An Extremely Rare Five-Barreled Tiller Gun, ca. 1515-20

Matchlock · 24th June 2012, 08:25 PM

The bundle of five barrels of cast bronze, the touch holes located on top, the central barrel fitted with rear and foresight; and with an integrally cast short socket pierced with a pin hole for a tiller stock (missing); 1st half 16th c.
Overall length ca. 50 cm.
Preserved in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nuremberg, currently exhibited in the collections of the Imperial Castle at Nuremberg.

In one of the inventories of the Emperor Maximilian I, cod.icon. 222 (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München), ca. 1495-1515, fol. 46b, three similar tiller guns are depicted, mounted with three, four and six barrels respectively.

The general shape of the barrels, as well as the sights, of the Nuremberg item are clearly more developed than those illustrated at the beginning of the 16th c.
The possibility cannot be excluded that this piece is even non-European, and of later date than it seems.

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24th June 2012, 08:25 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	An Extremely Rare Five-Barreled Tiller Gun, ca. 1515-20 The bundle of five barrels of cast bronze, the touch holes located on top, the central barrel fitted with rear and foresight; and with an integrally cast short socket pierced with a pin hole for a tiller stock (missing); 1st half 16th c. Overall length ca. 50 cm. Preserved in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nuremberg, currently exhibited in the collections of the Imperial Castle at Nuremberg. In one of the inventories of the Emperor Maximilian I, cod.icon. 222 (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München), ca. 1495-1515, fol. 46b, three similar tiller guns are depicted, mounted with three, four and six barrels respectively. The general shape of the barrels, as well as the sights, of the Nuremberg item are clearly more developed than those illustrated at the beginning of the 16th c. The possibility cannot be excluded that this piece is even non-European, and of later date than it seems. m Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 24th June 2012 at 08:49 PM.