A Very Rare Nuremberg Arquebus 'Bronze'/Brass Barrel, ca. 1500-10

[Matchlock]

An arquebus, similar to the one illustrated by Jörg Ratgeb, mounted with a brass barrel, the snap-tinderlock serpentine inaptly depicted to be attached on the right-hand side of the barrel (!), from the earliest Maximilian armory inventory, by Bartholomäus Freysleben, ca. 1495-1500, cod. icon. 222, fol. 181v.

It is labeled as messing hanndtpüchse (brass-barreled arquebus).

m

[Matchlock]

Another brass arquebus barrel, of comparable dimensions but with socket for a (replaced) tiller stock, the pan with no provision for a cover, with early-style bell-mouthed muzzle, ca. 1490-1500, from the former arsenal of the Princes of Schwarzburg, now in the museum in Rudolstadt, Thuringia; author's photos, 2000.

m

[Matchlock]

For much more information on Late-Gothic brass and iron arquebus barrels, please see my thread

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...=bronze+tiller

Best,
Michael

[Spiridonov]

Michael, great photos! As You have guessed socketed handgonnes is my favorite type. Thank You for sharing this photos. By the way what is the shapeless piece of bronze on the bottom side of the barrel? Is it broken hook?

[Matchlock]

You really are a great observer, Alexender!

Honestly I was wishing you would not ask because I don't know what it is. It looks like some amateurish later addition for what reason ever. Actually its position is too far at the rear for being the rest of a former hook. Seems like it is screwed to the barrel.
I just tend to ignore it. Nobody can explain for any possible later alteration on a 500 year-old item.

Anyway, I have added another close up.

Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

A very similar socketed tiller arquebus is illustrated in a miniature in the illuminated Book of Hours (Stundenbuch) belonging to Mary of Burgundy, first wife of the later Emperor Maximilian I, ca. 1470 (portaits attached).

Please note that the arquebus is ignited by a piece of coal or tinder, and that several balls are shown leaving the muzzle.

Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

Formerly in my collection. It is the finest Gothic arquebus ever recorded.

The barrel octagonal, in two stages and with bell-mouthed muzzle, no sights, the small right-hand side pan integrally cast, the originally swiveling cover missing. The breech struck with a founder's mark, a stag's head and antlers. Similar marks are known from contemporary cranequins.

The original brown limewood tiller stock is lavishly punched over its entire length with a lozenge pattern and Late-Gothic star- or flower-like designs, the way the were used to decorate contemporary book bindings.
A mid-15th c. caduceus (Heroldsstab) in the Historic Museum Dresden shows similar staging and zigzag decoration, and both a haquebut stock in the Bayerisches Armeemuseum Ingolstadt (inv.no. A210) and a small cannon (Tarrasbüchse) in the Burgmuseum Wels, Austria, are similarly punched (attachments).

A similar but plain socketed arquebus is preserved in the Polish National Museum Warsaw, the original tiller stock hollowed out to receive the ramrod (attached).

Best,
Michael