Barrel from Grandson battlefield

[Matchlock]

Oustanding, Alexander!

It certainly is a rather small caliber arquebus barrel (probably 12-15 mm), most probably hexagonal (characteristic of that period), and the overall length should be ca. 80 cm.

The image from Diebold Schilling's Berne Chronicle you seclected conveys a perfect idea of what the arquebus might have looked like, and why the barrel loops make sense.

What I am hoping moreover is that your 'good man' also has photos of the smaller (most probably bronze) arquebus barrel of ca. 1490-1510 that can be seen in the upper right corner, above our barrel in discussion.

Thank you so much
and best as always,

Michael

[Spiridonov]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

What I am hoping moreover is that your 'good man' also has photos of the smaller (most probably bronze) arquebus barrel of ca. 1490-1510 that can be seen in the upper right corner, above our barrel in discussion.

Hello, Michael! Unfortunatly "good man" (Иван Иванов(Ivan Ivanov)) don't have photos of these barrel. But i can share another photos from Grandson Castle. I am still waiting the photo of barrel from Grandson battlefield.

[Matchlock]

Thank you for these, Alexander,

I feel now it's my turn to comment.

From top:

A rare and heavy combined cannon and haquebut barrel, South German, ca. 1500; note the additional trunnions and the flat pan that, interestingly enough, has no provision for a pivoting cover.

A fine Nuremberg cast copper alloy (most certainly bronze) haquebut barrel divided into four stages, ca. 1515, possibly dated within the raised double band on the rear stage, and extended muzzle section (Mündungskopf), and equipped with fully developed back and foresights. The pan seems to be a later repair. Just to convey an impression of how the stock looked like, I attach pictures of my contemporary Nuremberg bronze haquebut showing the very same staging of the barrel.

Two detached breech loading chambers from cannons, mid 15th c., the lower one struck with a mark in the shape of a star or a sparkle (!) right behind the touchhole. The 'linstock' is a very poor and formally inapt modern replica. Attached please find an image of an original mid 16th century linstock from my collection.

On the next two barrels, please see my comments together with the photos I posted above.

Bottom:
A small cast bronze arquebus barrrel, possibly of Swiss make, late 15th c., in excavated condition.

Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

Here is a detail of the rear section of the Grandson barrel, ca. 1470, showing the pan, touchhole and small blade back sight.

Best,
m

[Spiridonov]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

Here is a detail of the rear section of the Grandson barrel, ca. 1470, showing the pan, touchhole and small blade back sight.

Best,
m

Thanks, Michael! I have these photo. It's ftrom "Medieval handgonne" book. But I was thinking that its a 2 different barrel because these barres are in different pages of book. So pan looks very primitive and it seems that it have not cover and never had it befor. Michael what did you mean about "blade"? What is it?

[Spiridonov]

deleted

[Matchlock]

Hi Alexander,

By blade backsight I meant that it is thin as a blade; this, as far as I know, is a common expression in English.

By now I have read the captions to the illustrations and learned that 'our' barrel in discussion was not found on, but near the Grandson battlefield site. So it is not sure that it actually saw service in that battle. This fact accounts for my suspicion that it was altered during its longer working life: the blade backsight, im my eperience, is a modernization of ca. 1500, as well as the pan and possibly the barrel loops. In the 1470's, the touchhole was still situated near the top of the barrel, and pans were unknown. All there was to the touchhole was a more or less deep molding, the earliest predecessor of a pan. Integral pans on wrought iron barrels did not show up before ca. the 1490's.

That considered, I am sure that barrel cannot have ended its working life on Grandson battlefield.

Best,
Michael

[Swordfish]

Originally Posted by Spiridonov

Hello, Michael! Unfortunatly "good man" (Иван Иванов(Ivan Ivanov)) don't have photos of these barrel. But i can share another photos from Grandson Castle. I am still waiting the photo of barrel from Grandson battlefield.

Hallo,

the bronce barrel with the trunnions was sold Galerie Fischer June 1994 and was described as french.
The bronce barrel at the bottom was found in a river in Alsace an sold at the same sale.

Best wishes

[Matchlock]

Thank you, Swordfish,

for this enlightening input!

Best,
Michael

[Marcus den toom]

Some more pictures i found on facebook from the Grandson army museum.

[Marcus den toom]

And some more.