One blunderbuss i would like to have ...

Philip · 1st May 2017, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

Poisoning was a traditional method, especially of insuring inheritance, since imperial rome, and earlier. favoured for pesky relatives that refused to die on time. quite a few emperors, as well as their rivals, usually relatives, were poisoned. the catholic church was fond of it as well, as priests were (and are) frowned on if they shed blood.

p.s. - poppy, my saluki lurcher cross is my avatar, she has the saluki breed standard feathering on her ears, tail, legs and feet. and she CAN fly along. roughly 40 mph, tho she rarely gets too far off the ground.

Clergy not shedding blood -- that's why archbishops who led troops during the early Middle Ages carried maces, not swords since they could probably get away with bonking a guy hard enough to put him out, without making him bleed. And the reason that heretics were burned at the stake during the Inquisition (in fact, in Spain and Portugal the authorities were fastidious enough to limit torture methods to the bloodless ones of waterboarding and the use of pulleys and ropes. )

Dogs -- Oh, that's the story. I had assumed that her breed was descended from dinosaurs which some paleozoologists now believe may have had feathers and proto-bird features. 40 mph is a very respectable speed nonetheless, whether or not she manages to get airborne. Is the world really ready for flying dogs, anyway? How could I handle confusing an eagle with a beagle when I've had too many drinks?

kronckew · 2nd May 2017, 07:55 AM

we are digressing wildly of course

...and will likely be moderated at some point.

'fly' may be a slight exaggeration. the sight-hound (and cheetah) gait is such that their feet actually leave the ground and they do not touch it again for about 5 metres*. salukis and lurchers are slightly slower than greyhounds who can get a bit over 40mph. that is a peak speed. average over distance is slower. my ex-racer, millie, won a stakes race of around 500 yards in a time that works out to about 39.4 mph. made her owner 10k. she was injured in her next race, and i adopted her soon after. sadly gone over the bridge now.

anyhow, priestly impact weapons on unarmoured crania could produce blood. as watching CSI (or NCIS) has amply demonstrated. i recall a certain film where a man of the cloth bonked opponents with one, saying 'god forgive me' after each blow.

to bring us back on topic a bit, i would think a blunderbus would make a reasonable impact weapon after it'd been fired. have seen one with a fold-out bayonet for non-ordained use.

*super-dog:

fernando · 2nd May 2017, 05:55 PM

I should make a repair on my last post; my suggestion that this lock could also have been brought from Spain, is not founded as, in reality, this is a Portuguese pattern, as may be guessed by both ends of the typical 'curly' style frizzen spring, hidden behind the shield.

.

fernando · 1st October 2017, 02:54 PM

So ... finally mine

.
New pictures are not necessarily better but, it obliges

.
As usual these local rural blunderbusses are composed of whatever origin components; only that, in this case, they all seem to be Portuguese, contrary to those with British parts, namely salvaged from the Peninsular War.
The frizzen dated 1821 would be the main issue, as this ought to be a replacer, judging by the fact that these 'three screw locks' are certainly earlier (mid-end 18th century ...). It also plays a lot loose, not due ro its visible battery wearing but to its 'foot' being much narrower than its pivot section.
A second note goes for the detail in the upper jaw; a gold 'filet' that is not present inits lower part nor in the rest of the decoration.
There are also traces that the beautiful trigger guard has a story to tell, judging by the wood marks in the front.
A final note for the stock, which seems to be offset, denouncing an 'advanced' procedures.
The side plate a plain brass replacement; i am making arrangements for a local engraver to chisel some decoration familiar to the one in the main lock plate.

.

fernando · 4th October 2017, 07:22 PM

Now it doesn't look so dull. Look at the difference; one hour in the smith.

,

Philip · 5th October 2017, 08:14 PM

Congratulations! All good things come to those who lie in wait. It looks a lot cleaner and more presentable as well now that it's in your possession.

Roland_M · 6th October 2017, 03:11 PM

Hi Fernando,

Congratulations to that very beautiful blunderbuss.
I think, the date "1821" got nothing to do with the year of production. Maybe it is a memory for something important in the life of the owner and so on.
The golden filet on the upper jaw could also be a soldering seam from an old repairing job. The upper jaw is under high stress if the gun is fired.

Very nice blunderbuss and I'm happy for you that you finally got it.

Regards,
Roland

fernando · 6th October 2017, 03:43 PM

Muito obrigado Philip; very kind of you

.

Dankeschön Roland ... and excelent remarks, which i take good note

.

M ELEY · 7th October 2017, 05:01 AM

Awesome piece, Fernando! You must have had to nag the seller night and day for 6 months to get it!!!

2nd May 2017, 07:55 AM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,224	we are digressing wildly of course ...and will likely be moderated at some point. 'fly' may be a slight exaggeration. the sight-hound (and cheetah) gait is such that their feet actually leave the ground and they do not touch it again for about 5 metres. salukis and lurchers are slightly slower than greyhounds who can get a bit over 40mph. that is a peak speed. average over distance is slower. my ex-racer, millie, won a stakes race of around 500 yards in a time that works out to about 39.4 mph. made her owner 10k. she was injured in her next race, and i adopted her soon after. sadly gone over the bridge now. anyhow, priestly impact weapons on unarmoured crania could produce blood. as watching CSI (or NCIS) has amply demonstrated. i recall a certain film where a man of the cloth bonked opponents with one, saying 'god forgive me' after each blow. to bring us back on topic a bit, i would think a blunderbus would make a reasonable impact weapon after it'd been fired. have seen one with a fold-out bayonet for non-ordained use. super-dog: Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 2nd May 2017 at 10:05 AM.

2nd May 2017, 05:55 PM	#3
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	I should make a repair on my last post; my suggestion that this lock could also have been brought from Spain, is not founded as, in reality, this is a Portuguese pattern, as may be guessed by both ends of the typical 'curly' style frizzen spring, hidden behind the shield. . Attached Images

1st October 2017, 02:54 PM	#4
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	So ... finally mine . New pictures are not necessarily better but, it obliges . As usual these local rural blunderbusses are composed of whatever origin components; only that, in this case, they all seem to be Portuguese, contrary to those with British parts, namely salvaged from the Peninsular War. The frizzen dated 1821 would be the main issue, as this ought to be a replacer, judging by the fact that these 'three screw locks' are certainly earlier (mid-end 18th century ...). It also plays a lot loose, not due ro its visible battery wearing but to its 'foot' being much narrower than its pivot section. A second note goes for the detail in the upper jaw; a gold 'filet' that is not present inits lower part nor in the rest of the decoration. There are also traces that the beautiful trigger guard has a story to tell, judging by the wood marks in the front. A final note for the stock, which seems to be offset, denouncing an 'advanced' procedures. The side plate a plain brass replacement; i am making arrangements for a local engraver to chisel some decoration familiar to the one in the main lock plate. . Attached Images Last edited by fernando; 1st October 2017 at 09:34 PM.

4th October 2017, 07:22 PM	#5
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Now it doesn't look so dull. Look at the difference; one hour in the smith. , Attached Images Last edited by fernando; 6th October 2017 at 03:34 PM.

5th October 2017, 08:14 PM	#6
Philip Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,036	Parabens! Congratulations! All good things come to those who lie in wait. It looks a lot cleaner and more presentable as well now that it's in your possession.

6th October 2017, 03:11 PM	#7
Roland_M Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Germany Posts: 525	Hi Fernando, Congratulations to that very beautiful blunderbuss. I think, the date "1821" got nothing to do with the year of production. Maybe it is a memory for something important in the life of the owner and so on. The golden filet on the upper jaw could also be a soldering seam from an old repairing job. The upper jaw is under high stress if the gun is fired. Very nice blunderbuss and I'm happy for you that you finally got it. Regards, Roland

6th October 2017, 03:43 PM	#8
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Muito obrigado Philip; very kind of you . Dankeschön Roland ... and excelent remarks, which i take good note .

7th October 2017, 05:01 AM	#9
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,158	Awesome piece, Fernando! You must have had to nag the seller night and day for 6 months to get it!!!