Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Matchlock · 27th February 2014, 06:09 PM

Hi Nando,

I cannot say much more on this specimen than this: it was apparently made in the first half of the 19th century and widely used by dealers and shooters alike in order to test the quality of black powder. The toothed wheel is scaled to indicate the degree of intensity/quality at the time of explosion of the powder.

You say that you have mostly known similar tools with pistol grips so far. This may be due to the fact that most of them were table lighters for private use at home, most of them equiped with flintlock mechanisms.

Attached please find images of a flintlock table lighter for ignition of a matchcord, first half 18th c., another for igniting a candle, English, mid-18th c., and a flintlock powder tester, ca. 1800.

Best,
Michl

27th February 2014, 06:09 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi Nando, I cannot say much more on this specimen than this: it was apparently made in the first half of the 19th century and widely used by dealers and shooters alike in order to test the quality of black powder. The toothed wheel is scaled to indicate the degree of intensity/quality at the time of explosion of the powder. You say that you have mostly known similar tools with pistol grips so far. This may be due to the fact that most of them were table lighters for private use at home, most of them equiped with flintlock mechanisms. Attached please find images of a flintlock table lighter for ignition of a matchcord, first half 18th c., another for igniting a candle, English, mid-18th c., and a flintlock powder tester, ca. 1800. Best, Michl Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 27th February 2014 at 06:50 PM.