A Beautiful Mid-14th Century Handgonne

[Matchlock]

For two rare bombards/Steinbüchsen sold at auction, please see my thread:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18482

Best,
Michael

[Spiridonov]

The wrought-iron gun has a total length of 260mm a bore 31mm. It was found in Southern Germany.

[Spiridonov]

One more
"A VERY EARLY & EXTREMELY RARE NORTHERN ITALIAN (PERUGIA?) 14th/15th CENTURY WROUGHT IRON HAND-CANNON, ca. 1400: In overall fine untouched condition. Lightly oxidized and rust-patinated wrought, iron surfaces with the expected patches of wear, discoloration, scattered pitting and roughness. Of very early, mid-14th Century, small-sized, Hand-Cannon form: having a wrought forged, twisted, bulbous-type, 7”, iron barrel with a slightly irregular, 1.25+ caliber bore: the underside of the muzzle with its original, rectangular, pierced, hook/hack for the attachment of a “Tiller”/Stock. A pronounced twisted midsection and an integrally forged rear handle/powder-chamber with its early type, top-mounted, vent-type/touch-hole. The exterior surfaces retain a fine, untouched, chocolate-brown age-patina and the expected signs of wear from use and exposure. In overall fine condition with a russet-brown patina and scattered forge-roughness/pitting. Some expected bore-irregularity, rust-stains, signs of age and wear. Exhibits a hand-forged, wrought-iron, "twist" pattern with evident hammer-marks and laminations. Overall length 11": and possibly one of the 500 Hand-Cannons/”Bombards” described in the Perugia Arsenal inventory, of 1364; as this and several other similar surviving examples, similarly to those described, is made with a 7” barrel. “500 bombarde una spana longhe” (a span being approx. 9”). {For additional information, Please see M. L. Brown’s: “Firearms in Colonial America…”, pg. 7 & H. L. Peterson’s: “The Treasury of the Gun”, pg. 39). An extremely rare, early and original 14th/15th Century European (Northern Italian) Hand-Cannon, ca. 1400. Rarely seen outside of large European Estate or Institutional collections. One of the earliest examples of a European Firearm on Today’s Market. For a similar example, please see Dudley Pope's: "Guns", “Firearms in Colonial America”, C. Blair’s: “European & American Arms…”, & Jan Durdik's: “Alte Handfeuerwaffen”, pg. 20.

No markings other than a large "18" at the muzzle, twist pattern on the barrel, mounting peg on the muzzle, 4 1/4" grip area with touch hole to the rear. Definitely old, but cannot identify.
BBL: 6 3/4 inch round "

[fernando]

A gun with a similar profile may be seen in Prestige de lármurerie Portugaise, an exhibition held at Musee d´Armes de Liege, in 1991.
It belongs (or belonged) in the collection of Rainer Daehnhardt and is said to have been excavated in the field of the battle of Aljubarrota, which took place in 1385. We know that this is a very early date and a Portuguese specialist doesn't agree that small artillery was used in this battle by Portuguese, also there is a chronicler of the period (Fernão Lopes) who describes how the Spanish side used a number of 16 heavy bombards (trons). Mr. Daehnhardt pretends that, for the same logic, nothing rejects that small hand cannons were used by the Portuguese side.


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[Marcus den toom]

Spiridonov, i think Michael dealt with this example as well.. bexause these two are one and the same cannon. More over, they are the sad remains of two hand cannons forced into eachother.
The hole where the small " hook" was positioned used to be the touchhole of the second cannon... if you where to request pictures from the inside of the bore you would see the cruel operation... sad

[Marcus den toom]

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=joker

Post 57

[fernando]

Good shot in showing that both present example posted by Alexander and previous one posted by Matchlock are the same, Marcus.
However you are not saying that the one i posted in #29 is also a setup, are you ?