Dating Earliest Barrels: the Importance of the Position of the Touch Hole

[Matchlock]

The barrel of a heavy Tyroean tiller haquebut, ca. 1490, and preserved in poor, excavated condition with yellow spots of salt all over the surface, was just sold at a small Bavarian auction at a hammer price of 5,500 euro, which in my eyes was way too much considering the fact that unless professionally desalted and conserved, the piece will slowly continue to dissolve part for part.

The touch hole was placed on the half right side, and the eight-sided muzzle section showed the characteristic dents of the 'Maximilian' style crown's head.

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[fernando]

Nvertheless a rather interesting piece

[Matchlock]

Right, at least for as long as it won't crumble to pieces right before your eyes ...


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[Matchlock]

An interesting tiller gun with octagonal wrought-iron barrel, ca. 1460-80, sold for a hammer price of 7.200 euro in the same auction as the foregoing item.
The barrel was struck with a maker's mark on the underside (!), a segmented circle, and the rear end of the wooden haft retained an old reinforcing wire binding.
Overall length 127 cm, bore 16 mm.

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[Spiridonov]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

An interesting tiller gun with octagonal wrought-iron barrel, ca. 1460-80, sold for a hammer price of 7.200 euro in the same auction as the foregoing item.
The barrel was struck with a maker's mark on the underside (!), a segmented circle, and the rear end of the wooden haft retained an old reinforcing wire binding.
Overall length 127 cm, bore 16 mm.

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It's one of the most beautiful barrels, I have ever seen. The shape of it is typical and at the same time unusual. According to my calculation barrel length is about 318 mm and the stock length is 952 mm

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by Spiridonov

It's one of the most beautiful barrels, I have ever seen. The shape of it is typical and at the same time unusual. According to my calculation barrel length is about 318 mm and the stock length is 952 mm

Your calculation is doubtlessly very exact, Alexender,

Please accept my warmest 'thanks'!


Best,
Michael

[Andi]

Hello you both - thank you for this little jewell

[Matchlock]

My friend Alexender Spriridonov found this nice miniature in an illuminated German 15th century composite manuscript now preserved in the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, pal. lat. 1632.

Depicted is a a man aiming an arquebus with blackened stock, multisided brass/bronze barrel and characteristically swamped gothic muzzle section at a stag.

In Gothic manuscripts you have to keep an eye out for tiny illuminated details decorating the borders of a page with arabesques - and for people within these.


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