Balkan gun with early turkish barell

rickystl · 15th March 2021, 06:05 PM

Hi Philip

A good observation and comparison of the Eastern and Western miquelet locks.
I too have never seen any Balkan lock without the connecting bridge. And conversely, I've never seen a Spanish style with the bridge.

Since most of the Balkan style, locally made lock specimens we see today were likely made sometime during the first three quarters of the 19th Century, it is strange they never caught up with the European improvements as you mentioned. And yes, as you mention, even the better quality Balkan locks still don't perform as well as their European counterparts. I've seen well decorated locks that required a high level of skill, that contained mechanical internals that would rate no better than average. I have always found this curious since the reputation for Turkish barrels and blades seem to be held in high regard.

When you consider Morocco was still using the snaphaunce lock, which has it's origins somewhere around the third quarter of the16th Century, it's as if progress in some areas of the East were still on a level of the middle ages.

Here's a good view of the Balkan lock mentioned showing the bridge.

Rick

15th March 2021, 06:05 PM	#17
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,630	Hi Philip A good observation and comparison of the Eastern and Western miquelet locks. I too have never seen any Balkan lock without the connecting bridge. And conversely, I've never seen a Spanish style with the bridge. Since most of the Balkan style, locally made lock specimens we see today were likely made sometime during the first three quarters of the 19th Century, it is strange they never caught up with the European improvements as you mentioned. And yes, as you mention, even the better quality Balkan locks still don't perform as well as their European counterparts. I've seen well decorated locks that required a high level of skill, that contained mechanical internals that would rate no better than average. I have always found this curious since the reputation for Turkish barrels and blades seem to be held in high regard. When you consider Morocco was still using the snaphaunce lock, which has it's origins somewhere around the third quarter of the16th Century, it's as if progress in some areas of the East were still on a level of the middle ages. Here's a good view of the Balkan lock mentioned showing the bridge. Rick Attached Images