A Highly Interesting Regensburg Matchlock Wallgun of ca. 1640, the Barrel ca. 1490

Matchlock · 21st July 2009, 06:36 PM

Hi Spirodonov,

Reply to your first question:

I, too, noticed on Robert's images that there was a coat of arms painted on the left side of the stock of the Ingolstadt haquebut/wallgun, almost certainly city arsenal or owner's arms. I will try to get a detailed image and do some research, so please be patient.

As I wrote the oak wood is stained black; it does no seem like paint to me. The staining was certainly a sort of impregnation of the wood, especially as the grounding was probably a water solution of chalk.

You are perfectly right, there is such a thing called the chronology of South German oak wood. As far as I know it has been set up for oak only. If the museum would consent to having a portion sawn off the stock (!) the cutting date of the oak tree in the second half of the 15th century could be determined by a synopsis of the annual rings as closely as plus/minus 15 years - not actually very helpful indeed ...

Reply to your second question:

As I wrote both the barrel and the stock of the Ingolstadt wallgun are contemporary, i.e. both were made in ca. 1490, the barrel almost certainly at a Nuremberg workshop.

Best,
Michael

Spiridonov · 22nd July 2009, 05:09 AM

Thanks for the full answer.I will be waiting for more detailed photos

Matchlock · 3rd January 2015, 01:40 PM

Finally, here are more detailed images of that heavy haquebut - and of the pan perforated by rust because it held the priming powder over most of the time of its age.
Those wall guns were usually kept loaded and primed at their places. near the loop holes in the walls of a fortified town wall or a tower; thus, they were immediately ready to fire in case of emergency, and could be set off by a red hot igniting iron or the glowing match of a linstock.

Please also see my thread
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8185

and especially:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/newrep...reply&p=178523

m

bkp747 · 10th January 2015, 08:12 PM

Wow! A great addition to a CLASSIC post, Michael, I absolutely LOVE those beauties... I hope you are doing well.

3rd January 2015, 01:40 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Finally, here are more detailed images of that heavy haquebut - and of the pan perforated by rust because it held the priming powder over most of the time of its age. Those wall guns were usually kept loaded and primed at their places. near the loop holes in the walls of a fortified town wall or a tower; thus, they were immediately ready to fire in case of emergency, and could be set off by a red hot igniting iron or the glowing match of a linstock. Please also see my thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8185 and especially: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/newrep...reply&p=178523 m Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 3rd January 2015 at 02:06 PM.

21st July 2009, 06:36 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi Spirodonov, Reply to your first question: I, too, noticed on Robert's images that there was a coat of arms painted on the left side of the stock of the Ingolstadt haquebut/wallgun, almost certainly city arsenal or owner's arms. I will try to get a detailed image and do some research, so please be patient. As I wrote the oak wood is stained black; it does no seem like paint to me. The staining was certainly a sort of impregnation of the wood, especially as the grounding was probably a water solution of chalk. You are perfectly right, there is such a thing called the chronology of South German oak wood. As far as I know it has been set up for oak only. If the museum would consent to having a portion sawn off the stock (!) the cutting date of the oak tree in the second half of the 15th century could be determined by a synopsis of the annual rings as closely as plus/minus 15 years - not actually very helpful indeed ... Reply to your second question: As I wrote both the barrel and the stock of the Ingolstadt wallgun are contemporary, i.e. both were made in ca. 1490, the barrel almost certainly at a Nuremberg workshop. Best, Michael

22nd July 2009, 05:09 AM	#2
Spiridonov Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Russia, Leningrad Posts: 355	Thanks for the full answer.I will be waiting for more detailed photos

10th January 2015, 08:12 PM	#4
bkp747 Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 15	Wow! A great addition to a CLASSIC post, Michael, I absolutely LOVE those beauties... I hope you are doing well.