A very fine Tusco-Emilian snap matchlock Landsknecht's harquebus, ca. 1525

Jim McDougall · 15th November 2008, 05:19 PM

Absolutely breathtaking Michael!!!
Thank you again a million times!! for presenting these wonderful photos with such detail, even to dismantling the weapons to examine each element....this is better than any museum tour ever dreamed of.

Excellent presentation showing the seahorse alongside the serpentine......brilliant illustration which really shows the creative imagination of these artisans in applying subtle and stylized reflection of traditional or popular themes. Often in ethnographic pieces the stylized zoomorphic creatures remain unidentified positively, but here is a perfect match!

You indeed have great reason to be proud of these, and we are fortunate to have you sharing them with us!!! Thank you so much.

All the best,
Jim

Pukka Bundook · 17th November 2008, 01:52 PM

Michael,

You have again given us something unique, and in such detail as can not be had elswhere! No books I am aware of show an arm to this measure. I feel very excited about it and would love to try and make something a bit like it!!

I presume it has a cheek-stock? How does it feel when aimed?
May I ask the length of the barrel?
Though I can not see it, I presume the sear passing through the lock-plate has a spring?

It must indeed be unique, having the original worm and ball puller still present!

Thank you again, and all the best!

Richard.

Matchlock · 17th November 2008, 05:44 PM

Hi, Richard,

I am so glad you like my work. It is hard work as I have to reduce all images in size considerably to be able and upload them.

The sear is of couse spring loaded; the spring is a broad, thin iron strip riveted to the lock plate and working horizontally on the sear; it can be seen right behind the ankled sear, on the right. In earliest locks like this, the single arm springs were just made by hammering a cold iron strip.

The length of the barrel is 61 cm, the length of the barrel tang 5.6 cm; the lock plate is 17.5 cm long, its greatest width is 1.2 cm.

The gun does actually not have a cheek stock; the earliest cheek stocks I know came up in the 1530's but were not very common with military guns. My camera is currently on strike, so please allow a week or so for posting images of the left side of the stock.

Please feel free to ask for more information. And please share your gun with us when it's finished.

Michael

Matchlock · 17th November 2008, 06:02 PM

Hi, Jim,

Thank you so much! Your words are so much rewarding indeed.

I have come to love sharing my pieces with you guys, and believe it or not: it has doubled my fun of them. Most collectors seem to keep their treasures hidden from the eyes of others. Well, what they actually gain from their behavior is - loneliness, and no feedback at all. The fun of others has always added greatly to my own pleasure.

As you have been pressing me (thanks a lot) you will be glad to learn that I have been planning to write a book on my collection and on earliest arsenal firearms and accouterments of ca. 1330-1700 in general, with tons of photos and setting up new, exact and transferable dating criteria - which really would be something never tried by anyone before. 30 years of experience, some 3,000 books and more than 280,000 photos taken in museums all over Europe, including England, and a lot of help from my friends should really suffice to make it a good book. Let's wait and see. A whole lot of work lies before me.

You and Ed, please keep me going!

Michael

Matchlock · 17th November 2008, 07:11 PM

Richard,

My honest congratulations, man! You got a very, very rare and finely decorated Dutch matchlock musket, ca. 1600-20, probably for a guardsman of a town guard, possibly that of Amsterdam!

I collect only rather plain arsenal pieces but yours is a real beauty!

You are a very lucky guy, no doubt about that. Keep a good eye on your piece.

If you don't mind I would love to see more of it, and I am sure so would the rest of us. If it retains its original length it should measure about 160-162 cm overall, the barrel ca. 123-125 cm. Any marks?!

I attach scans of very similiar Dutch matchlock muskets preserved in the Livrustkammaren in Stockholm.

Have fun, you have deserved to be proud.

Michael

Pukka Bundook · 18th November 2008, 05:35 AM

Michael,

The trouble is, my matchlock isn't original, but homemade.

This forum is for original pieces, not new ones......but I'm glad you reccognised it for what it was meant to represent!
(has Dutch and maybe English characteristics, but isn't a copy of anything particular,...just a "for fun" gun!)
The overall length is a bit short for an original, as the barrel I had on hand was only 92cm or so.
Sorry for confusing you, it was not intentional.

If you send me a PM with your e-mail, I could send you a few additional pictures if you would still like to see them.

The latest pictures you have just added are fantastic! beautiful work indeed, and Very inspirational!!

Thank you!

Very best wishes,

Richard.

Matchlock · 19th November 2008, 04:34 PM

Richard,

That should proove to all of us how easily we can be fooled by a photo showing good work!

Very well done indeed, telling from that photo

I have sent you a PM with my email, looking forward to seeing more of your piece.

Very best wishes,
Michael

17th November 2008, 07:11 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	A very fine and rare Dutch matchlock musket, ca. 1600-20 Richard, My honest congratulations, man! You got a very, very rare and finely decorated Dutch matchlock musket, ca. 1600-20, probably for a guardsman of a town guard, possibly that of Amsterdam! I collect only rather plain arsenal pieces but yours is a real beauty! You are a very lucky guy, no doubt about that. Keep a good eye on your piece. If you don't mind I would love to see more of it, and I am sure so would the rest of us. If it retains its original length it should measure about 160-162 cm overall, the barrel ca. 123-125 cm. Any marks?! I attach scans of very similiar Dutch matchlock muskets preserved in the Livrustkammaren in Stockholm. Have fun, you have deserved to be proud. Michael Attached Images

18th November 2008, 05:35 AM	#6
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Michael, The trouble is, my matchlock isn't original, but homemade. This forum is for original pieces, not new ones......but I'm glad you reccognised it for what it was meant to represent! (has Dutch and maybe English characteristics, but isn't a copy of anything particular,...just a "for fun" gun!) The overall length is a bit short for an original, as the barrel I had on hand was only 92cm or so. Sorry for confusing you, it was not intentional. If you send me a PM with your e-mail, I could send you a few additional pictures if you would still like to see them. The latest pictures you have just added are fantastic! beautiful work indeed, and Very inspirational!! Thank you! Very best wishes, Richard. Last edited by Pukka Bundook; 18th November 2008 at 01:59 PM.

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15th November 2008, 05:19 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	Absolutely breathtaking Michael!!! Thank you again a million times!! for presenting these wonderful photos with such detail, even to dismantling the weapons to examine each element....this is better than any museum tour ever dreamed of. Excellent presentation showing the seahorse alongside the serpentine......brilliant illustration which really shows the creative imagination of these artisans in applying subtle and stylized reflection of traditional or popular themes. Often in ethnographic pieces the stylized zoomorphic creatures remain unidentified positively, but here is a perfect match! You indeed have great reason to be proud of these, and we are fortunate to have you sharing them with us!!! Thank you so much. All the best, Jim

17th November 2008, 01:52 PM	#2
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Michael, You have again given us something unique, and in such detail as can not be had elswhere! No books I am aware of show an arm to this measure. I feel very excited about it and would love to try and make something a bit like it!! I presume it has a cheek-stock? How does it feel when aimed? May I ask the length of the barrel? Though I can not see it, I presume the sear passing through the lock-plate has a spring? It must indeed be unique, having the original worm and ball puller still present! Thank you again, and all the best! Richard.

17th November 2008, 05:44 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi, Richard, I am so glad you like my work. It is hard work as I have to reduce all images in size considerably to be able and upload them. The sear is of couse spring loaded; the spring is a broad, thin iron strip riveted to the lock plate and working horizontally on the sear; it can be seen right behind the ankled sear, on the right. In earliest locks like this, the single arm springs were just made by hammering a cold iron strip. The length of the barrel is 61 cm, the length of the barrel tang 5.6 cm; the lock plate is 17.5 cm long, its greatest width is 1.2 cm. The gun does actually not have a cheek stock; the earliest cheek stocks I know came up in the 1530's but were not very common with military guns. My camera is currently on strike, so please allow a week or so for posting images of the left side of the stock. Please feel free to ask for more information. And please share your gun with us when it's finished. Michael

17th November 2008, 06:02 PM	#4
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi, Jim, Thank you so much! Your words are so much rewarding indeed. I have come to love sharing my pieces with you guys, and believe it or not: it has doubled my fun of them. Most collectors seem to keep their treasures hidden from the eyes of others. Well, what they actually gain from their behavior is - loneliness, and no feedback at all. The fun of others has always added greatly to my own pleasure. As you have been pressing me (thanks a lot) you will be glad to learn that I have been planning to write a book on my collection and on earliest arsenal firearms and accouterments of ca. 1330-1700 in general, with tons of photos and setting up new, exact and transferable dating criteria - which really would be something never tried by anyone before. 30 years of experience, some 3,000 books and more than 280,000 photos taken in museums all over Europe, including England, and a lot of help from my friends should really suffice to make it a good book. Let's wait and see. A whole lot of work lies before me. You and Ed, please keep me going! Michael

19th November 2008, 04:34 PM	#7
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Richard, That should proove to all of us how easily we can be fooled by a photo showing good work! Very well done indeed, telling from that photo I have sent you a PM with my email, looking forward to seeing more of your piece. Very best wishes, Michael