Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Two Late Gothic Tiller Guns, ca. 1400-20 and 1450

Matchlock · 25th March 2012, 04:08 PM

Both are relatively light, of small-bore and easy to handle.

The first item may not have been made long after the Hussite Wars were over, mid to early second half of the 15th century.
Its wrought-iron barrel is of cylindrical round section throughout, with only slight swamping of the muzzle area, the large touch hole situated on top. As it has a hook, it was apt for both stationary and field use. The integral iron tiller terminates in a ring.
Overall length 77 cm, bore 14 mm.

The second is even smaller, and notably earlier, of ca. 1400-1420 and may be attributed to the period of the Hussite Wars. It stlll shows the early style of reinforcing the actual barrel by separate iron coating (breech scetion) and rings (central and muzzle section). The touch hole is on top and, as on most guns around 1400, of relatively small diameter. The tiller is broken off, retaining just a fragmentary portion. This was a light long gun for field use.
The surface still shows traces of original minmium (red lead) paint, so this item was originally all red instead of black and rusty like today.
Overall length, as fragmented, 30 cm, bore 24 mm.

Best,
Michael

25th March 2012, 04:08 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Two Late Gothic Tiller Guns, ca. 1400-20 and 1450 Both are relatively light, of small-bore and easy to handle. The first item may not have been made long after the Hussite Wars were over, mid to early second half of the 15th century. Its wrought-iron barrel is of cylindrical round section throughout, with only slight swamping of the muzzle area, the large touch hole situated on top. As it has a hook, it was apt for both stationary and field use. The integral iron tiller terminates in a ring. Overall length 77 cm, bore 14 mm. The second is even smaller, and notably earlier, of ca. 1400-1420 and may be attributed to the period of the Hussite Wars. It stlll shows the early style of reinforcing the actual barrel by separate iron coating (breech scetion) and rings (central and muzzle section). The touch hole is on top and, as on most guns around 1400, of relatively small diameter. The tiller is broken off, retaining just a fragmentary portion. This was a light long gun for field use. The surface still shows traces of original minmium (red lead) paint, so this item was originally all red instead of black and rusty like today. Overall length, as fragmented, 30 cm, bore 24 mm. Best, Michael Attached Images