Early Wheel-Locks and Their Spanners

Matchlock · 5th June 2009, 06:00 PM

Two fine military wheel-lock muskets from my collection, the upper with 'high tech' combined wheel- and snap matchlock, Suhl, Thuringia, dated 1602, the lower Nuremberg, ca. 1600; both preserved in near mint condition throughout. Below a detached, very early wheel-lock, North Italian, ca. 1535.

And a few of my earliest wheel-lock spanners, the dating range comprising the 1520's to up to ca. 1560.

From left to right:

ca. 1520's, combined spanner and priming flask

ca. 1560, combined spanner, screw driver and priming flask

ca. 1530, North Italian

Right, from top to bottom:

each ca. 1540, combined spanners and screw drivers. Those little guys were kept in the butt traps of short wheel-lock harquebuses, so that's what those early 'patch boxes' actually contained.

Michael

5th June 2009, 06:00 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Early Wheel-Locks and Their Spanners Two fine military wheel-lock muskets from my collection, the upper with 'high tech' combined wheel- and snap matchlock, Suhl, Thuringia, dated 1602, the lower Nuremberg, ca. 1600; both preserved in near mint condition throughout. Below a detached, very early wheel-lock, North Italian, ca. 1535. And a few of my earliest wheel-lock spanners, the dating range comprising the 1520's to up to ca. 1560. From left to right: ca. 1520's, combined spanner and priming flask ca. 1560, combined spanner, screw driver and priming flask ca. 1530, North Italian Right, from top to bottom: each ca. 1540, combined spanners and screw drivers. Those little guys were kept in the butt traps of short wheel-lock harquebuses, so that's what those early 'patch boxes' actually contained. Michael Attached Images