A hand cannon ... or not ?

[fernando]

Hi Matchlock,
I am eternely grateful for the outstanding information you have provided.
Now i can sleep in peace ... and even have nice dreams, once the age of this piece is even earlier that i was told in the first place.
I don't have the presumption to be acquainted with early fire (or white) arms more than in a residual level, but i can assimilate all that you have said, as also what is written in the French article.
I was aware that in Aljubarrota battle, firearms were (already or firstly) used, although with an impact more psichologic than efective, i would guess. In fact and as it is divulged, crossbows were massively used there and plaid a major role. This was the greatest example for those who consider that crossbows were the weapon "responsible" for the maintainance of Portugal as an independent nation, during a significant period.
I have read your threads on harquebuses as you posted them. They made me go and review some pages i knew i had on these weapons, namely a book offered by a Portuguese bank, in a limited edition. There are a couple interesting pictures of matchlocks there that i could post here, but then i thaught twice and considered you must already know them, and many, many more.
Once again thank you so much for the material you have posted here. I was so pleased to see pictures of your example; it does look like the "next of keen" to mine.
I would not be surprised that my piece was also dug in São Jorge (where actually the battle took place, couple miles from Aljubarrota), as i am aware that the seller has acquired it 60 miles away from such place.

Kind regards
Fernando

Clicking in the English version, there is a box titled "the battle in one minute"
... nothing much, just for the fun.
http://www.fundacao-aljubarrota.pt/

[Marc]

I'm sorry I can't add much to this thread, but, nonetheless, wanted to say I just love how the stock and the mounting turned up for this piece. I really like it

[Matchlock]

Hi fernando,

I am so glad that you appreciated my lines on your fine and early 'hand gonne' (the historic term) barrel from Aljubarrota, and thanks for providing us with the additional information.

You also mentioned a book given away by a Portuguese bank and containing illustrations of matchlocks. Unfortunately I do not have that in my - otherwise quite comprehensive - library.

So if you could please be so nice and post those images, and also the bibliographical data of that book, I would be much obliged to you.

To sort of back up my opinion that barrels which are wound up of band iron and then fire welded rang among the earliest of their kind, I enclose an image of a massive cannon barrel of ca. 1350, made exactly that way. It is in the Musee de l'Armee in Paris and is about 1,80 meters in length, with the fore end of the muzzle gone. I put my bag next to it for statistic comparison.

Now if you look at my little Aljubarrota barrel of about the same date you will see the strikingly close relationship in both shape and make.


Looking forward to receiving more information, and lots of thanks in advance,

Matchlock

[Matchlock]

Oops, fernando,

Here are the correct images to my former posting: barrels in the Musee de l'Armee Paris and in my colletion.

Have fun,

Matchlock

[katana]

I must say that I am learning alot about firearms / cannons, thank you.

I am very pleased for Fernando that he has, now, the evidence that helps validate his 'cannon' ....good work Matchlock

Regards David

[fernando]

Hi Matchlock,
After all, it's quite a few pictures in total, whether you already know some or all of them ... as well as the other friendly forumites.
In order not to invade the thread with the size of so many images, i will only post photobucket links, with the pictures in a medium format, with some of them pasted in couples, and with legends in roughly translated English.
In case you are interested in filing some of them, i still keep the scans in large format, to be able to email them directly to you ... or anyone interested, of course.
The book is not propperly an armoury work. It is called OITO SÉCULOS DE CAÇA EM PORTUGAL ( Eight centuries of hunting in Portugal), by Miguel Sanches de Baêna and João Maria Bravo, with a comprehensive evolution on weaponry (not only for hunting), including a section on primitive firearms.
It was a courtesy of bank BPI (Banco Português de Investimentos), an exclusive edition of 3500 copies. ISBN 972-8076-35-5 printed in 1998. As a bank courtesy should be, it's a "de luxe" graphic work.

[Atlantia]

Great thread!

I bet you are chuffed with this outcome Fernando?

The icing on the cake for your hard work and faith that this was indeed a weapon.

David, I bet you're as relieved as I am that we didn't encourage Fernando to weaponise an off-cut of scaffolding pole? ;-)

Regards
Gene

[Matchlock]

Thank you so much for sharing those historical documents, Fernando!

I knew most of them as they have been widely published in different books but am especially interested in receiving a high-resolution scan of the one attached below, which is part of a series of watercolor cardboards depicting scenes from the Tunis War in 1535.
As was the case with the drawings of scenes from the Batte of Pavia a decade earlier, there was a series of Brussels tapestries made based on these live drawings.

I am an awful computer layman and do not know how to send a private message to members. This is why I am asking you to send one to me.

I am planning post more of the Tunis Battle later on.

Again, thank you!
Matchlock

[fernando]

Originally Posted by katana

... the evidence that helps validate his 'cannon'

... And i can only thank you David , in the name of my said 'cannon'

Fernando

[fernando]

Hi Marc

Originally Posted by Marc

I'm sorry I can't add much to this thread, but, nonetheless, wanted to say I just love how the stock and the mounting turned up for this piece. I really like it

I can't help feeling flattered with such apreciation, as this was the first time i took the initiative to perform a "heavy duty" restoring work ... not just the little personal home bricolage.
I had seen some "hand gonne" pictures and also a "live" replica in the Military Museum. From there i decided to develop a setup that, besides being plausible, could be made by the carpenter and fitter from the neighbourwood, with my "supervising" presence, and later my own touch ups and finishing. The price i paid was peanuts ... no restoring specialists involved.
... And i see that the result achieved is quite satisfactory .
Un saludo
Fernando