Late medieval italian handgonne
 

The image of the late medieval handgonne from the fragment of picture "Piccolomini Presents Eleanor of Portugal to Emperor Frederick III". This picture is about 1490-1495 year.

Hi Alexander,

Very nice find, this one! :)

This sort of firearm ist a tiller gun (Stangenbüchse) that had to be ignited manually.

For more on these, please see my older tread

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=tiller

Best,
Michael

Hi, Michael! Thank you for comments. But I think that this weapon is not a Stangenbüchse. I think that this weapon of this type:

Sorry, Alexander,

And thank you so much for correcting my old eyes! Of course you are perfectly right, I somehow overlooked the delicate half length forestock supporting the rear section of the barrel!

Best,
Michael

By the way, Michael do you know the size and calibre of weapon from a the small photo? Do you have a high quality photo of this?

Alexander,

I of course have known that piece and am aware that it's in my library but cannot remember where. I recall though it's a very old b/w photo only.

If you tell me the title of the catalog (or in what museum it is) I will take 'revenge' with a best possible scan. ;)

Best,
Michael

I got this picture from these site http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~dispater/handgonnes.htm

OK, here it is, plus a similar one, all preserved in the Real Armeria Madrid!

Best,
Michael

We can see one picture with handgonne of this type from British Library
http://i23.servimg.com/u/f23/14/83/12/61/1473_f10.jpg
This picture from Forum de L'Ost Du Dauphin:
http://ostdudauphin.forumperso.com/l...e-feu-t765.htm

Thanks for the link, Alexander.
Superb pictures, specially those of the firemasters ... and the firemaster horse (?).

Great find, Alexander, thank you! ;)

m

Handgonne of similar type:
Horae ad usum Parisiensem. 1475-1500.jpg

Oooohhh they are so cute