Yes, obtaining provenance info is not possible in many cases when you are buying something casually at an antiques fair, flea market, or shop because the seller may not know. And sometimes when there is a "war story" attached, there is no documentation to back up what may be just hearsay or an assumption. But you can still learn a lot from collecting these things, for instance if you notice elements that are analogous to pieces in collections that do have more or less reliable documentation. Every bit of info counts, even if it only builds a tentative conclusion that's going to be replaced by something more solid later. Are their other collectors in Portugal who specialize in these, with whom you are sharing info and insight?
That multi-barrel "trap" gun is intriguing, and rare to have survived in such condition. Too bad there aren't more images like a side view showing the length and profile of the barrels! And to show us how they were ignited. To me, a trap device is something that is triggered by the thing you want to catch/shoot, so it must stand ready to go off after who-knows-how-long a waiting time. With gonnes, the requirement for a lit matchcord makes this impractical. However, I can see this thing as being of use as a "volley gun" fired by a defender standing behind the gate as the enemy approaches.
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