Sea Monster-Shaped Arquebus, Italian, 15th C?

cannonmn · 22nd December 2011, 10:42 PM

This gun has a 20mm bore, is wrought iron, about 36 in. long, weighs about 20 lbs. The stand is 20th C. This came from the Bivins Collection in CA., and is pictured in Bivins Collection Book "Vari-Type Firearms." The only intelligible marks on top are "VALOROSO SCOPIECTO FERISCI EL PIETO" or something close to that. It has been translates as "brave gun wounds to the chest" and is a not-too-clever rhyme. Some linguists I've consulted say the little rhyme is written in Spanish-tainted Italian, if that means anything. The gun resembles the Pistrice Monster depicted in stone carvings in various places in Italy, notably the Amalfi Coast. The Royal Armouries wanted to test the metal in it, so a small sample was taken and tested, and found to have an excessive amount of phosphorous compared to other early wrought iron. I am looking for any information on any similar weapons and what is known about them, because I've found almost no information on guns of this form in the 25 years I've owned it. This style must not have "caught on."

22nd December 2011, 10:42 PM	#1
cannonmn Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 161	Sea Monster-Shaped Arquebus, Italian, 15th C? This gun has a 20mm bore, is wrought iron, about 36 in. long, weighs about 20 lbs. The stand is 20th C. This came from the Bivins Collection in CA., and is pictured in Bivins Collection Book "Vari-Type Firearms." The only intelligible marks on top are "VALOROSO SCOPIECTO FERISCI EL PIETO" or something close to that. It has been translates as "brave gun wounds to the chest" and is a not-too-clever rhyme. Some linguists I've consulted say the little rhyme is written in Spanish-tainted Italian, if that means anything. The gun resembles the Pistrice Monster depicted in stone carvings in various places in Italy, notably the Amalfi Coast. The Royal Armouries wanted to test the metal in it, so a small sample was taken and tested, and found to have an excessive amount of phosphorous compared to other early wrought iron. I am looking for any information on any similar weapons and what is known about them, because I've found almost no information on guns of this form in the 25 years I've owned it. This style must not have "caught on."