Gun Lock for I.D.

[rickystl]

This is a Spanish miquelet lock from my collection. It is clearly marked Juan Gomez on the lockplate. All chisled and engraved. Does anyone have reference material on this maker?
Two other unusal things with this lock. One is that it is of very large proportions. Larger than musket size, but not really large enough for wall gun size.
The other thing is the two holes drilled in the pan, which were done a long time ago. The lock is definately a forging. The frizzen face has never been struck. The lock is in perfect working order. Looks like it's never been used. Maybe the large size and holes in the pan signify that the lock was made as a design excersise? Just to show the lock makers capability? Thanks for looking. Rick.

[Matchlock]

Hi Rick,

You really seem to have built up an interesting collection of lock mechanisms!

Although I would have assinged your nice miquelet mechanism - please note the rarely preserved leather or lead ? fodder for the now missing flint still present in the jaws!!! - to the mid or 2nd half of the 18th c., there are only two members of the Gómez dynasty recorded in the most quoted - though far from being infallible ! - record of gun and crossbow makers, re-edited by Eugène Heer in 3 vols. by the Journal-Verlag Schwend Gmbh, Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, in 1978:

- Gómez, Juan, Sevilla, recorded in 1624

- Gómez, Juan, Eibar, recorded in 1802.


Honestly: would you wish me to decide, I would, based upon the as-new condition overall, with no scratches visible on the steel, as you pointed out, plead for a period of origin of ca. 1800.

The flint fodder denotes that a flint was present for a long time in the dog jaws. You may be right in surmising it was a demonstration copy for display in the gunsmith's shop to show his skill.

BTW, I would personally be highly interested in your earliest mechanisms: matchlolck and wheellock?!

Best,
Michael

[rickystl]

Hi, Michael. As usual, thank you for your wonderful assistance!! My reference material on European arms is very limited.
Agree with you on every point. I too, at first glance, would have placed the lock in the mid to 2nd half of the 18th Century. But, yes, I think we will consider this an 1800 item. The "leather" pieces in the jaws is in suprisingly good condition. Still fairly soft. But yes, definately OLD.
Very Early Locks: I "think" I've located an original Wheellock - Matchlock combination, lock only, that my contact says is in very good, complete, no pitting condition!!! He says the owner is interested in selling it. Hope he doesn't want too much money for it (yea, right!). I'll post it if I'm able to get my greedy little hands on it.
As long as I have your attention, maybe you (or others) can identify another Spanish miquelet lock I have. I will post photos in my next reply on this thread. Thanks Michael, Rick.

[rickystl]

Hi again. Here are some photos of another lock in my collection. Chiseled, engraved, and silver mounted. It's in similar condition as the first lock. Shows little to no use. Unfortunately, it's missing part of it's sear mechanism. I can see where it was broke off. I'm contemplating having a new sear piece made? It's ALSO the same large proportions as the Juan Gomez lock. Makes me think there was a lock making competition in Spain sometime around 1800??
Anyway, the lockplate clearly shows "Avstria". The frizzen is marked :En Cordova". Any reference to this name? Thanks, Rick.

[Matchlock]

Hi Rick,

Now this sounds interesting indeed: combined matchlock-wheellock mechanisms are hard to get and can vary in period from the 1530's to the 1690's.

I know ever single bit about those so if you could send me images (in- and outside) I could tell you about anything there is to say before buying it.

Best,
Michael

[rickystl]

Hi Michael. I'm "supposed" to receive pictures by next weekend. I'll keep you posted. Wish me luck. That would really be a grand prize.
Let me know if you can locate any reference to the name on the second lock. Thanks, Rick.

[Fernando K]

Rick:

James LAVIN "History of Spanish Firearms"

GOMEZ, Juan: "A lockmaker of Eibar. His name is on the miquelet lock of the shotgun in the Musee de lÁrmee - Paris (M 631) whose barrel is dated 1802. This mark an countermark appear on an eslabon in the Museo Arqueologico Nacional, Madrid

from Argentina, Fernando K

[Matchlock]

Hi Rick,

The second miquelet lock is kind of a riddle indeed because there is no maker's name or mark on it but two different local names.

Let's start with EN CORDOVA. This clearly is a phonetic variation of EN CÓRDOBA, Spain or Argentina, where the locksmith should have lived. Stockel's Handskydevaabens Bedomelse, in its 1978 revised edition by E. Heer, only lists five names for Córdoba, Spain, and none for Argentina:

Azcoitia, Cristobal, crossbowmaker, ca. 1580;

Azcoitia, Diego, crossbowmaker, ca. 1580;

Azcoitia, Juan, crossbowmaker, late 16th c.;

Fernandez (Hernandez) , Francisco, ca. 1620;

Hernandez, Francisco, recorded before 1644. Of course, the latter two may be indentical.


I realize that won't really help you along as the different periods of time when these lived and when your lock mechanism was made are way too far apart to enable any congruency ...

Now what can the word AUSTRIA possibly mean? Of course, Spain and Austria had mutual both political and cultural relations, especially the court ceremonial, from the 16th to the 19th c., and a few guns with miquelet locks are known indeed to exist, as far as I remember. So my conclusion would be that the lock was built in Spain for an Austrian gunsmith, who would then have signed the barrel.

Best,
Michael

[fernando]

Speaking of riddles, Michl.
Amazingly Cordova is how we should write and read Cordoba in portuguese, but actually we mainly use the Spanish version.
I would agree that this lock was made in Spanish Cordoba ... possibly by a less famous smith.
The other part is motre intriguing.
Well, the term Austria is indeed a comon allusion in Spain, as they like to call Austrias to the Habsburgs, namely when they refer to a block in the historical center of Madrid, whose dinasty had great influence in its building.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Madrid_de_los_Austrias
But from here to a lock maker name goes a giant step .
OTOH, i (humbly) find it hard that the word AUSTRIA in the lock plate would have been engraved in Austria ... specially considering that it is written in spanish (or portuguese, btw)

[fernando]

Originally Posted by rickystl

... Two other unusal things with this lock. One is that it is of very large proportions. Larger than musket size, but not really large enough for wall gun size... Maybe the large size and holes in the pan signify that the lock was made as a design excersise? Just to show the lock makers capability?

Very nice lock you got there, Rick.
About its dimensions; you surely know that Miquelet locks can be rather large ... specially the military versions. Can you give us an ideia of its measurements?
Concerning the holes; i understand that the smith might have intended to make a show off sample for his ''catalogue", but why and only make two so small holes in the pan? Do the holes actual perforate the whole pan?

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by fernando

OTOH, i (humbly) find it hard that the word AUSTRIA in the lock plate would have been engraved in Austria ... specially considering that it is written in spanish (or portuguese, btw)

Hi 'Nando,

Thanks a lot for your additions and for confirming my opinion that there must have been close relations between Spain and Austria.

I am afraid though I could not put my last sentence the way to leave no doubt about what I meant to say. What I meant to say indeed is that the lock was certainly made in Córdova/Córdoba, Spain, but not signed by the maker intentionally because he made it for export to Austria and therefore just left a discrete hint to his place of origin in a rather hidden place, the frizzen. Instead, he put AVSTRIA visibly in the middle of the lock plate, as a reference to the country of destination. The Austrian gunsmith who stocked the gun would then have most probably signed the barrel.

Best,
Michl

[fernando]

Oh i see, Michl

[Matchlock]

'Nando,

I'm really glad I could finally make my point clear!

m