Blunderbuss for coments

[fernando]

Have a look to this lock, Gentlemen.
This is surely a patilha (Miquelet) lock in its excelence; sturdy as hell.
I would say this gun is Spanish, despite having been acquired in Portugal, where these locks were also produced.
Still this is an atypical (to me) variation, with that round frizzen spring.
To my limited knowledge this blunderbuss has all characteristics of a military specimen.
The ramrod seems to be the original one, with that tip made of what i think to be bone.
Does anyone care for some coments?

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[Norman McCormick]

Hi Fernando,
A lovely looking piece. I would suggest that maybe the ramrod tip is made of horn rather than bone, bone seems to me to be a bit brittle for the job. As far as military use is concerned do you mean naval rather than army? I can't comment on the lock as it is outside my sphere but looks of superior workmanship. Another small cannon for 'Fortress Fernando'.
My Regards,
Norman.

[M ELEY]

A very nice piece, Fernando. I especially love the lock. Blunderbuss such as this seems to have served much like their British equivilents, as coach guns to ward off potential thieves and in a naval capacity, as a dissuader for mutiny. True to tell, I am weak in the study of foot troops and their usage of blunderbuss in the field. Certainly, you would be correct in that military examples, both land and sea, would be plain and lack the finer decor that some pieces possess (think 'hirshfanger' decorations). I have yet to see blunderbuss with rack numbers, unit markings, etc, but proof marks are not uncommon. I'd love one of these for my collection. Maybe some day-

A cool site with a nice Dutch VOC blunderbuss. Check out pg 3 Span private purchase naval for a similar lock to yours.
http://spanishmainantiques.com/brows...e=3&pageID=966

[Fernando K]

Fernando:

La llave es de patilla, catalana, o española. El rastrillo ovalado y curvo, responde a la influencia de la llave a la francesa. En el libro de Martí, Sala y Calvó "Pistoles, trabucs i pedrenyals" se ocupan de todas la variantes de llave de patilla.

El trabuco, si bien no es reglamentario fué producido como arma militar. En las obras de Barcelo Rubi y Sopena Garreta no está clasificado. Esto es así, por la ausencia de punzones e inscripciones. Estimo que es de alrededor de 1800.

Fernando


Fernando:

The lock is a patilla one, Catalan or Spanish. The frizzen oval and curved, responds to the influence of the lock to the French. In the book of Martí, Sala and Calvo "Pistoles, trabucs i pedrenyals" dealing with all the patilla lock variants.

The blunderbuss, while not regular was produced as a military weapon. In the works of Garrett Soper Barcelo Rubi is not classified. This is due to the absence of punctions and inscriptions. I believe that is about 1800.

Fernando

[fernando]

Thank you all Gentlemen, for your precious input.
Thank you Norman, i stand corrected with the ramrod tip material; it will be horn.
By military i meant not civilian, be it army or navy; i was basically referring to the sturdy aspect of the components, as stronger than those found in private weapons, made by regional smiths.
Also its severe overall look, lacking any sort of decoration is, as Mark points out, another reason to come to such conclusion.
On the other hand, having required an opinion from someone with deep knowledge on these things, Spanish documentalist Juan Luis Calvo, i was reminded that blunderbusses are not recorded to have being distributed to regular forces.
But i was also reminded that this type of guns, even when having a genuine barrel, and not a modified longer one, by shortening and flaring its muzzle, are often composed of parts from various origins, namely from regular forces weapons.
Well, apart from the lock possibility, we certainly have here a 'military' trigger guard, with is finger rest trigger plate and the remaining pin for a sling swivel.

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[fernando]

Hi Fernando K,
It is a fact that the blunderbuss (trabuco) is not classified in Barceló Rubi's work, which i also happen to have.
But according to the author you mention, Juan Luis Calvo, whom i have contacted, the trabuco was not a military weapon, but used by irregular troops, guerrillas, paramilitary parties, etc.
Calvo also says that, although some details of this lock appear to be Catalunian, namely the round frizzen spring (muelle de rastrillo) and the sharp point of the lock plate back (forma pontiaguda de la platina), the rest could be so Spanish as Italian or even Mexican, as the patilha lock has influenced Napolitan and Mexican smiths.
Eventually he made no mention about the frizzen (rastrillo) being of the French type, although that would be possible.

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[M ELEY]

A beautiful, if plain, example in any case. If you ever decide to part with it, Nando, ole pal...

I'm sorry, I can't tell from the pic, is the swivel you mention small, as if for a sling strap, or larger, as if for a true mounting for a swivel. These types were also popular as 'wall guns' for forts, operating in much the same way as swivel guns on ships as you well know. I love the lock.

[fernando]

Aye Cap'n
My bad english. Sling strap, alright.
It was a hard translation, as in portuguese we use a non "transferable" auckward name: pino para o zarelho da bandoleira
I will register your interest in this example for future memory .

[M ELEY]

Thanks, bud-