Ca. 1500 to 1650: Bandeliers for Arquebusiers and Musketeers

[Matchlock]

These items range among the extreme rarities in historic weaponry and in collections, both public and private.

Generally, a bandelier is defined as a soldier's shoulder belt of leather on which small flasks are suspended on strings; these flasks contain the exactly measured amount of black powder for one load of a firearm. This solution greatly simplified the loading procedure and made it superfluous to carry an additional powder flask.
These soldiers were named after the type of firearms they employed.
The characteristic portable long arm before ca. 1550 was the relatively short (overall length ca. 80-120 cm) and small bore (ca. 10-16 mm) arquebus, ignited by a tinder- or matchlock mechanism.
By about the 1560's these firearms became notably longer, heavier, had a bigger bore (ca. 150-170 cm, ca. 7-10 kg, ca. 18-21 mm) and were called muskets, still commonly ignited by a matchlock mechanism.


The invention of the bandelier meant a considerable relief for the soldier. Instead of cumbersomely measuring the correct amount of black powder from his horn or flask for each shot, the bandelier provided him with both exact and ready-to-use powder measures.

We can but speculate when the first bandeliers showed up but we may assume that it was around the turn of the 15th to the 16th century, more than 500 years ago. The first preliminary stage of development seems to be a record in a source of period artwork from Lower Bavaria, some watercolor illustrations called 'hultzein ladung' (wooden load), in the Landshuter Zeughausinventar (armory inventory) by Ulrich Beßnitzer, dated 1485, University Library Heidelberg, Cod. Pal. germ. 130, fol. 47r (top attachments). Here we see some wooden powder measures/containers of different sizes, formed like all characteristic Late Gothic vessels: they were drilled and shaped in a lathe, swamped at the base and top, with concave mid section. They do not yet have either caps or string loops, and there is no hint that they were carried suspended from a belt at that period of time.

This, however, must have happened rather soon afterwards as three unusually fine detached caps of such early powder measures prove that have been dug up near a Medieval castle site in Bavaria and have been in my collection ever since. They are of astoundingly high quality, made of brass, embossed with lettering in Gothic minuscules, pierced with Gothic trefoil tracery and finely engraved, and they are fitted with loops for suspension. They are all different, so they probably belonged to the bandeliers of various persons. Their highly decorated design though suggests that they should be dated 'ca. 1500' and must have been part of bandeliers of high-ranking arquebusiers, most probably guardsmen. As is often the case with Gothic script, these inscriptions do not really make much sense, as records of various samples prove: suits of armor, sword grips (cf. the grips made by Hans Sumersperger for Maximilian I), a world-renowned crossbow/wheellock combination of ca. 1521 preserved in the Bavarian National Museum Munich, and a large number of brass bowls (German: Beckenschlägerschüsseln). On one cap the inscription seems to read 'maria', a religious conjuration common in the Late Gothic/early Renaissance period. The reason is easy to explain: most craftsmen could neither read nor write, so they just combined letters and words frequently seen in churches etc. as a kind of decoration.

By the early-16th c., the measures for each load on arquebusier's bandeliers were mostly made of tinned iron, and were suspended on strings from a leather belt, as the tapestries with scenes from the Battle of Pavia, 1525, depict (attachments).

In my collection is the only known complete bandelier that consists of a narrow leather belt retaining a portion of hide complete with hair, an iron buckle and, suspended on their original brown woollen strings, eight extremely fragile tinned iron powder measures with removable caps and a match hider, the cap of which retains a damaged leather covering. So fragile are these measures that, trying to remove the cap, I once touched the one of which only the upper portion is present now, and the recalcitrant iron literally fell to tiny pieces in my hand!



Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

More close ups of my earliest bandelier with tinned-iron powder measures, 1st half 16th century.

As is clearly visible, the tinning could not really prevent the thin iron from rusting.


m

[Matchlock]

The well-known small group of bandeliers for guardsmen of the Electors of Saxony, Christian I and Christian II, ca. 1580-90, are the only later bandeliers to feature tinned-iron powder measures and a match hider, all covered by a brownish fabric (German: Rips). Their leather belts are decorated with gilt-bronze lion's heads.
Attached please find a few samples from the museums in Leeds and Ingolstadt.

Next there are some detached powder measures made of tinned iron from Alderney, England.

[Matchlock]

A few bandelier powder measures are known from the Netherlands and are labeled to consist of copper (attachment on top), but they are most probably made of brass; they too can be attributed to the first half of the 16th century.


Important sources of period artwork depicting earliest bandeliers attached are, in order of their appearance:

- Hans Burgkmair the Older, a series of woodcuts for the Triumphal Procession of the Emperor Maximilian I, ca. 1513, depicting arquebusiers with small bandeliers slung around the shoulder, some carrying an additional round priming flask

- a series of tapestries of the Battle of Pavia, 1525, made shortly afterwards in a Brussels workshop

- Sebald Beham, a Nuremberg woodcut, ca. 1530, of an arquebusier loading his snap-tinderlock arquebus and wearing a bandelier with small powder measures matching his small bore gun

[Marcus den toom]

edited.

[Matchlock]

Further sources of period artwork attached:


- Melchior Feselen, Ingolstadt, Upper Bavaria, painting of The Battle of Alesia, dated 1533, depicting arquebusiers with matchlock arquebuses, two of them carrying a bandelier with small metal powder measures

- Erhard Schön, Nuremberg, woodcut of ca. 1535: arquebusier with a bandelier and another with a small, round priming flask

- a Swiss arquebusier, ca. 1530, with a bandelier with metal powder measures; Kantonsbibl. Appenzell, Johann v. Schwarzenberg, CM ms 13, fol. 54r


Finally attached are a few more items the early style of which assigns them to the 16th century. The last one, from the collection of D. José Estruch y Cumella, features a spacious, threefold leather pouch that certainly contained other items than just lead balls as well, e.g. cleaning tools, wadding etc.

[Matchlock]

Here are three bandeliers, each featuring an additional flask with a nozzle for priming powder.

The first bandelier is in my collection; it unites eight wooden powder measures painted with red and green lacquer, in the Gothic tradition.
The next one is just plain, with no dye or leather to the wooden flasks.
The one at the bottom with six small measuring flasks is of Swiss provenance and of good quality; it has a portion of matchcord attached.

According to my experience, the number of flasks/powder measures on a bandelier could vary between 6 and 15. I guess the term 'twelve apostles' which seems to be so painstakingly observed nowadays only came up in the Historismus/Victorian period and just described an ideal number.

[Marcus den toom]

I just love these rarities
The first thing that came to my mind when seeing those earliest wooden flasks (post 1, top images) was that it was a quiver, but this would only be possible for the left one, the other three are to small (the left one maybe also).

The lead powder flask puzzled me as well, but i was thinking.. might it be some sort of weight to keep the bandolier in place? It could get quit anoying if such a thing kept moving around.. just something that i thoughed of

[Matchlock]

I attached four items from various auctions.


As I said, by about the mid-16th century the relatively light and short arquebus was commonly replaced by the much longer and heavier musket which also had a bigger bore. Sadly there do not seem to be any records on the development of musketeer's bandeliers from the second half of the 16th century but wooden powder measures must have made their breakthrough, and soon we find a pleated leather pouch which is commonly thought to have held balls.

Sometimes, especially on Dutch influenced samples like the bandeliers in the Emden armory, we also see a brass ring or just a leather loop attached to carry a portion of matchcord.
All the Emden bandeliers consist of a broad, tooled and blackened leather belt and feature 8 to 14 wooden powder measures covered by thin black leather; where the ends of the belt are joined, a pleated, sturdy leather pouch is sewn to the leather. Additionally, these Emden samples have a piece of felt sewn to the shoulder section of the belt (German: Schulterfilz), which made it easier for the musketeer to rest and carry the heavyweight musket (ca. 7 to 10 kgs). Interestingly, none of these Emden bandeliers has a special flask for priming powder fitted with a long nozzle, as we know it from bandeliers made in Switzerland and Austria shown before.
The image of the caliverman's or pikeman's armor attached at the bottom, combined with a musketeer's bandelier, is of course historically incorrect; it is just a photo impression from the Emden Armory.

In my collection still are three bandeliers from the Emden Armory, ca. 1600-20. One of them has attached a powder measure that is much heavier than the others made of wood; it consists of lead and has a removable leaden cap, both covered with black leather. I cannot think of any practical reason except a better prevention against moisture, but I know that at least the caps of such measures were sometimes made of lead in England, and I attached a few samples. But even then: a complete bandelier consisting of leaden chargers would have been simply too heavy, so what?
Please see also
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18290

I attached some samples of leaden caps for bandelier flasks found in England.


m

[Matchlock]

Many good musketeer's bandeliers of Dutch type are preserved in the Emden armory, Northwest Germany. I took the following photos when attending that armory in 1987 and 1992.
As stated before, all these Emden bandeliers have a sturdy, pleated lether pouch with draw strings, an oval piece of felt for resting the heavy musket, and either a brass ring or a leather loop for a portion of matchcord.

In my collection there are three bandeliers from the Emden Armory, ca. 1600-20. One of them has attached a powder measure that is much heavier than the others made of wood; it consists of lead and has a removable leaden cap, both covered with black leather. I cannot think of any practical reason except a better prevention against moisture, but I know that at least the caps of such measures were sometimes made of lead in England, and I attached a few samples. But even then: a complete bandelier consisting of leaden chargers would have been simply too heavy, so what?
Please see also
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18290

[Matchlock]

More of my Emden bandeliers.

The measurements and data of an average Emden musketeer's bandelier are:

overall length of belt: ca. 120 cm
width of belt: 5 cm
smooth upper side tooled with parallel lines and dyed with a black lacquer, underside rough and brown
10 powder measures made of oakwood, 14 x 3.5 cm, suspended on twisted round and blackened leather strings
weight ca. 700-800 g.

I also attached two close-ups of the leaden flask on one of the bandeliers.

Finally there are some photos of extremely rare and well-made Swedish bandeliers, ca. 1620, the belt consisting of seal skin.

[Matchlock]

Close-ups of one of the sturdy, pleated leather ball pouches with its lid and draw strings and its sewings.
At the bottom one of the brass rings (now heavily patinated to a blackish color) for carrying a portion of matchcord.

m

[Matchlock]

There are two Emden variants as a solution to fix a length of matchcord to the bandelier: a brass ring (now patinated to a greenish black) or a leather loop.

Please note the way the piece of felt for resting the heavy musket on the shoulder more comfortably is sewn to the main belt.

And enjoy the best and most detailed photos ever taken of wonderfully preserved, 400 year-old musketeers bandeliers!


Best,
Michael

[Marcus den toom]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

Many good musketeer's bandeliers of Dutch type are preserved in the Emden armory, Northwest Germany. I took the following photos when attending that armory in 1987 and 1992.
As stated before, all these Emden bandeliers have a sturdy, pleated lether pouch with draw strings, an oval piece of felt for resting the heavy musket, and either a brass ring or a leather loop for a portion of matchcord.

In my collection there are three bandeliers from the Emden Armory, ca. 1600-20. One of them has attached a powder measure that is much heavier than the others made of wood; it consists of lead and has a removable leaden cap, both covered with black leather. I cannot think of any practical reason except a better prevention against moisture, but I know that at least the caps of such measures were sometimes made of lead in England, and I attached a few samples. But even then: a complete bandelier consisting of leaden chargers would have been simply too heavy, so what?
Please see also
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18290

Hi Michael,

I posted a possible answer to your question about the lead powder flask, but i am afraid i was a bit to early since you where still posting more images (etc).

Could the lead powder flask be some sort of weight to keep the bandelier in place?

best,
Marcus

[Matchlock]

Finally there are some photos of extremely rare and well-made Swedish bandeliers, ca. 1620, the main belt consisting of seal skin (!).

I do not know of any records of the use of bandeliers after the end of the Thirty Years War (1648). We may therefore assume that by the mid-17th c., leather cartridge/cartouche bags had taken over. Similar to the 16th c. patrons, they were fitted with a wooden block, slightly curved to fit the musketeer's belly, and drilled with compartments to receive an average of 10-15 paper cartridges.

Attached are

- a view of a row of such bags in the Emden Armory, mid- to 2nd half 17th c.; they are displayed right under the bandeliers

- a plain, tooled leather Austrian cartridge bag

- two similar samples in the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum Wien (Army Museum Vienna), one showing the inner wooden core.


Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by Marcus den toom

Hi Michael,

I posted a possible answer to your question about the lead powder flask, but i am afraid i was a bit to early since you where still posting more images (etc).

Could the lead powder flask be some sort of weight to keep the bandelier in place?

best,
Marcus

Hi Marcus,

Please forgive me, I overlooked your query indeed being too busy taking and loading up tons of photos.
I do not think that that leaden flask was an apt means to keep the bandelier hanging straight.

Best,
Michael

[Martin Moser]

The lead flask could perhaps have been used for the priming powder. Dpeneding on the actual size of the flask, this would stay longer in the flask than a single charge. So if resistance to moisture played a role, this might be a reason.

Michael, again great details, your pictures are invaluable!

[Matchlock]

Hi Martin,


That's basically an interesting point.

On the other hand: all known priming flasks on bandeliers have characteristic nozzles, and one of my three Emden samples is actually the only one of about 25 samples I did research on to feature a leaden flask.

And thanks for appreciating my photos; good photos are the most important thing; you cannot tell in a whole book what everybody can see and grasp when looking at a good picture!


Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

More detailed studies on those Swedish (?) bandeliers, the main belt consisting of seal hide.

m

[Matchlock]

A very spacious but delicate leather pouch on an arquebusier's bandelier of Swiss type, 1st half to mid-16th century, in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum (NM) Nuremberg; the small powder measures are of tinned iron. This enormous pouch certainly not only answered the purpose of holding balls but had other small accouterments as well: e.g. for wadding and cleaning tools like scourers etc. that were screwed to the threaded finial of the ramrod.
A bandelier of the same type is preserved in the reserve collection of the Historisches Museum Basel, Switzerland; the straight edges of the trapezoid powder flask denote that it is early 16th c., the leather is tooled with an episcopal staff, the city arms of Basel.
The six small iron flasks are tinned and covered with thin leather (now mostly missing). Cf. my earliest bandelier, posts #1 and 2. I believe the powder measures on my bandelier were originally covered with leather as well, just to keep them from rattling; also, the tannin acid of the leather may account for their being heavily rusted. Today, only the leather cover of the match hider lid is still present.

Author's photos, 1993.


To Martin Moser:
The small round, brown priming flask with the integral stand is also early 16th c. and exactly the type to go perfectly with your snap-tinderlock arquebus! Sadly, some of the photos are out of focus.


Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

Contemporary illustrations of a musketeer equiped with his bandelier, from Jacob de Gheyn's Wapenhandelinghe Van Roers, Mvsqvetten Ende Spiessen. Achtervolgende De Ordre Van Syn Excellentie Maurits, Prince Van Orangie, Graue Van Nassau, Etc, Gouverneur Ende Capiteyn Generael Ouer Gelderlant, Hollant, Zeelant, Vtrecht, Overyssel, Etc., S. Graven Hague, 1607 (somtimes given as 1608).

An incomplete but colored copy was sold at Bonhams.

m

[Matchlock]

Lately I found this anachronistic illustration of soldiers of the Royal Danish Army 1675-79, depicting the latest stage of development of a matchlock musket and - the musketeer wearing a bandelier...

m

[Matchlock]

A French bandelier of fine workmanship (location unknown), and another of average make, together with a caliverman's flask and a ball mold, at the Archäologisches Landesmuseum Brandenburg.

Some period artwork depicting musketeers, from top:

- Hendrick Goltzius, ca. 1585
- Spanish musketeers, ca. 1620

[Matchlock]

A French bandelier of fine workmanship (location unknown) and another of average make, together with a caliverman's flask and a ball mold, at the Archäologisches Landesmuseum Brandenburg.

Some period artwork depicting musketeers, from top:

- Danish musketeers in array for exercise, ca. 1660
- a musketeer, by Johan Boxel, ca. 1650
- a French musketeer, ca. 1660 - a date confirmed by the rounded form of the buttstock of his matchlock musket
- four colored engravings from the exercise manual by Estienne Mignon, 1674

m

[Matchlock]

A good bandelier from the same series as the ones in post #19 is in the Landszeughaus Graz.

m

[Matchlock]

In Great Britain, leaden caps for the wooden power holders on musketeers bandeliers of the Cromwellian Age are often excavated but complete bandleier charge holders made of lead are rare on the island as well. Of course they meant a considerable weight for the man to bear, in spite of the damp climate.

http://finds.org.uk/database/search/...objecttype/cap


The last two samples attached here very much remind me of the earliest charger caps in my collection, shown at the beginning of this thread: early 16th c. at the latest. As the patina denotes, they too are made of a thin copper alloy (brass).


m

[Matchlock]

A detail showing a musketeer with his musket, matchcord and bandelier, from the painting of the Relief of the Fortress Löwen near Vienna. The artist, Pieter Snayers, was one of the most prolific painters of Thirty Years War scenes.

m