A Beautiful Mid-14th Century Handgonne

Matchlock · 6th July 2010, 09:52 PM

This is preserved at the Fortress (Veste) of Hohensalzburg, Austria, and like the Weißenburg gun it too retains its original oaken stock to which the wrought iron barrel is attached by three fixed iron bands.

The round, staged barrel features a smaller breech and a notably wider ball chamber (Flug).

Although I took a lot of photos of it back in the 80's I sadly do not have any ecxact measurements but I estimate its data to nearly the same as those of the Weißenburg Steinbüchse: ca. 65 cm overall, barrel ca. 28 cm, bore ca. 8 cm.

The touchhole is still rather small and not too far off the rear barrel end, the caliber is already rather big for a manually operated piece and the barrel is already wrought of one piece around an iron bolt and fire-welded together. This latter part of the inner barrel is seen in the pics. A dating of early 15th century (ca. 1410-20) would therefore seem quite right but mid-15th c. is also possible.

It too was doubtlessly mounted pivotable and adjustable on a heavy wooden base.

What's highly interesting is the iron tongue of a longitudinal band nailed to and sticking out from the underside of the carriage. I guess it must have had some function either in connexion with the (missing) wooden base or with the loading process. The rest of such a tongue seems to be present on the Weißenburg Steinbüchse as well. Mabye it just acted as a sort of grip when adjusting the piece or revolving it on the socket.
Anyway, I once had an idea that might have presented a solution but sadly can't seem to remember. Must study the contemporary illustrations - and hope for your brain storming, of course!

Best,
Michael

Matchlock · 9th August 2010, 05:26 PM

A medium size wrought iron Steinbüchse made of staves and hoops (German Stabring-Geschütz), ca. 1400, in the Army Museum (Heeresgeschichtliches Museum) at Vienna, Austria, inv.-no. NI 81588; the wooden carriage is a modern reproduction.

Measurements:

overall length: 90 cm
maximum width/outer diameter: 26 cm
caliber: 16 cm
powder chamber: 46 cm long, inner diameter at the front 5.5 cm, narrowing to 4.5 cm at the rear
length of ball chamber (Flug): 22 cm, meaning that the ball of lime stone with a diameter of ca. 15.5 cm was placed very close to the muzzle and had to be plugged by wooden wedges!
distance between touch hole and and muzzle: 83.5 cm
weight: ca. 125 kg.

This gun is assumed to have been manufactured in Venice between ca. 1390 and 1410.

Best,
Michael

Matchlock · 9th August 2010, 06:16 PM

On top there is a watercolor of ca. 1530 illustrating the taking of the counties of Burgundy and Arthois in 1495.

The smaller Bleibüchse is preserved standing upright (second image, to the left) in a row of various little noisemakers (Böller) in the world famous arms collection at the castle (Burg) Forchtenstein near Vienna, Austria (second and third images). It is of wrought iron and can be dated to the early 15th century, ca. 1410-20. The fact that the touch hole is unusually large for that period of time leads me to the supposition that it was probably considerably widened during the long working time of the barrel.
The muzzle is not swamped but reinforced by a thick iron ring that was drawn over the barrel in red hot condition. Due to rust and great age, it is coming off in layers nowadays.

Its measurements are:

length overall: 37.5 cm
maximum width: 13.7 cm
caliber: 5 cm
weight: 17.5 kg

The lead ball of a diameter of nearly 5 cm weighed 700 grams, the powder charge 500 grams!
The firing distance is estimated to have been about 1,000 meters.

BTW, the round little barrel to its right may also be dated to the 15th century.

The last image shows a larger sample of a wrought iron cannon barrel of ca. 1470 also firing lead balls which is on display in the Army Museum (Heeresgeschichtliches Museum) in Vienna, Austria.

Measurements:

length overall: 1.66 m
maximum width: 13.0 cm
outer diameter of the swamped the muzzle: 12.3 cm
caliber: 4.5 cm
weight: unknown
weight of lead ball: 480 grams
weight of powder charge: 240 g

Best,
Miichael

Matchlock · 9th August 2010, 08:29 PM

Here is a watercolor of ca. 1410 from the famous Cod. vind. 3069, fol 40, Austrian National Library, Vienna. The gunner is depicted firing a smaller Steinbüchse by means of a long igniting iron* (Loseisen). A lime stone ball (not to scale as was usual at that period of time) is seen leaving the muzzle and flying over the moat towards a tower as part of the wall of a city laid siege to.

Two details are remarkable:

- the way the guy is balancing a bowl with stone balls in his left hand (which does not really make much sense

)

- the carriage is already adjustable in height and its wheels show a very special form of parallel spokes (Parallelspeichenräder) characteristic of the alpine regions where they were kept in use for hundreds of years until the early 20th century.

*For a detailed discussion of igniting irons and linstocks, please see my thread
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10029

Best,
Michael

Spiridonov · 21st July 2011, 03:25 PM

It seems that spiral welding is on the barrel on the top of the topic

Matchlock · 21st July 2011, 03:44 PM

Absolutely, Alexander!

m

Matchlock · 5th May 2014, 03:12 PM

For two rare bombards/Steinbüchsen sold at auction, please see my thread:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18482

Best,
Michael

6th July 2010, 09:52 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Another fine and completely preserved Steinbüchse in Salzburg This is preserved at the Fortress (Veste) of Hohensalzburg, Austria, and like the Weißenburg gun it too retains its original oaken stock to which the wrought iron barrel is attached by three fixed iron bands. The round, staged barrel features a smaller breech and a notably wider ball chamber (Flug). Although I took a lot of photos of it back in the 80's I sadly do not have any ecxact measurements but I estimate its data to nearly the same as those of the Weißenburg Steinbüchse: ca. 65 cm overall, barrel ca. 28 cm, bore ca. 8 cm. The touchhole is still rather small and not too far off the rear barrel end, the caliber is already rather big for a manually operated piece and the barrel is already wrought of one piece around an iron bolt and fire-welded together. This latter part of the inner barrel is seen in the pics. A dating of early 15th century (ca. 1410-20) would therefore seem quite right but mid-15th c. is also possible. It too was doubtlessly mounted pivotable and adjustable on a heavy wooden base. What's highly interesting is the iron tongue of a longitudinal band nailed to and sticking out from the underside of the carriage. I guess it must have had some function either in connexion with the (missing) wooden base or with the loading process. The rest of such a tongue seems to be present on the Weißenburg Steinbüchse as well. Mabye it just acted as a sort of grip when adjusting the piece or revolving it on the socket. Anyway, I once had an idea that might have presented a solution but sadly can't seem to remember. Must study the contemporary illustrations - and hope for your brain storming, of course! Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 6th July 2010 at 11:05 PM.

9th August 2010, 05:26 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	A medium size wrought iron Steinbüchse made of staves and hoops (German Stabring-Geschütz), ca. 1400, in the Army Museum (Heeresgeschichtliches Museum) at Vienna, Austria, inv.-no. NI 81588; the wooden carriage is a modern reproduction. Measurements: overall length: 90 cm maximum width/outer diameter: 26 cm caliber: 16 cm powder chamber: 46 cm long, inner diameter at the front 5.5 cm, narrowing to 4.5 cm at the rear length of ball chamber (Flug): 22 cm, meaning that the ball of lime stone with a diameter of ca. 15.5 cm was placed very close to the muzzle and had to be plugged by wooden wedges! distance between touch hole and and muzzle: 83.5 cm weight: ca. 125 kg. This gun is assumed to have been manufactured in Venice between ca. 1390 and 1410. Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 9th August 2010 at 06:37 PM.

9th August 2010, 06:16 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Two Early Guns Firing Lead Balls (Bleibüchsen), ca. 1420 and 1470 On top there is a watercolor of ca. 1530 illustrating the taking of the counties of Burgundy and Arthois in 1495. The smaller Bleibüchse is preserved standing upright (second image, to the left) in a row of various little noisemakers (Böller) in the world famous arms collection at the castle (Burg) Forchtenstein near Vienna, Austria (second and third images). It is of wrought iron and can be dated to the early 15th century, ca. 1410-20. The fact that the touch hole is unusually large for that period of time leads me to the supposition that it was probably considerably widened during the long working time of the barrel. The muzzle is not swamped but reinforced by a thick iron ring that was drawn over the barrel in red hot condition. Due to rust and great age, it is coming off in layers nowadays. Its measurements are: length overall: 37.5 cm maximum width: 13.7 cm caliber: 5 cm weight: 17.5 kg The lead ball of a diameter of nearly 5 cm weighed 700 grams, the powder charge 500 grams! The firing distance is estimated to have been about 1,000 meters. BTW, the round little barrel to its right may also be dated to the 15th century. The last image shows a larger sample of a wrought iron cannon barrel of ca. 1470 also firing lead balls which is on display in the Army Museum (Heeresgeschichtliches Museum) in Vienna, Austria. Measurements: length overall: 1.66 m maximum width: 13.0 cm outer diameter of the swamped the muzzle: 12.3 cm caliber: 4.5 cm weight: unknown weight of lead ball: 480 grams weight of powder charge: 240 g Best, Miichael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 9th August 2010 at 09:32 PM.

9th August 2010, 08:29 PM	#4
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Here is a watercolor of ca. 1410 from the famous Cod. vind. 3069, fol 40, Austrian National Library, Vienna. The gunner is depicted firing a smaller Steinbüchse by means of a long igniting iron* (Loseisen). A lime stone ball (not to scale as was usual at that period of time) is seen leaving the muzzle and flying over the moat towards a tower as part of the wall of a city laid siege to. Two details are remarkable: - the way the guy is balancing a bowl with stone balls in his left hand (which does not really make much sense ) - the carriage is already adjustable in height and its wheels show a very special form of parallel spokes (Parallelspeichenräder) characteristic of the alpine regions where they were kept in use for hundreds of years until the early 20th century. For a detailed discussion of igniting irons and linstocks, please see my thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10029 Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 9th August 2010 at 09:18 PM.*

21st July 2011, 03:25 PM	#5
Spiridonov Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Russia, Leningrad Posts: 355	It seems that spiral welding is on the barrel on the top of the topic

21st July 2011, 03:44 PM	#6
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Absolutely, Alexander! m

5th May 2014, 03:12 PM	#7
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	For two rare bombards/Steinbüchsen sold at auction, please see my thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18482 Best, Michael