more cartridges each.
A paper cartridge was well known in XVI century. For example during
battle at Byczyna (24.01.1588) between Polish and Austrian forces,
commanded respectively by Jan Zamoyskiand Maxymilian III Habsburg (a
pretender to Polish Crown), Polish army capture a lot of ammunition
cartridges. There were black-powder manufactures spread all over
Kingdom (sulphur i saltpetre was on place). There were also numerous paper
manufactures in southern Poland (paper from Poland was exported to
Hungary, Moscow). In effect there was a significant supply of a
“second class” paper. So called “gray paper” or “packing paper”. There
were also a good supply of a higher quality paper from printing
offices (during Reformation and Contr Reformation different Churches
printed a lot of books and other publications). Leftovers from the
printing process were used to produce cartridges.
There is a confirmed information about a Polish cartridge box in
diaries from the period of a Polish occupation of Kremlin in Moscow
from 1612. Next there is a cartridge box listed in a document produced
after death of a craftsman in 1618. There are also municipal tax
regulations dated 1626 in Lublin which provides information on prices
and description of different types of Polish cartridge boxes –Ładownica.
There is also a numerous iconography presenting Polish cartridge boxes
from the period: at the tomb of Hetman (i.e. general) Żółkiewski in Żółkiew (present day Ukraine) dated: after 1621- before 1635,


Another in Tarłowo church (ca 1645-50).
In both bas-reliefs there is an earlier and a simple type of Ładownica – with short cover and without metal plate on front.

Next, there are objects from Beresteczko (28.06-10.07.1651)
battlefield, where Polish army defeated Cossack rebels. During the
second half of XVII century Ładownica, which was originally a simple,
rough and ordinary utility object, became and expensive, part of an
army equipment, which confirmed material status of the owner. The
process started during the rule of the King Jan III Sobieski and Viena
Victory in 1683. The fact that there is a few luxury objects dated end
of XVII century (e.g. in Swedisch collection of the goods stolen
during the Swedish invasion / so called “Potop Szwedzki” or a Swedish
deluge) there are no objects such as Ładownica confirms low value of
such objects during the period. In comparison Ładownice (cartidge
boxes) from end of XVII and beginning of XVIII c. were decorated in the
same style as sabres of the Polish nobles (a mix of western barocco
style and the eastern splendour).

In western Europe this type of cartridge box appeared after 30-Years
War, when Polish light-horse cavalry (so called Lisowczycy) served in
the Habsburg army, in German states, Hungary and even France. I
believe that they exported the invention.
Till know knowledge about origin of such part of webbing as Cartridge
box was very limited. There is no sufficient Polish literature on the
subject. There are only 4 articles including mine. Prof. Zdzisław
Żygulski jun. published the most important book about arms and armour
in Poland in 1982. The book says that a paper cartridge was invented
in Spain at the end of XVI century and that King of Sweden, Gustavus
Adolphus introduced cartridge to the army service. I repeated this
information in my first text on the origin of cartridge boxes of
National Cavalry in 1990. At present, I believe that this information
was misleading
.

[Matchlock]

In the Landeszeughaus Graz is an exact equivalent to the cartrigde box in the author's collection discussed in thread #10.
It shows the very same decoration with tiny star-shaped brass nails encircling the bone inlays. On almost other patrons from the same series delivered to the Graz arsenal, there are no nails.

It is the author's thesis is that the ones with the additional star-shaped nails were for officers.

Unlike the dating Robert Brooker suggested - ca. 1580-90 - the Graz arsenal records prove that this group of cartridge boxes definitely was part of the Nuremberg deliveries in 1577-78, so an exact date of two years is provided.

Scans are from Robert Brooker: Eine Radschloss-Sammung/A Wheellock Collection, Graz, 2007.

Best,
Michael


Atts.:
- the patron in the author's collection

- the equivalent in the Landeszeughaus Graz

Both came from the same series delivered to the Graz armory from Nuremberg in 1577-78, together with
wheellock puffers and other pieces of accouterment.

For some precious Saxon powder flasks, please see:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=19395

[Matchlock]

An early sample of a patron/cartridge box, ca. 1560-65, is in the reserve colletion of the Metroplitan Museum of Art, N.Y.,
see top two attachments.

Its edged construction is similar to the finely etched sample shown in post #42.

The following b/w att. is a scan of an old photograph showing various types of patrons and a round flask, from the 1560's to the 1580's, from the collections of the Historisches Museum Dresden, the Rüstkammer.

Re-attached find a third sample from that Nuremberg made group of patrons, all of them ca. 1560, is in the Musée de l'Armée, Paris; with its etched and fire-gilt decoration it is the finest known. It is also important for historic weaponry because it is dated 1559; inv.no. M 21138 - cf. post #14.

The bottom att. presents a but finely etched and edged patron of ca. 1550 in the Bargello, Firenze, from post #42, similar to the one in att.#1.


Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

The one on top was sold Bonhams, 29.7.2009.

The two others Saxon, in the Dresden Rüstkammer.

[Matchlock]

A very unusual combined cartridge box/patron and powder flask, and with an addintional small compartment of unknown purpose, possibly for a worm and scourer for cleaning and clearing the barrel. The 9 tubes for paper cartridges are of tinned iron.
Probably ca. 1560-80, in the Landeszeughaus Graz, inv.no. 546/7.

The two bottom atts. depict a paper cartridge in the Graz arsenal, recovered from the barrel of alate 17th century flintlock musket!

All color scans from Robert Brooker: Eine Radschoß-Sammlung - A Wheellock Collection. Graz, 2008;
the b/w scans from Peter Krenn: Die Handfeuerwaffen des österreichischen Soldaten. Graz, 1986;
the three color photos copyrighted by the author, 1986.

Enjoy.

Best,
Michael

[Piotr M. Zalewski]

I wonder when, where and how was the paper cartridge inwented. My second question is about Saxon/Landsknecht cartrige box how it heppened that it was not established in others countries, or may be it was?
Can someone explain ?

[Marcus den toom]

My newest addition, a leather combined cartridge holder and powderflask.
Similar to the one posted by Michael (post 60). It is in fine condition with very little loss on the leather or overall structure.
The powderflask was most likely used for the fine meal powder which was inserted into the powderpan.

[midelburgo]

I wonder when, where and how was the paper cartridge inwented. My second question is about Saxon/Landsknecht cartrige box how it heppened that it was not established in others countries, or may be it was?
Can someone explain ?

Spanish Artillery researcher Jorge Vigon attributes gun paper cartridges directly to Henri II of France. But IIRC, catholics complained of protestants Landsknechts using latin bibles for cartridges at the sack of Rome 1527.

[Triarii]

Does anyone know the purpose of the rim at the base of the patrons? Talking to C17th cavalry reenactors, including one who worked at the Royal Armouries, they hadn't determined if it was functional or just stylistic.