Snaphaunce pistol - Origin not clear

fernando · 10th October 2010, 05:59 PM

Hi Pompeius, welcome to the forum.
I don't know of any book dedicated to the Portuguese arsenal. We can read several allusions to its existence and production in books dedicated to weapons or the Discoveries period, but not an exclusive publication ... at least in my case. We know that the arsenal, during its long history, has had different names and was placed in various locations; one of them being precisely where the Lisbon Military Museum is now situated.
You may visit the shop of arms collector and historian Rainer Daenhardt in Cascais, only open on Sarturdays, and ask him for any books including some data in the Portuguese arsenal.
You may as well buy him a copy of "Homens Espadas e Tomates", written by Daenhardt himself, which contains some quotations to the arsenal, concerning artillery.
Te shop, which contains lots of antique arms for sale, is called Sala das Armas and is situated in Rua Visconde da Luz, 9.
All the best.

Matchlock · 12th May 2012, 05:09 PM

Hi 'Nando,

As snapha(u)nce arms are not exactly my main subject, it was sadly only now that I found your thread.

I am quite sure that your ball-butted or pear-shaped butt pistol (puffer) is of English origin, ca. 1600 to early 17th c., in its main parts.
The shape and decoration of the barrel tang and the fore end bands denote that they are later working-time alterations the decorations of which show some Oriental or Southern Euroean influence.

English pistols of the Late Renaissance period are extremely rare to find in unaltered condition.

I attach a similar but unaltered English specimen of a 'puffer', the trigger and guard missing, in the Doges Palace, Venice, and an image of another in an unknown collection.
For stylistic comparison, the one at the bottom is also English but of the Cromwellian period, ca. 1645, also in the Palazzo Ducale..

For more on snapha(u)nces, please see

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14112

Best, my friend,
Michl

fernando · 12th May 2012, 05:17 PM

That's great Michl,
... Better late than never.

Thanks a lot

Matchlock · 12th May 2012, 05:25 PM

The barrel, apart from the tang, still is of characteristically English or Scottish multi-staged form but the whole pistol must have been sold to and altered for the South Eastern market, especially all its mounts; so Morocco seems quite a good guess.

m

Matchlock · 5th July 2012, 08:51 PM

More on snaphance weapons:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=snaphance

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=snaphance

m

rickystl · 7th July 2012, 04:58 PM

Hi Fernando!! Can't believe I missed this Thread. Agree with you and others that this pistol is Moroccan. As mentioned, the stock style resembles an English "Puffer". The lock is typical Moroccan - copied in the English style. The barrel - ? All these varieties make this an interesting pistol. The Moroccan pistols are much less common than the long guns. Nice piece.
At the recent Timonium Action there was a Moroccan Snaphaunce pistol listed. Now I wish I had bid on that. It went for a fair price.

Rick.

10th October 2010, 05:59 PM	#1
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Hi Pompeius, welcome to the forum. I don't know of any book dedicated to the Portuguese arsenal. We can read several allusions to its existence and production in books dedicated to weapons or the Discoveries period, but not an exclusive publication ... at least in my case. We know that the arsenal, during its long history, has had different names and was placed in various locations; one of them being precisely where the Lisbon Military Museum is now situated. You may visit the shop of arms collector and historian Rainer Daenhardt in Cascais, only open on Sarturdays, and ask him for any books including some data in the Portuguese arsenal. You may as well buy him a copy of "Homens Espadas e Tomates", written by Daenhardt himself, which contains some quotations to the arsenal, concerning artillery. Te shop, which contains lots of antique arms for sale, is called Sala das Armas and is situated in Rua Visconde da Luz, 9. All the best. Last edited by fernando; 10th October 2010 at 06:49 PM.

12th May 2012, 05:09 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi 'Nando, As snapha(u)nce arms are not exactly my main subject, it was sadly only now that I found your thread. I am quite sure that your ball-butted or pear-shaped butt pistol (puffer) is of English origin, ca. 1600 to early 17th c., in its main parts. The shape and decoration of the barrel tang and the fore end bands denote that they are later working-time alterations the decorations of which show some Oriental or Southern Euroean influence. English pistols of the Late Renaissance period are extremely rare to find in unaltered condition. I attach a similar but unaltered English specimen of a 'puffer', the trigger and guard missing, in the Doges Palace, Venice, and an image of another in an unknown collection. For stylistic comparison, the one at the bottom is also English but of the Cromwellian period, ca. 1645, also in the Palazzo Ducale.. For more on snapha(u)nces, please see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14112 Best, my friend, Michl Attached Images

12th May 2012, 05:17 PM	#3
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	That's great Michl, ... Better late than never. Thanks a lot

12th May 2012, 05:25 PM	#4
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	The barrel, apart from the tang, still is of characteristically English or Scottish multi-staged form but the whole pistol must have been sold to and altered for the South Eastern market, especially all its mounts; so Morocco seems quite a good guess. m

5th July 2012, 08:51 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	More on snaphance weapons: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=snaphance http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=snaphance m

7th July 2012, 04:58 PM	#6
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,632	Hi Fernando!! Can't believe I missed this Thread. Agree with you and others that this pistol is Moroccan. As mentioned, the stock style resembles an English "Puffer". The lock is typical Moroccan - copied in the English style. The barrel - ? All these varieties make this an interesting pistol. The Moroccan pistols are much less common than the long guns. Nice piece. At the recent Timonium Action there was a Moroccan Snaphaunce pistol listed. Now I wish I had bid on that. It went for a fair price. Rick.