Dating Earliest Barrels: the Importance of the Position of the Touch Hole

Matchlock · 18th January 2014, 07:47 PM

Further attachments to post #13, depicting the haquebut on the bottom on the first photo of four, at Hermann Historica's, 14 October 1994, lot 452.
Overall length 112 cm, weight ca. 12-15 kg, ca. 1470-80.

The octagonal barrel with touch hole pierced irregularly on the top flat, surrounded by a wall that acted as an igniting pan and a low fire shield to the shooter simultaneously; not sighted. The long, flat hook struck twice with the Vienna city mark, a cross within a shield. Short, swamped muzzle flat. The faceted, six-sided oak stock with an early form of what was to become the Landsknecht buttstock, branded with an illegible Gothic arsenal numbering (4, surmounted by 7?). Like all haquebuts still preserved in the Vienna arsenal, this stock, too, hardly had any trace of patina left. It makes one doubt whether it was the original.

18th January 2014, 07:47 PM	#15
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Further attachments to post #13, depicting the haquebut on the bottom on the first photo of four, at Hermann Historica's, 14 October 1994, lot 452. Overall length 112 cm, weight ca. 12-15 kg, ca. 1470-80. The octagonal barrel with touch hole pierced irregularly on the top flat, surrounded by a wall that acted as an igniting pan and a low fire shield to the shooter simultaneously; not sighted. The long, flat hook struck twice with the Vienna city mark, a cross within a shield. Short, swamped muzzle flat. The faceted, six-sided oak stock with an early form of what was to become the Landsknecht buttstock, branded with an illegible Gothic arsenal numbering (4, surmounted by 7?). Like all haquebuts still preserved in the Vienna arsenal, this stock, too, hardly had any trace of patina left. It makes one doubt whether it was the original. Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 18th January 2014 at 09:45 PM.