A fine Nuremberg matchlock Landsknecht harquebus, dated 1539

Matchlock · 1st December 2008, 12:41 PM

For a fine 1520's wall piece stocked in ash, please see

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7419

Michael

Pukka Bundook · 1st December 2008, 03:27 PM

Michael,

Very fine photographs again!

Comparing your piece to the one at the GNM, I would say yours has had a much better life, and is very preferable!

It appears that the GNM piece stood on the floor for decades, and the heel of the butt-stock rotted away, and wood beetle attacked it rather badly.
It is a shame it was cleaned with acid, and had new screws made with no attempt to age them a little, to look like they belong.
Still, it is a Very nice barrel, with unique decoration.

The barrel from Innsbruck is exceptional! The rather ratty stock is a dis-service in my opinion. It does deserve being stocked up in something better.

I have noticed the muzzle crowning of this type on a couple of yours, Michael.
Does it serve a purpose?....or is it just decoration?
I could imagine a sort of false muzzle fitting over this, with a tapered bore to help in loading.
I gather none of these pieces were designed to be held against the shoulder?

Thank you again for the pictures!

Richard.

Matchlock · 1st December 2008, 06:00 PM

Richard,

The buttstock of the GNM harquebus has indeed suffered from being left standing upright for a very long time. So did the buttstock of my Kronburg wall piece that was found, together with several others, standing upright on a board in a bricked up room at Schloss Kronburg during renovation work in 1953. Actually, the upper portions of the lime wood butt stocks of both my 1539 and my ca. 1540 Straubing matchlock harquebuses are somewhat damaged as well from being kept in an upright position and probably put down hard and carelessly again and again for too long.

Your remarks on the swamped and decorated muzzle sections are extremely important, thank you. There are two main reasons for that shape of muzzle sections that were in use even with 18th century sporting rifles:

- A reinforcement of the muzzle portion by swamping added both to the barrel's stability in firing heavy loads and to the handling and balance of the gun

- As the earliest barrels are from the Mid and Late Gothic periods (14th-15th centuries), their overall form closely corresponded to e.g. that of the Gothic and 16th century architectural columns: six or eight sided first, with reinforced base and top, then, from the late 1500's, round and staged.

Actually, most wall pieces were intended to be aimed and fired from the shoulder, with a second man ingniting the piece through the touch hole (Richt- und Feuerschütze). The hook helped absorb the recoil. When you look at the buttstock of my Kronburg wall piece the early fishtail shape indented for the sholuder clearly suggests the way it was heald.

Must I add that your notes are very inspiring to me?

Thank you so much, I'll tip my next Bavarian dark beer to you overe there!

Michael

Matchlock · 1st December 2008, 06:18 PM

For the buttstock of my 1520's Schloss Kronburg wall piece, indented for the shoulder, please go to

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7419

I also attach details of the slightly damaged tips of the limewood buttstocks of my 1539 and ca. 1540 matchlock harquebuses, as well as of the specific damage of the tip of my Kronburg wall piece.

Michael

Matchlock · 1st December 2008, 09:05 PM

Richard,

I have to say that your remarks on the incorrect form of the replaced screws on the GNM 1539 harquebus are extremely appreciated: You have really got THE eye, buddy!

Of course, their heads and patina should look like in my almost identical piece - great!

I did some close study in early screws from my pieces and detached samples in my collection some twenty years ago and would like to post them soon, disregarding the fact that they are analog pics - btw, so are most of my pics that I shared with the forum ...

Michael

Matchlock · 1st December 2008, 09:19 PM

From the Maximilianische Zeugbücher (Maximilian arsenal inventory books), ca. 1507, and posted in earlier threads, depicting both the aiming man (Richtschütze) and the firing one (Feuerschütze) at work.

Have fun,

Michael

Pukka Bundook · 2nd December 2008, 06:11 AM

Thank you for answering my questions, Michael.

Is there a reason for the muzzle of the brass barrel from Innsbruck/The Tyrol being half-round, right at the muzzle?.........purely decoration?

I just went to your thread re. the Schloss Kronburg wall piece, and found it very fascinating, how it and other arms survived bricked up in a small room for hundreds of years!
Finding something like that is the stuff of dreams!
It is good that the wall-pieces were stood on a thick plank, and not on a damp floor.
May I ask if your Landsknecht's harquebus of 1539 is meant to be fired from the shoulder?.....I think not, but do not really know!

Re. the slightly damaged butt-stocks, I would suppose that a form of butt-plate would be quite an early invention, as the constant up-and- down in loading, and just carrying and setting dowm, would soon leave their mark.
That these pieces have survived with such small amounts of damage after all these years, is truly remarkable!
Thank you for tha additional pictures, and links!

Very best wishes,

Richard.

1st December 2008, 06:18 PM	#4
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	For the buttstock of my 1520's Schloss Kronburg wall piece, indented for the shoulder, please go to http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7419 I also attach details of the slightly damaged tips of the limewood buttstocks of my 1539 and ca. 1540 matchlock harquebuses, as well as of the specific damage of the tip of my Kronburg wall piece. Michael Attached Images

1st December 2008, 09:05 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	16th century screws Richard, I have to say that your remarks on the incorrect form of the replaced screws on the GNM 1539 harquebus are extremely appreciated: You have really got THE eye, buddy! Of course, their heads and patina should look like in my almost identical piece - great! I did some close study in early screws from my pieces and detached samples in my collection some twenty years ago and would like to post them soon, disregarding the fact that they are analog pics - btw, so are most of my pics that I shared with the forum ... Michael

1st December 2008, 09:19 PM	#6
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Two men needed to aim and fire a 500 year old wall piece From the Maximilianische Zeugbücher (Maximilian arsenal inventory books), ca. 1507, and posted in earlier threads, depicting both the aiming man (Richtschütze) and the firing one (Feuerschütze) at work. Have fun, Michael Attached Images

1st December 2008, 12:41 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	For a fine 1520's wall piece stocked in ash, please see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7419 Michael

1st December 2008, 03:27 PM	#2
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Michael, Very fine photographs again! Comparing your piece to the one at the GNM, I would say yours has had a much better life, and is very preferable! It appears that the GNM piece stood on the floor for decades, and the heel of the butt-stock rotted away, and wood beetle attacked it rather badly. It is a shame it was cleaned with acid, and had new screws made with no attempt to age them a little, to look like they belong. Still, it is a Very nice barrel, with unique decoration. The barrel from Innsbruck is exceptional! The rather ratty stock is a dis-service in my opinion. It does deserve being stocked up in something better. I have noticed the muzzle crowning of this type on a couple of yours, Michael. Does it serve a purpose?....or is it just decoration? I could imagine a sort of false muzzle fitting over this, with a tapered bore to help in loading. I gather none of these pieces were designed to be held against the shoulder? Thank you again for the pictures! Richard.

1st December 2008, 06:00 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Richard, The buttstock of the GNM harquebus has indeed suffered from being left standing upright for a very long time. So did the buttstock of my Kronburg wall piece that was found, together with several others, standing upright on a board in a bricked up room at Schloss Kronburg during renovation work in 1953. Actually, the upper portions of the lime wood butt stocks of both my 1539 and my ca. 1540 Straubing matchlock harquebuses are somewhat damaged as well from being kept in an upright position and probably put down hard and carelessly again and again for too long. Your remarks on the swamped and decorated muzzle sections are extremely important, thank you. There are two main reasons for that shape of muzzle sections that were in use even with 18th century sporting rifles: - A reinforcement of the muzzle portion by swamping added both to the barrel's stability in firing heavy loads and to the handling and balance of the gun - As the earliest barrels are from the Mid and Late Gothic periods (14th-15th centuries), their overall form closely corresponded to e.g. that of the Gothic and 16th century architectural columns: six or eight sided first, with reinforced base and top, then, from the late 1500's, round and staged. Actually, most wall pieces were intended to be aimed and fired from the shoulder, with a second man ingniting the piece through the touch hole (Richt- und Feuerschütze). The hook helped absorb the recoil. When you look at the buttstock of my Kronburg wall piece the early fishtail shape indented for the sholuder clearly suggests the way it was heald. Must I add that your notes are very inspiring to me? Thank you so much, I'll tip my next Bavarian dark beer to you overe there! Michael

2nd December 2008, 06:11 AM	#7
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Thank you for answering my questions, Michael. Is there a reason for the muzzle of the brass barrel from Innsbruck/The Tyrol being half-round, right at the muzzle?.........purely decoration? I just went to your thread re. the Schloss Kronburg wall piece, and found it very fascinating, how it and other arms survived bricked up in a small room for hundreds of years! Finding something like that is the stuff of dreams! It is good that the wall-pieces were stood on a thick plank, and not on a damp floor. May I ask if your Landsknecht's harquebus of 1539 is meant to be fired from the shoulder?.....I think not, but do not really know! Re. the slightly damaged butt-stocks, I would suppose that a form of butt-plate would be quite an early invention, as the constant up-and- down in loading, and just carrying and setting dowm, would soon leave their mark. That these pieces have survived with such small amounts of damage after all these years, is truly remarkable! Thank you for tha additional pictures, and links! Very best wishes, Richard.