Barrel dating

[Matchlock]

Hi, Spiridonov,

This fine handgun is one of the most drastic examples of dating early guns incorrectly in more recent arms history.

It was salvaged from the water at the Kurisches Haff, Poland, in the 19th century. The barrel is of cast copper alloy, the tiller stock is original and hollowed out to receive the ramrod. The item is preserved at the National Museum Wojska Polskiego, Warsaw.

As the swiveling pan cover attached by a screw (neither screws nor pans or pan covers are known before ca. 1500!), and according to the new and transferable dating criteria that I have evolved, a date closely to around 1500 can be fixed.

I attach images of a very similar Nuremberg tiller gun from my collection, retaining its original limewood tiller stock decorated with stamps of flowers and other symbols, just like Gothic book bindings.

Best,
Michael