Swedish Navy Shipwreck 'Svärdet' of 1676 with 86 Pieces of Cannon Discovered!

Matchlock · 19th November 2011, 07:55 PM

Some close-ups of the matchlock stocks salvaged from the wreck of Kronan. The ship sank in 1676, but from the 1670's, telling by the 'French' buttstock and the rounded lock recess, is only the complete stock suspended on top. The others show stylistic elements of ca. 1600-20, like the long stock resting in the right bottom corner, with the oblong staghorn plaques fallen off the wood, and the fishtail butts indicating a period of ca. the 1620's-40's.
All stocks are of beechwood, some of them retaining areas of their original black stained surfaces, as well as their iron fore end mounts.

In the image second from bottom you can even see two balls preserved in the open box on the underside of the buttstock - which at the time was not yet a 'patchbox' but a ball reservoir. To its right a few tinned iron powder containers from a musketeers' bandoleer are displayed, one still retaining the amount of powder - see bottom image!

Most remarkable though I think is the fact that the relatively well preserved stocks incuding their thin iron mounts are still there while the much more stable stable lock mechanisms and barrels (!) seem to have vanished!

Best,
Michael

19th November 2011, 07:55 PM	#12
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Some close-ups of the matchlock stocks salvaged from the wreck of Kronan. The ship sank in 1676, but from the 1670's, telling by the 'French' buttstock and the rounded lock recess, is only the complete stock suspended on top. The others show stylistic elements of ca. 1600-20, like the long stock resting in the right bottom corner, with the oblong staghorn plaques fallen off the wood, and the fishtail butts indicating a period of ca. the 1620's-40's. All stocks are of beechwood, some of them retaining areas of their original black stained surfaces, as well as their iron fore end mounts. In the image second from bottom you can even see two balls preserved in the open box on the underside of the buttstock - which at the time was not yet a 'patchbox' but a ball reservoir. To its right a few tinned iron powder containers from a musketeers' bandoleer are displayed, one still retaining the amount of powder - see bottom image! Most remarkable though I think is the fact that the relatively well preserved stocks incuding their thin iron mounts are still there while the much more stable stable lock mechanisms and barrels (!) seem to have vanished! Best, Michael Attached Images