What is the earliest contemporary description or illustration of a blunderbuss

[dana_w]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

Hi Dana W,

The oldest illustrative source relating to blunderbusses is, in my opinion, a contemporary drawing of the murder of Thomas Thynne, London, 1681 (1st attachment) where the raiders employed such big-mouthed guns.

Real blunderbusses are known from as early as the 1560's-70's; the very few surving examples are of Dutch origin. Attached please find a scan of p. 181 from Arne Hoff's Dutch Firearms. The match serpentine, trigger and guard are all missing from the illustrated sample which can be closely dated to the 1570's, the fore end is a modern replacement, and so is the wood surrounding the barrel tang.

Attached next is a fine and completely preserved military matchlock blunderbuss, Dutch, the stock and lock ca. 1620 (early Thirty Years War), the barrel reused from an older gun and dating as early as ca. 1560-70; the pan and swiveling cover are working-time modernizations of ca. 1620, the toe and nose of the buttstock show old cracks but are both the original, just reattached. The stock with the wide-flared fishtail butt is of oak; the muzzle diameter of the very heavy wrought-iron barrel is 5 cm! The ramrod is iron, too, and is the original (author's collection).

Next in line are author's photos of the most impressive Dutch matchlock blunderbuss barrel I have ever seen, ca. 1560-70, the swiveling pan cover missing; the muzzle diameter is 8 cm!!! The barrel stages divided by filed moldings closely correspond to those on the barrel of my sampe.
I took the photos 20 years ago when that huge monster was sold at auction.

Best,
Michael

I have been researching the information thoughtfully provided by Michael (aka Matchlock). It turns out the illustration of Thomas Thynne's 1681 / 1682 murder in Pall Mall is by James Basire I (1730-1802). Most sources that I have found date the illustration to about 1775. Thomas Thynne's tomb can be found in Westminster Cathedral south choir aisle. It also has a depiction of the murder, but I have been unable to find a good photo of the tomb or date its construction.

I have been reading about the matchlock blunderbuss on display at Westfries Museum at Hoorn, but the photo from Arne Hoff's Dutch Firearms is the first that I've seen. Wow! There seem to be some who question the 1570 date. see: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpo...6&postcount=12

Thanks again Michael for sharing the photos on the military matchlock blunderbuss in your own collection.

Attached image is from:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...=gr&GRid=20770

Additional Info:
http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our.../thomas-thynne
http://hoydensandfirebrands.blogspot...pall-mall.html

[dana_w]

In May of 2013 Glenn Beck’s studio Mercury One sponsored an exhibition entitled “Independence Through History”. Among the items on display was William Bradford’s Bible, which accompanied the Pilgrim leader across the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower. The bible is from the collection of Brent Ashworth. It was displayed along with a Pilgrim’s Hat and a “Blunderbuss Gun”. The first photo below was taken by Jonathon M. Seidl of the Blaze ( http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013...n-museum-tour/ ). The second photo is from the local ABC news station ( http://www.4utah.com/story/sold-out-...tky8KfJrauwrDQ )


I have some serious doubts about the “Blunderbuss Gun”. It looks a lot like some 18th or even 19th century Blunderbusses that I have seen attributed to Turkey / North Africa and the tourist trade. What do you think?

[fernando]

Maybe a banger ... but hardly a shooter

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by dana_w

I have some serious doubts about the “Blunderbuss Gun”. It looks a lot like some 18th or even 19th century Blunderbusses that I have seen attributed to Turkey / North Africa and the tourist trade. What do you think?

Hi Dana,


I think you are quite right with your guess, especially as the muzzle flares that abruptly. I'm afaid a good black powder load and a couple of musket balls (as was the usual load for blunderbusses, not just 'blunder') would have blown that barrel to kingdom come ...

Back to the facts: this 'Mayflower' curiosity features a genuine early-style Northern European flintlock mechanism of ca. 1690-1700.


Best,
Michael