Gun Lock for I.D.

[Matchlock]

Hi Rick,

The second miquelet lock is kind of a riddle indeed because there is no maker's name or mark on it but two different local names.

Let's start with EN CORDOVA. This clearly is a phonetic variation of EN CÓRDOBA, Spain or Argentina, where the locksmith should have lived. Stockel's Handskydevaabens Bedomelse, in its 1978 revised edition by E. Heer, only lists five names for Córdoba, Spain, and none for Argentina:

Azcoitia, Cristobal, crossbowmaker, ca. 1580;

Azcoitia, Diego, crossbowmaker, ca. 1580;

Azcoitia, Juan, crossbowmaker, late 16th c.;

Fernandez (Hernandez) , Francisco, ca. 1620;

Hernandez, Francisco, recorded before 1644. Of course, the latter two may be indentical.


I realize that won't really help you along as the different periods of time when these lived and when your lock mechanism was made are way too far apart to enable any congruency ...

Now what can the word AUSTRIA possibly mean? Of course, Spain and Austria had mutual both political and cultural relations, especially the court ceremonial, from the 16th to the 19th c., and a few guns with miquelet locks are known indeed to exist, as far as I remember. So my conclusion would be that the lock was built in Spain for an Austrian gunsmith, who would then have signed the barrel.

Best,
Michael

[fernando]

Speaking of riddles, Michl.
Amazingly Cordova is how we should write and read Cordoba in portuguese, but actually we mainly use the Spanish version.
I would agree that this lock was made in Spanish Cordoba ... possibly by a less famous smith.
The other part is motre intriguing.
Well, the term Austria is indeed a comon allusion in Spain, as they like to call Austrias to the Habsburgs, namely when they refer to a block in the historical center of Madrid, whose dinasty had great influence in its building.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Madrid_de_los_Austrias
But from here to a lock maker name goes a giant step .
OTOH, i (humbly) find it hard that the word AUSTRIA in the lock plate would have been engraved in Austria ... specially considering that it is written in spanish (or portuguese, btw)

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by fernando

OTOH, i (humbly) find it hard that the word AUSTRIA in the lock plate would have been engraved in Austria ... specially considering that it is written in spanish (or portuguese, btw)

Hi 'Nando,

Thanks a lot for your additions and for confirming my opinion that there must have been close relations between Spain and Austria.

I am afraid though I could not put my last sentence the way to leave no doubt about what I meant to say. What I meant to say indeed is that the lock was certainly made in Córdova/Córdoba, Spain, but not signed by the maker intentionally because he made it for export to Austria and therefore just left a discrete hint to his place of origin in a rather hidden place, the frizzen. Instead, he put AVSTRIA visibly in the middle of the lock plate, as a reference to the country of destination. The Austrian gunsmith who stocked the gun would then have most probably signed the barrel.

Best,
Michl

[fernando]

Oh i see, Michl

[Matchlock]

'Nando,

I'm really glad I could finally make my point clear!

m