1481 - the world's earliest dated handgun

Matchlock · 21st September 2008, 06:15 PM

A wrought-iron haquebut barrel struck with the Munich town mark.

You will remember seeing details of it in former postings where I also explained how to correctly read the date 1481, which, in the upmost image, is also seen chiseled in Gothic stone work and contrasted with the identical date on the barrel below.
Just imagine the Gothic numeral 4 being turned clockwise by 90 degrees and you get the contemporary shape.

This is a highly important historical piece in having survived so well preserved for 527 years!

Michael

Matchlock · 21st September 2008, 06:17 PM

This one failed to be attached.

Matchlock · 21st September 2008, 06:19 PM

I hope it will work this time ...

Spiridonov · 11th May 2010, 05:31 PM

Hellow, Michael! what is the calibre, length and weight of this barrel?

Matchlock · 11th May 2010, 08:16 PM

Hi Alexander,

The overall length of the octagonal barrel is 93.8 cm, the caliber at the heavily swamped muzzle is 2.7 cm, and the weight is 5.6 kg.

It is known from the Passau city archives that a number of these haquebuts were ordered in 1481 to be employed in a famous feud between two rivaling candidates for the archbishopship of Passau, Georg Kardinal von Hasler and Friedrich I. Mauerkircher, which took place from 2nd to 29th June 1482. This fact, too, makes this barrel a highly important historical object.

I attach some further images, the last three showing our piece in discussion together with two other haquebut barrels, ca. 1460 and 1490 respectively, all from the Passau Oberhaus Castle.

Please see my earlier posts for more details of these pieces.

Best,
Michael

Spiridonov · 12th May 2010, 11:34 AM

Thank you very much, Michael! But the calibre seems to much smaller than 2.7 cm. It is not mistake? I hesitate many questions but what is the width of the this barrel ?

21st September 2008, 06:15 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	1481 - the world's earliest dated handgun A wrought-iron haquebut barrel struck with the Munich town mark. You will remember seeing details of it in former postings where I also explained how to correctly read the date 1481, which, in the upmost image, is also seen chiseled in Gothic stone work and contrasted with the identical date on the barrel below. Just imagine the Gothic numeral 4 being turned clockwise by 90 degrees and you get the contemporary shape. This is a highly important historical piece in having survived so well preserved for 527 years! Michael Attached Images

21st September 2008, 06:19 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	I hope it will work this time ... Attached Images

11th May 2010, 08:16 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi Alexander, The overall length of the octagonal barrel is 93.8 cm, the caliber at the heavily swamped muzzle is 2.7 cm, and the weight is 5.6 kg. It is known from the Passau city archives that a number of these haquebuts were ordered in 1481 to be employed in a famous feud between two rivaling candidates for the archbishopship of Passau, Georg Kardinal von Hasler and Friedrich I. Mauerkircher, which took place from 2nd to 29th June 1482. This fact, too, makes this barrel a highly important historical object. I attach some further images, the last three showing our piece in discussion together with two other haquebut barrels, ca. 1460 and 1490 respectively, all from the Passau Oberhaus Castle. Please see my earlier posts for more details of these pieces. Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 12th May 2010 at 12:12 AM.

21st September 2008, 06:17 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	This one failed to be attached.

11th May 2010, 05:31 PM	#4
Spiridonov Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Russia, Leningrad Posts: 355	Hellow, Michael! what is the calibre, length and weight of this barrel?

12th May 2010, 11:34 AM	#6
Spiridonov Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Russia, Leningrad Posts: 355	Thank you very much, Michael! But the calibre seems to much smaller than 2.7 cm. It is not mistake? I hesitate many questions but what is the width of the this barrel ?