Ca. 1500 to 1650: Bandeliers for Arquebusiers and Musketeers

Matchlock · 16th March 2014, 04:58 PM

More close ups of my earliest bandelier with tinned-iron powder measures, 1st half 16th century.

As is clearly visible, the tinning could not really prevent the thin iron from rusting.

m

Matchlock · 16th March 2014, 05:18 PM

The well-known small group of bandeliers for guardsmen of the Electors of Saxony, Christian I and Christian II, ca. 1580-90, are the only later bandeliers to feature tinned-iron powder measures and a match hider, all covered by a brownish fabric (German: Rips). Their leather belts are decorated with gilt-bronze lion's heads.
Attached please find a few samples from the museums in Leeds and Ingolstadt.

Next there are some detached powder measures made of tinned iron from Alderney, England.

Matchlock · 16th March 2014, 05:44 PM

A few bandelier powder measures are known from the Netherlands and are labeled to consist of copper (attachment on top), but they are most probably made of brass; they too can be attributed to the first half of the 16th century.

Important sources of period artwork depicting earliest bandeliers attached are, in order of their appearance:

- Hans Burgkmair the Older, a series of woodcuts for the Triumphal Procession of the Emperor Maximilian I, ca. 1513, depicting arquebusiers with small bandeliers slung around the shoulder, some carrying an additional round priming flask

- a series of tapestries of the Battle of Pavia, 1525, made shortly afterwards in a Brussels workshop

- Sebald Beham, a Nuremberg woodcut, ca. 1530, of an arquebusier loading his snap-tinderlock arquebus and wearing a bandelier with small powder measures matching his small bore gun

Marcus den toom · 16th March 2014, 06:15 PM

edited.

Matchlock · 16th March 2014, 06:55 PM

Further sources of period artwork attached:

- Melchior Feselen, Ingolstadt, Upper Bavaria, painting of The Battle of Alesia, dated 1533, depicting arquebusiers with matchlock arquebuses, two of them carrying a bandelier with small metal powder measures

- Erhard Schön, Nuremberg, woodcut of ca. 1535: arquebusier with a bandelier and another with a small, round priming flask

- a Swiss arquebusier, ca. 1530, with a bandelier with metal powder measures; Kantonsbibl. Appenzell, Johann v. Schwarzenberg, CM ms 13, fol. 54r

Finally attached are a few more items the early style of which assigns them to the 16th century. The last one, from the collection of D. José Estruch y Cumella, features a spacious, threefold leather pouch that certainly contained other items than just lead balls as well, e.g. cleaning tools, wadding etc.

Matchlock · 16th March 2014, 07:44 PM

Here are three bandeliers, each featuring an additional flask with a nozzle for priming powder.

The first bandelier is in my collection; it unites eight wooden powder measures painted with red and green lacquer, in the Gothic tradition.
The next one is just plain, with no dye or leather to the wooden flasks.
The one at the bottom with six small measuring flasks is of Swiss provenance and of good quality; it has a portion of matchcord attached.

According to my experience, the number of flasks/powder measures on a bandelier could vary between 6 and 15. I guess the term 'twelve apostles' which seems to be so painstakingly observed nowadays only came up in the Historismus/Victorian period and just described an ideal number.

Marcus den toom · 16th March 2014, 07:58 PM

I just love these rarities

The first thing that came to my mind when seeing those earliest wooden flasks (post 1, top images) was that it was a quiver, but this would only be possible for the left one, the other three are to small (the left one maybe also).

The lead powder flask puzzled me as well, but i was thinking.. might it be some sort of weight to keep the bandolier in place? It could get quit anoying if such a thing kept moving around.. just something that i thoughed of

Matchlock · 16th March 2014, 07:59 PM

I attached four items from various auctions.

As I said, by about the mid-16th century the relatively light and short arquebus was commonly replaced by the much longer and heavier musket which also had a bigger bore. Sadly there do not seem to be any records on the development of musketeer's bandeliers from the second half of the 16th century but wooden powder measures must have made their breakthrough, and soon we find a pleated leather pouch which is commonly thought to have held balls.

Sometimes, especially on Dutch influenced samples like the bandeliers in the Emden armory, we also see a brass ring or just a leather loop attached to carry a portion of matchcord.
All the Emden bandeliers consist of a broad, tooled and blackened leather belt and feature 8 to 14 wooden powder measures covered by thin black leather; where the ends of the belt are joined, a pleated, sturdy leather pouch is sewn to the leather. Additionally, these Emden samples have a piece of felt sewn to the shoulder section of the belt (German: Schulterfilz), which made it easier for the musketeer to rest and carry the heavyweight musket (ca. 7 to 10 kgs). Interestingly, none of these Emden bandeliers has a special flask for priming powder fitted with a long nozzle, as we know it from bandeliers made in Switzerland and Austria shown before.
The image of the caliverman's or pikeman's armor attached at the bottom, combined with a musketeer's bandelier, is of course historically incorrect; it is just a photo impression from the Emden Armory.

In my collection still are three bandeliers from the Emden Armory, ca. 1600-20. One of them has attached a powder measure that is much heavier than the others made of wood; it consists of lead and has a removable leaden cap, both covered with black leather. I cannot think of any practical reason except a better prevention against moisture, but I know that at least the caps of such measures were sometimes made of lead in England, and I attached a few samples. But even then: a complete bandelier consisting of leaden chargers would have been simply too heavy, so what?
Please see also
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18290

I attached some samples of leaden caps for bandelier flasks found in England.

m

16th March 2014, 04:58 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	More close ups of my earliest bandelier with tinned-iron powder measures, 1st half 16th century. As is clearly visible, the tinning could not really prevent the thin iron from rusting. m Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 17th March 2014 at 04:31 PM.

16th March 2014, 05:18 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	The well-known small group of bandeliers for guardsmen of the Electors of Saxony, Christian I and Christian II, ca. 1580-90, are the only later bandeliers to feature tinned-iron powder measures and a match hider, all covered by a brownish fabric (German: Rips). Their leather belts are decorated with gilt-bronze lion's heads. Attached please find a few samples from the museums in Leeds and Ingolstadt. Next there are some detached powder measures made of tinned iron from Alderney, England. Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 16th March 2014 at 09:59 PM.

16th March 2014, 05:44 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	A few bandelier powder measures are known from the Netherlands and are labeled to consist of copper (attachment on top), but they are most probably made of brass; they too can be attributed to the first half of the 16th century. Important sources of period artwork depicting earliest bandeliers attached are, in order of their appearance: - Hans Burgkmair the Older, a series of woodcuts for the Triumphal Procession of the Emperor Maximilian I, ca. 1513, depicting arquebusiers with small bandeliers slung around the shoulder, some carrying an additional round priming flask - a series of tapestries of the Battle of Pavia, 1525, made shortly afterwards in a Brussels workshop - Sebald Beham, a Nuremberg woodcut, ca. 1530, of an arquebusier loading his snap-tinderlock arquebus and wearing a bandelier with small powder measures matching his small bore gun Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 16th March 2014 at 06:57 PM.

16th March 2014, 06:15 PM	#4
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 535	edited. Last edited by Marcus den toom; 16th March 2014 at 07:57 PM.

16th March 2014, 06:55 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Further sources of period artwork attached: - Melchior Feselen, Ingolstadt, Upper Bavaria, painting of The Battle of Alesia, dated 1533, depicting arquebusiers with matchlock arquebuses, two of them carrying a bandelier with small metal powder measures - Erhard Schön, Nuremberg, woodcut of ca. 1535: arquebusier with a bandelier and another with a small, round priming flask - a Swiss arquebusier, ca. 1530, with a bandelier with metal powder measures; Kantonsbibl. Appenzell, Johann v. Schwarzenberg, CM ms 13, fol. 54r Finally attached are a few more items the early style of which assigns them to the 16th century. The last one, from the collection of D. José Estruch y Cumella, features a spacious, threefold leather pouch that certainly contained other items than just lead balls as well, e.g. cleaning tools, wadding etc. Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 16th March 2014 at 10:02 PM.

16th March 2014, 07:44 PM	#6
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Here are three bandeliers, each featuring an additional flask with a nozzle for priming powder. The first bandelier is in my collection; it unites eight wooden powder measures painted with red and green lacquer, in the Gothic tradition. The next one is just plain, with no dye or leather to the wooden flasks. The one at the bottom with six small measuring flasks is of Swiss provenance and of good quality; it has a portion of matchcord attached. According to my experience, the number of flasks/powder measures on a bandelier could vary between 6 and 15. I guess the term 'twelve apostles' which seems to be so painstakingly observed nowadays only came up in the Historismus/Victorian period and just described an ideal number. Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 16th March 2014 at 10:05 PM.

16th March 2014, 07:58 PM	#7
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 535	I just love these rarities The first thing that came to my mind when seeing those earliest wooden flasks (post 1, top images) was that it was a quiver, but this would only be possible for the left one, the other three are to small (the left one maybe also). The lead powder flask puzzled me as well, but i was thinking.. might it be some sort of weight to keep the bandolier in place? It could get quit anoying if such a thing kept moving around.. just something that i thoughed of

16th March 2014, 07:59 PM	#8
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	I attached four items from various auctions. As I said, by about the mid-16th century the relatively light and short arquebus was commonly replaced by the much longer and heavier musket which also had a bigger bore. Sadly there do not seem to be any records on the development of musketeer's bandeliers from the second half of the 16th century but wooden powder measures must have made their breakthrough, and soon we find a pleated leather pouch which is commonly thought to have held balls. Sometimes, especially on Dutch influenced samples like the bandeliers in the Emden armory, we also see a brass ring or just a leather loop attached to carry a portion of matchcord. All the Emden bandeliers consist of a broad, tooled and blackened leather belt and feature 8 to 14 wooden powder measures covered by thin black leather; where the ends of the belt are joined, a pleated, sturdy leather pouch is sewn to the leather. Additionally, these Emden samples have a piece of felt sewn to the shoulder section of the belt (German: Schulterfilz), which made it easier for the musketeer to rest and carry the heavyweight musket (ca. 7 to 10 kgs). Interestingly, none of these Emden bandeliers has a special flask for priming powder fitted with a long nozzle, as we know it from bandeliers made in Switzerland and Austria shown before. The image of the caliverman's or pikeman's armor attached at the bottom, combined with a musketeer's bandelier, is of course historically incorrect; it is just a photo impression from the Emden Armory. In my collection still are three bandeliers from the Emden Armory, ca. 1600-20. One of them has attached a powder measure that is much heavier than the others made of wood; it consists of lead and has a removable leaden cap, both covered with black leather. I cannot think of any practical reason except a better prevention against moisture, but I know that at least the caps of such measures were sometimes made of lead in England, and I attached a few samples. But even then: a complete bandelier consisting of leaden chargers would have been simply too heavy, so what? Please see also http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18290 I attached some samples of leaden caps for bandelier flasks found in England. m Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 17th March 2014 at 12:16 PM.