A very fine Tusco-Emilian snap matchlock Landsknecht's harquebus, ca. 1525

[Matchlock]

Richard,

My honest congratulations, man! You got a very, very rare and finely decorated Dutch matchlock musket, ca. 1600-20, probably for a guardsman of a town guard, possibly that of Amsterdam!

I collect only rather plain arsenal pieces but yours is a real beauty!

You are a very lucky guy, no doubt about that. Keep a good eye on your piece.

If you don't mind I would love to see more of it, and I am sure so would the rest of us. If it retains its original length it should measure about 160-162 cm overall, the barrel ca. 123-125 cm. Any marks?!

I attach scans of very similiar Dutch matchlock muskets preserved in the Livrustkammaren in Stockholm.

Have fun, you have deserved to be proud.

Michael

[Pukka Bundook]

Michael,

The trouble is, my matchlock isn't original, but homemade.

This forum is for original pieces, not new ones......but I'm glad you reccognised it for what it was meant to represent!
(has Dutch and maybe English characteristics, but isn't a copy of anything particular,...just a "for fun" gun!)
The overall length is a bit short for an original, as the barrel I had on hand was only 92cm or so.
Sorry for confusing you, it was not intentional.

If you send me a PM with your e-mail, I could send you a few additional pictures if you would still like to see them.

The latest pictures you have just added are fantastic! beautiful work indeed, and Very inspirational!!

Thank you!

Very best wishes,

Richard.

[Matchlock]

Richard,

That should proove to all of us how easily we can be fooled by a photo showing good work!

Very well done indeed, telling from that photo

I have sent you a PM with my email, looking forward to seeing more of your piece.

Very best wishes,
Michael

[Matchlock]

Note the staged barrels and the unstocked elongated muzzle sections, all corresponding closely to my harquebus.

The snap tinder locks illustrated in these tapestries are of slightly obsolete type in having only a small lockplate for the serpentine and the long spring still nailed to the forestock. This kind of lock is yet found on guns up to ca. 1530.

Michael

[Matchlock]

For an original snap tinderlock gun of ca. 1530, with a small brass lockplate only for the matchholder and the spring nailed to the forestock, please go to

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7138

Michael

[Matchlock]

The buttstocks, locks and acorn shaped triggers very similar to my 1520's piece but of longer form throughout and mounted with more modern octagonal barrels.

Both preserved at the collections of the Tower of London and The Royal Armouries Leeds respectively. The lock of the gun at Leeds a modern replacement.

I was given the chance of taking these photos in 1990 when the harquebuses were still in the reserve collection at what was then just "The Tower".

Fragments of similar harquebuses were found in the wreck of the Mary Rose that had sunken in Spithead Harbour in 1545.

Michael

[Matchlock]

More.