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Old 11th December 2014, 08:43 PM   #163
Matchlock
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking
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Two very similar Bockbüchsen, both Suhl made and dated 1609, are in the Historisches Museum Bern, Switzerland. The first is struck with Suhl proof marks, the dealer's mark of Valentin Klett the Elder.
As usual with pieces of artillery, it had was given a name, Shilt (shield).
The name of the other is Hund (dog or hound).

In the same museum is another Bockbüchse with a much much more refined breechloading system.

A very similar but really unique piece of early 17th century artillery high-tech, the barrel struck with the proof mark of the city of Zella near Suhl, the date 1619 - the second year of the Thirty Years War - was preserved completely with all its accouterments, including the original ball mold.
The contemporary historic term of such a breechloading Bockbüchse was Stück zum Geschwindschießen (rapid firing piece).

It got deaccessioned by the Prince of Hohenlohe from the Princely Collection at Schloss Hohenlohe-Langenburg and entered The Michael Trömner Collection in 1989, from where it was sold via Hermann Historica, 6 October 2008.
It is now in the collection, and on exhibition, at Burg Stolpen near Dresden.
Please watch the video on line:
http://www.burg-stolpen.org/en/homepage/

Burg Stolpen was founded in the 12th century.


The attached scans are from
Rudolf Wegeli: Inventar des Bernischen Historischen Museums in Bern; Bd. IV, 1948: Fernwaffen, pp. 85ff.

Photos copyrighted by Hermann Historica and by the author.


Best,
Michael
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Last edited by Matchlock; 11th December 2014 at 09:27 PM.
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