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Originally Posted by rickystl
Hi Philip.
Yes, it does speak volumes that in the case of the Ottoman guns the barrel was considered the only item of value in the later use of sporing arms. Curious. Of course. the English and French have always prefered the use of the true flintlock over the miquelet.
This lock refinement my be a subject for a new Thread? Don't know how many would be interested ? LOL. What do you think?
Rick
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Hi, Rick
True, although let's consider the perhaps greater number of remounted Ottoman barrels that are encountered on Austrian, German, and Italian sporting guns. And the surprising popularity of the Spanish-style patilla lock in all these areas. In the case of Italy it's obvious since the southern half of the peninsula was long tied to Spain for political reasons through the 18th cent. But I've also noticed, in large collections of 17th-early 18th cent. sporting guns sold at auction in Europe, that German- or Austrian-made miquelets show up more frequently than you'd expect. (the piece that I shared pics with you privately was by no means an anomaly). Look closely at the locks on these guns and you see stylistic elements that are purely Germanic, such as acorn-shaped jaw screw finials replacing the familiar ring, and also rearward extensions of the top jaw that serve as thumb rests to make cocking easier. It's obvious on all these that although you occasionally find recycled Ottoman barrels, no Turkish locks were similarly reused.
Let's also not neglect the connection between south Germany and Spain in terms of gunmaking technology and talent. The wheellock most likely came to Iberia via immigrant German gunmakers like the Marcuartes (Markwardt). One of the most outstanding Spanish smiths during the miquelet era was Nicholás Bamproyssen y Bis, who was half-German. (During his career as gunsmith to Felipe V, he devised the technique of forging barrels from the extremely ductile iron of Viscayan horseshoes).
Lastly, I'd like to point out the appearance of the miquelet-type external spring and transverse sears on French and Austrian locks made for breechloading guns; the system was apparently favored over the "true" flintlock in these applications because minimal wood had to be inletted for the mechanism in a design whose stock was already compromised to make room for the pivoting barrel.
Re your suggestion, yes! a discussion on refinements and improvements to miquelet locks would be most welcome, perhaps on the European Armoury board.