A Very Rare Early 16th Century Small Alcove Cannon (Nischengeschütz)

Matchlock · 28th July 2009, 06:07 PM

O.k. then, Spiridonov,

Here is what I can tell from looking at your photo.

The one on top: as I wrote in today's prviate message to you the barrel is wrought iron and was almost certainly made in Bohemia. Its multi staging, the small hook immediately below the muzzle, and its general form make a date of ca. 1440-60 highly probable. I do not think that the tiller stock is original.

The central one: barrel octagonal throughout, of wrought iron, sadly without any clear criteria such as staging, a swamped muzzle section and/or sighting, touch hole not visible in image. Most probably made between ca. 1470 and 1500.

The one at the bottom: Barrel possibly of cast copper alloy ('brass' or 'bronze'), and if so, almost certainly cast in a Nuremberg workshop, the long sighted staged muzzle section denoting a manufacturing date of ca. 1520-30. Two things are highly unusual about this form of barrel: the hook has been added by means of a loop, and there is no visibly staged rear section as one would expect. Maybe the barrel was altered during its early working life and restocked. The unusually short butt stock resembles the butts of the well known group of the short Basle harquebuses.

I include photos of similar Bohemian barrels from the Pilsen museum (all b/w copies from an unprinted manusrcript), of two barrels from my collection, ca. 1460-70 and dated 1481, and a huge Nuremberg haquebut of ca. 1515-20 in my collection. This is also done complying with your desire to see barrrels of the second half of the 15th century.

Best,
Michael

28th July 2009, 06:07 PM	#11
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	O.k. then, Spiridonov, Here is what I can tell from looking at your photo. The one on top: as I wrote in today's prviate message to you the barrel is wrought iron and was almost certainly made in Bohemia. Its multi staging, the small hook immediately below the muzzle, and its general form make a date of ca. 1440-60 highly probable. I do not think that the tiller stock is original. The central one: barrel octagonal throughout, of wrought iron, sadly without any clear criteria such as staging, a swamped muzzle section and/or sighting, touch hole not visible in image. Most probably made between ca. 1470 and 1500. The one at the bottom: Barrel possibly of cast copper alloy ('brass' or 'bronze'), and if so, almost certainly cast in a Nuremberg workshop, the long sighted staged muzzle section denoting a manufacturing date of ca. 1520-30. Two things are highly unusual about this form of barrel: the hook has been added by means of a loop, and there is no visibly staged rear section as one would expect. Maybe the barrel was altered during its early working life and restocked. The unusually short butt stock resembles the butts of the well known group of the short Basle harquebuses. I include photos of similar Bohemian barrels from the Pilsen museum (all b/w copies from an unprinted manusrcript), of two barrels from my collection, ca. 1460-70 and dated 1481, and a huge Nuremberg haquebut of ca. 1515-20 in my collection. This is also done complying with your desire to see barrrels of the second half of the 15th century. Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 29th July 2009 at 10:26 AM.