Unusual powder tester for comments

[Matchlock]

Hi Nando,


I cannot say much more on this specimen than this: it was apparently made in the first half of the 19th century and widely used by dealers and shooters alike in order to test the quality of black powder. The toothed wheel is scaled to indicate the degree of intensity/quality at the time of explosion of the powder.

You say that you have mostly known similar tools with pistol grips so far. This may be due to the fact that most of them were table lighters for private use at home, most of them equiped with flintlock mechanisms.

Attached please find images of a flintlock table lighter for ignition of a matchcord, first half 18th c., another for igniting a candle, English, mid-18th c., and a flintlock powder tester, ca. 1800.


Best,
Michl

[fernando]

Thank you for the prompt reaction, Michl .
I suspect however that my point was missed .
I know (knew) how powder testers work, as i am familiar with candle lighters; but none of those have a straight handle or and a manual ignition system, instead of the current mechanical ones ... flint, percussion, etc.
I also don't see how in the 19th century, this 'cannon/gonne' ignition style was still in use

[Matchlock]

Hi Nando,


Though maybe not as explicitly as I had been hoping, I did try to meet your point in my reply. Please do forgive my obvious headiness, my dear friend!

Seen from the standpoint of an art historian, the (Neo-)Gothic style of the straight, plain handle perfectly corresponds to the 19th c. philosophy of 're-enlivening' the old Gothic style, and is clearly recognizable to me in this object.
Sadly I cannot tell how it was actually ignited, either, as I have never handled such an item (it's just way too 'young' to startle a true Gothic and Renaissance freak like me).
I am positive though that some of our members can. In any case, the ignition must have been very easy to achieve.


Best wishes,
Michl

[Marcus den toom]

I tried to find similair examples on the web.. acording to the authors on these web pages this kind of powder tester was also in use in the 18th century, but the style differs from Fernando's powder tester and the truthfullness about these claims might be clouded by the sellers "ambition"
I did find a nice website though (pitt rivers museum).

http://web.prm.ox.ac.uk/weapons/inde...359/index.html

http://merzantiques.com/item/very-unusual-powder-tester ( http://www.icollector.com/17th-centu...ture_i11291595 )

http://www.icollector.com/Early-powd...rule_i11291691

[Matchlock]

Thanks a lot, Marcus,


For searching (and finding!) this excellent material!

Could you please post here on the forum the respective images and descriptions in the links you found? I am requesting this considering the fact that many links tend to vanish from the web each day, so we would all be glad to find the material documented here.


Thanks again, and best wishes,
Michael

[Marcus den toom]

My pleasure

And as requested:

"This device for testing gunpowder was made in Avignon, France and dates to the 17th or early 18th century.

The amount of powder charge needed to pour down the muzzle of a gun depended on the strength of the powder, as well as the barrel length and bullet size. Testers tended to use the same mechanisms as the guns of the day, so this example with a nicely turned-wood handle and iron ratchet wheel, probably dates to the wheel-lock era. Samples of powder were ignited in the touch-hole and forced the wheel to rotate by means of a spring. Originally the wheel would have been marked with graduations from which the strength of the powder could be calculated."


"In the shape of some sort of mythological peacock/serpent standing on four feet. Bird's head on one end and a turned wood grip on the other. Very nice item marked "H K C". Graduated wheel is marked from 0-25. Very decorative piece. Well made and in excellent condition with a nice aged brass patina coloration."
The auction discription:
"17th century style cast-brass body powder tester with turned wood grip of 20th century manufacture, signed by Coulter “HKC / 12-67”. Measures 13” from end to end. Made with a high degree of quality and precision andshows good aging. Keith Coulter was an excellent craftsman and he did work only for his own purposes, not for resale or forgery. From the Keith Coulter collection"



"Early powder tester circa 1700 – 1750. 10-1/4” overall, 4-1/2” turned wood grip with brass ferrule connected to a straight steel platform with graduated wheel showing hand-engraved numbers and tension spring.With touch hole cover. Very good condition, normal aging, small chip to the grip. Similar to example pictured in Eprouvettes by Kempers, page 92. From the Keith Coulter collection"

[Matchlock]

Perfectly done, thank you for your kindness!

I profoundly disagree with the early dates obviously assigned by dealers to the objects; to me they are all 1st half to mid-19th c.

Best,
m