Late Gothic Tiller/Stick Guns, mid to late 15th century

Matchlock · 9th February 2009, 05:52 PM

The first samples of this type of tiller or stick guns, with wooden sticks attached to a socket behind the actual barrel and no lock mechanisms, seem to have entered the weapon scene in about 1440 and left it again around 1500.

On some early pieces of ca. 1440-60, the tiller consisted of an iron stick welded to the rear end of the barrel, its end sometimes bent upwards for aiming it held in the arm pit.

The fine sample with the copper alloy (brass or bronze) barrel and the stamped decorated limewood tiller stock ranges among the latest ones made, its priminig pan attached to the right side of the barrel - the swiveling cover now missing - allowing for a date of ca. 1500.

The stamped decoration between lozenge friezes, comprising six pointed stars and flower heads, corresponds closely to the decorative stamping on contemporary book bindings and gun stocks all reflecting the Late Gothic decorative taste.

The arsenal inventory of the City of Landshut/Lower Bavaria of 1485 illustrates two copper alloy barrels with wooden tiller stocks referred to as "older handguns" (allter handtpuchsn), which leads to the conclusion that they had been in the arsenal for quite some time by 1485 and had become regarded as obsolete (see attachment below).

The actual guns U.S. and German private collections.

Michael

9th February 2009, 05:52 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Late Gothic Tiller/Stick Guns, mid to late 15th century The first samples of this type of tiller or stick guns, with wooden sticks attached to a socket behind the actual barrel and no lock mechanisms, seem to have entered the weapon scene in about 1440 and left it again around 1500. On some early pieces of ca. 1440-60, the tiller consisted of an iron stick welded to the rear end of the barrel, its end sometimes bent upwards for aiming it held in the arm pit. The fine sample with the copper alloy (brass or bronze) barrel and the stamped decorated limewood tiller stock ranges among the latest ones made, its priminig pan attached to the right side of the barrel - the swiveling cover now missing - allowing for a date of ca. 1500. The stamped decoration between lozenge friezes, comprising six pointed stars and flower heads, corresponds closely to the decorative stamping on contemporary book bindings and gun stocks all reflecting the Late Gothic decorative taste. The arsenal inventory of the City of Landshut/Lower Bavaria of 1485 illustrates two copper alloy barrels with wooden tiller stocks referred to as "older handguns" (allter handtpuchsn), which leads to the conclusion that they had been in the arsenal for quite some time by 1485 and had become regarded as obsolete (see attachment below). The actual guns U.S. and German private collections. Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 10th February 2009 at 03:24 PM.