Breech loading 1450-1550

Andi · 30th May 2014, 08:46 PM

A breech loader chamber of the 15th century found in 1932 in front of the famous Lübeck Holstentor. Photographed at Museum Holstentor Lübeck, Germany. Unfortunately no dimensions and caliber are given.

Andi · 30th May 2014, 09:02 PM

Images from Tøjhusmuseet Copenhagen, Denmark.
The first is a netherlands 3/4 pounder called pothund of the 16th century the other ones were found in a ships wreck near Anholt.

Matchlock · 10th December 2014, 05:29 PM

This interesting piece of light artillery, the wrought iron barrel not marked but doubtlessly made either in Suhl or in the neighboring center of Zella, and the butt of the beechwood full stock carved with floral motifs in the characteristic Suhl manner, is mounted on its original two-wheeled carriage. This way, it could be moved more quickly from one place of the castle walls to another.

The Suhl style of carving stocks was carried out from ca. 1590 - the earliest known is a similar wall gun in the Livrustkammaren near Stockholm, the barrel struck with Suhl marks and the date 1592 - until ca. 1620 when the outbreak of the Thirty Years War in 1618 literally stopped any superfluous decoration of "military" guns.

Although this gun was made on the eve of the Thirty Years War, its breech still opens and shuts the same way breechloaders did around 1540. One iron cartridge is still preserved but oiriginally there must have been several more to enable rapid firing.
Even though this actually could be termed a high-tech item to the world of 400 years ago, it does not have an igniting mechanism. The ingnition had to be done the usual way: pour some priming powder on the pan-like moulded touch hole and touch it with either a glowing matchcord (German: Luntenstrick) clamped in the heaed of a linstock (German: Luntenstock) or a red hot igniting iron (German: Loseisen).

Its overall length including the carriage is ca. 3.5 meters.
The author photographed it in the exhibition rooms at Schloss Hohenlohe-Langenburg, which belongs to the Prince of Hohenlohe.

Similar pieces are in the Bayerisches Armeemuseum Ingolstadt and the Veste Coburg.

In a part-sale of the armory of Schloss Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Thomas Del Mar Ltd., 3 December 2014, there was another breechloading Bockbüchse but with a simpler breech mechanism.
I will post it here soon.

For three interesting wall guns, two of them dated 1525 and 1537 respectively, the third ca. 1535-40, please see:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...5&page=3&pp=30

Best,
Michael

All photos copyrighted by the author.

Matchlock · 11th December 2014, 08:15 PM

This was sold from the Hohenlohe-Langeburg armory at Thomas Del Mar, 3 December 2014.

m

Matchlock · 11th December 2014, 08:43 PM

Two very similar Bockbüchsen, both Suhl made and dated 1609, are in the Historisches Museum Bern, Switzerland. The first is struck with Suhl proof marks, the dealer's mark of Valentin Klett the Elder.
As usual with pieces of artillery, it had was given a name, Shilt (shield).
The name of the other is Hund (dog or hound).

In the same museum is another Bockbüchse with a much much more refined breechloading system.

A very similar but really unique piece of early 17th century artillery high-tech, the barrel struck with the proof mark of the city of Zella near Suhl, the date 1619 - the second year of the Thirty Years War - was preserved completely with all its accouterments, including the original ball mold.
The contemporary historic term of such a breechloading Bockbüchse was Stück zum Geschwindschießen (rapid firing piece).

It got deaccessioned by the Prince of Hohenlohe from the Princely Collection at Schloss Hohenlohe-Langenburg and entered The Michael Trömner Collection in 1989, from where it was sold via Hermann Historica, 6 October 2008.
It is now in the collection, and on exhibition, at Burg Stolpen near Dresden.
Please watch the video on line:
http://www.burg-stolpen.org/en/homepage/

Burg Stolpen was founded in the 12th century.

The attached scans are from
Rudolf Wegeli: Inventar des Bernischen Historischen Museums in Bern; Bd. IV, 1948: Fernwaffen, pp. 85ff.

Photos copyrighted by Hermann Historica and by the author.

Best,
Michael

Matchlock · 11th December 2014, 09:14 PM

More details.

Matchlock · 11th December 2014, 09:22 PM

This is my good and brilliant friend Armin König, together with my Bockbüchse, in his armory in Hohenberg a.d. Eger:

http://www.engerisser.de/Bewaffnung/.../Firearms.html

30th May 2014, 08:46 PM	#1
Andi Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Halstenbek, Germany Posts: 203	A breech loader chamber of the 15th century found in 1932 in front of the famous Lübeck Holstentor. Photographed at Museum Holstentor Lübeck, Germany. Unfortunately no dimensions and caliber are given. Attached Images

30th May 2014, 09:02 PM	#2
Andi Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Halstenbek, Germany Posts: 203	Images from Tøjhusmuseet Copenhagen, Denmark. The first is a netherlands 3/4 pounder called pothund of the 16th century the other ones were found in a ships wreck near Anholt. Attached Images

10th December 2014, 05:29 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	A Good and Rare Breechloading Wall Gun (Bockbüchse), Suhl, ca. 1600-20 This interesting piece of light artillery, the wrought iron barrel not marked but doubtlessly made either in Suhl or in the neighboring center of Zella, and the butt of the beechwood full stock carved with floral motifs in the characteristic Suhl manner, is mounted on its original two-wheeled carriage. This way, it could be moved more quickly from one place of the castle walls to another. The Suhl style of carving stocks was carried out from ca. 1590 - the earliest known is a similar wall gun in the Livrustkammaren near Stockholm, the barrel struck with Suhl marks and the date 1592 - until ca. 1620 when the outbreak of the Thirty Years War in 1618 literally stopped any superfluous decoration of "military" guns. Although this gun was made on the eve of the Thirty Years War, its breech still opens and shuts the same way breechloaders did around 1540. One iron cartridge is still preserved but oiriginally there must have been several more to enable rapid firing. Even though this actually could be termed a high-tech item to the world of 400 years ago, it does not have an igniting mechanism. The ingnition had to be done the usual way: pour some priming powder on the pan-like moulded touch hole and touch it with either a glowing matchcord (German: Luntenstrick) clamped in the heaed of a linstock (German: Luntenstock) or a red hot igniting iron (German: Loseisen). Its overall length including the carriage is ca. 3.5 meters. The author photographed it in the exhibition rooms at Schloss Hohenlohe-Langenburg, which belongs to the Prince of Hohenlohe. Similar pieces are in the Bayerisches Armeemuseum Ingolstadt and the Veste Coburg. In a part-sale of the armory of Schloss Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Thomas Del Mar Ltd., 3 December 2014, there was another breechloading Bockbüchse but with a simpler breech mechanism. I will post it here soon. For three interesting wall guns, two of them dated 1525 and 1537 respectively, the third ca. 1535-40, please see: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...5&page=3&pp=30 Best, Michael All photos copyrighted by the author. Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 10th December 2014 at 05:43 PM.

11th December 2014, 08:15 PM	#4
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Another Breechloading Bockbüchse, Almost Certainly Suhl, ca. 1600-20 This was sold from the Hohenlohe-Langeburg armory at Thomas Del Mar, 3 December 2014. m Attached Images

11th December 2014, 08:43 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Two very similar Bockbüchsen, both Suhl made and dated 1609, are in the Historisches Museum Bern, Switzerland. The first is struck with Suhl proof marks, the dealer's mark of Valentin Klett the Elder. As usual with pieces of artillery, it had was given a name, Shilt (shield). The name of the other is Hund (dog or hound). In the same museum is another Bockbüchse with a much much more refined breechloading system. A very similar but really unique piece of early 17th century artillery high-tech, the barrel struck with the proof mark of the city of Zella near Suhl, the date 1619 - the second year of the Thirty Years War - was preserved completely with all its accouterments, including the original ball mold. The contemporary historic term of such a breechloading Bockbüchse was *Stück zum Geschwindschießen* (rapid firing piece). It got deaccessioned by the Prince of Hohenlohe from the Princely Collection at Schloss Hohenlohe-Langenburg and entered The Michael Trömner Collection in 1989, from where it was sold via Hermann Historica, 6 October 2008. It is now in the collection, and on exhibition, at Burg Stolpen near Dresden. Please watch the video on line: http://www.burg-stolpen.org/en/homepage/ Burg Stolpen was founded in the 12th century. The attached scans are from Rudolf Wegeli: Inventar des Bernischen Historischen Museums in Bern; Bd. IV, 1948: Fernwaffen, pp. 85ff. Photos copyrighted by Hermann Historica and by the author. Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 11th December 2014 at 09:27 PM.

11th December 2014, 09:14 PM	#6
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	More details. Attached Images

11th December 2014, 09:22 PM	#7
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	This is my good and brilliant friend Armin König, together with my Bockbüchse, in his armory in Hohenberg a.d. Eger: http://www.engerisser.de/Bewaffnung/.../Firearms.html Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 11th December 2014 at 11:26 PM.