[Matchlock]

Attached are, from top:

two specimens scanned from Gaibi, Armi da fuoco italiane: a very fine North Italian matchlock petronel, ca. 1570, the iron parts profusely etched and gilt!
Please note the wingnut of the serpentine is pierced with a Gothic trefoil ornament that originated in Italy in the 1530's but showed up again on later pieces from time to time (Armeria Reale Torino, inv.no. M.4).
And another, no inv.no. given, also in Torino.


In 1579, Franz Hogenberg illustrated Landsknechts from Spain with their matchlock petronels, in his engraving The Surrender of Schloss Hohenlimburg (next 3 attachments).

Also by Franz Hogenberg, ca. 1595, is the colored detail from a cityscape of Rgensburg (1 att.)


Preserved at the University of Edinburgh are illustrations of ca. 1580, with mercenaries and their petronels (6 att.)


m