Matchlock Hand Mortar

Matchlock · 20th December 2013, 07:32 PM

Now here is the story of provenance to a fine wheellock hand-mortar I introduced in post #3, its copper-alloy barrel cast in high relief with the city arms of Schwabach in Franconia/Bavaria, the blackened beechwood full stock carved in the characteristic manner of Suhl/Thuringia, ca. 1600-10, that is now preserved in the Bavarian Army Museum (BAM) Ingolstadt, just 30 km from where I live. A small part of the internal action is missing from the lock plate.

It remained unsold (!) at Sotheby's, London sale of Nov. 17, 1981, lot 52. Later it sold at Christie's, London, on July 10, 1985, at 9,000 euro, and it was resold at Hermann Historica, Munich, on April 26, 1986, lot 550, at more than 21,000 euro (all prices in today's money).

Best,
Michael

20th December 2013, 07:32 PM	#18
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Now here is the story of provenance to a fine wheellock hand-mortar I introduced in post #3, its copper-alloy barrel cast in high relief with the city arms of Schwabach in Franconia/Bavaria, the blackened beechwood full stock carved in the characteristic manner of Suhl/Thuringia, ca. 1600-10, that is now preserved in the Bavarian Army Museum (BAM) Ingolstadt, just 30 km from where I live. A small part of the internal action is missing from the lock plate. It remained unsold (!) at Sotheby's, London sale of Nov. 17, 1981, lot 52. Later it sold at Christie's, London, on July 10, 1985, at 9,000 euro, and it was resold at Hermann Historica, Munich, on April 26, 1986, lot 550, at more than 21,000 euro (all prices in today's money). Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 20th December 2013 at 07:51 PM.