An Early 15th C. Handgonne

Matchlock · 9th April 2012, 02:09 AM

I should mention that in the aforementioned French museum of Castelnaud there are three more early wrought-iron barrels, two of them of relatively large and heavy dimensions, mid-15th c., and comparable to two heavy pieces in my collection:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t+iron+barrels

Please note that the term 'petards' assigned by the museum is not correct; petards were actually installed to blast fortified places, e.g. their gates.

I will once more post photos of my related pieces, mid-15th c. and ca. 1480 respectively.

The third however, quite small, obviously octagonal and with alternatingly wide flats, the breech seemingly struck with a mark, seems quite close in period to our barrrels of ca. 1400 discussed here.

Best,
Michael

Matchlock · 9th April 2012, 01:28 PM

Now here are my two early large and heavy wrought-iron barrels, the smaller ca. 1450, the larger with the smaller but pronouncedly molded touch hole ca. 1480.
Originally they were probably parts of a large multi-barrel gun arrangement, possibly a rotating roundel designed to fire in all directions. As we know from various sources of period artwork they were widely in use during the 15th century.

The older and smaller barrel is 36.6 cm long and has an irregular 'bore' of ca. 34.2 cm, weighing 9 kg;
the heavy guy is 36.6 cm long, has inner barrel walls of very irregular diameter, ca. 35.8 x 37.2 cm, which were formed by forging and coarsely 'folding' the barrel around a core; it weighs more than 16 kg.
Of course these 'bores' could not receive balls of standard or 'fitting' caliber; they had to be loaded with shot, most probably consisting of a number of smaller balls packed in a linen sack.

The smaller barrel is struck over the breech with some interesting Gothic-cypher like devices, possibly a pseudo-date struck by an illiterate smith or a numbering, a cross symbol and three circles, while the larger barrel is struck with a Gothic minuscule P mark, possibly that of the famous Peter Pögl, who worked for the armories of the then King Maximilian.

Best, Michael

Matchlock · 9th April 2012, 01:31 PM

Close-ups of the heavier barrel showing the p mark and a cross symbol struck immediately in front of the touch hole.

m

9th April 2012, 02:09 AM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	I should mention that in the aforementioned French museum of Castelnaud there are three more early wrought-iron barrels, two of them of relatively large and heavy dimensions, mid-15th c., and comparable to two heavy pieces in my collection: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t+iron+barrels Please note that the term 'petards' assigned by the museum is not correct; petards were actually installed to blast fortified places, e.g. their gates. I will once more post photos of my related pieces, mid-15th c. and ca. 1480 respectively. The third however, quite small, obviously octagonal and with alternatingly wide flats, the breech seemingly struck with a mark, seems quite close in period to our barrrels of ca. 1400 discussed here. Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 9th April 2012 at 12:52 PM.

9th April 2012, 01:28 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Now here are my two early large and heavy wrought-iron barrels, the smaller ca. 1450, the larger with the smaller but pronouncedly molded touch hole ca. 1480. Originally they were probably parts of a large multi-barrel gun arrangement, possibly a rotating roundel designed to fire in all directions. As we know from various sources of period artwork they were widely in use during the 15th century. The older and smaller barrel is 36.6 cm long and has an irregular 'bore' of ca. 34.2 cm, weighing 9 kg; the heavy guy is 36.6 cm long, has inner barrel walls of very irregular diameter, ca. 35.8 x 37.2 cm, which were formed by forging and coarsely 'folding' the barrel around a core; it weighs more than 16 kg. Of course these 'bores' could not receive balls of standard or 'fitting' caliber; they had to be loaded with shot, most probably consisting of a number of smaller balls packed in a linen sack. The smaller barrel is struck over the breech with some interesting Gothic-cypher like devices, possibly a pseudo-date struck by an illiterate smith or a numbering, a cross symbol and three circles, while the larger barrel is struck with a Gothic minuscule P mark, possibly that of the famous Peter Pögl, who worked for the armories of the then King Maximilian. Best, Michael Attached Images

9th April 2012, 01:31 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Close-ups of the heavier barrel showing the p mark and a cross symbol struck immediately in front of the touch hole. m Attached Images