Undefined matchlock barrel
 

This barrel belongs to an older gentleman and friend of mine in the Netherlands. The barrel measures an impressive 164cm and is about 46mm thick in the back and 30 mm in diameter in the front with an 21mm bore. The whole barrel is round and has stricking similarities with Indian and eastern barrels. Somehow i doubt that it is one of those seeing as it is way to heavy. It also had, in its past, a pancover and the rear sight is also unussual for an Indian barrel. I asked the owner if there where any marks that could tell if there was ever a hook attached and with some imagination (as he called it) you could see squared faced places underneath the barrel at one place. At the breech there is a attachement loop underneath the barrel.
It is out of my power to correctly date this piece but i would say at least 16th century. :o

http://i62.tinypic.com/3329i0y.jpg
http://i60.tinypic.com/dq3wxd.jpg
http://i58.tinypic.com/ok4tw6.jpg

I don't discern any differences between this example and Indian Toradar barrels in general :o.
The problem with these is that they look like the same, either being early ones or from the 19th century. You have to know a lot about them to tell the difference.

Sorry for mistyping; the correct term, of course, is Torador.

Please also note Czerjak's thread:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=torador

m

Are you sure Michl ?
I had this fantasy that the spelling Torador is a corruption influenced by the term Toureador (bullfighter) :o .
Tirri spells Toradar, as also Stone and some museums out there, including the Australian Victoria and even the Met :shrug: