A unique bronze barrel wall gun (doppelter Doppelhaken), Nuremberg, ca. 1515-20

[cannonmn]

This photo, found on the web, is dated 1940, at the time this cannon was taken from the Army Museum in Paris and moved to the City Museum in Zwickau. A drawing of this elegant cannon is in the previous post. I'd like to know if this is the only surviving Peter Mulich cannon. I've emailed the museum in Zwickau to ask if they can provide any better photos of this cannon. If anyone has any better photos of this gun, please post them here. There is apparently a photo of this gun in the book "Deutches Bronzegeschützrohre" which I don't have.

[cannonmn]

Here's an excerpt from a Google Book on the Elector Frederick which, although my German is poor, seems to clearly indicate Peter was involved in casting "buchsen." There are so many different terms for this general class of weapons that it is confusing to non-German-speaking researchers, and perhaps some Germans as well.

My latest question: Since now we know Peter II Mulich was a Feuerbuchsen-caster and not only a cannon-founder, are any other hackbuts/arquebus known which can be attributed to Peter Mulich of Zwickau (formerly of Nuremberg.)

Rr. 122o. Dienstverschreibung Herzog Johanns für sich und

seine Erben an P e t e r M ü l i c h als Büchsengiesser auf

Lebenszeit, besonders in Zwickau sich zum Giessen

gebrauchen zu lassen, mit jährlichem Gehalt von 5o Gulden

Landeswährung und ein Winterhofkleid aus der fürstl.

Schneiderei, vnd so er in vnser arbeith ist vnnd vnns

giessen wird sollen vnnd wollen wir Ime alle wege vom

centner Zu lohne geben wir denhalben gulden bei seiner

eigen Cost Kollen Feuer Helffe vnd getzeugk doch das wir

ime die speisse als kupffer tzin messing vnd was zum werk

die notturfft sein wird verschaffen Zu Weymar Suntag noch

michalis Anno 1 223. (4 Oct.).

Die durchlauchtigen Hochgeborene Fürsten, vnnd herrn, Herr

Johanns Fridrich der Mitler, Herr Johanns Wilhelm, vnnd

Herr Johanns Fridrich der Jünger, gebrüdern, Herzogenn zu

Sachsen und vnnsern gnedige Fürsten, vnnd herren haben

Peter Mülichen, Bürgers vnnd Büchsengiessers Zu Zwickau

schreiben, heren lossen vnnd Ihme dorauf anzuzeigenn

bevohlenn, das er binnen Zweyen Monaten, Zu Weymar, Im

Hofflager vidrumb annsuchen solte, Ihme alsdann doselbst

vff solche seine suchung, bescheidt gegeben werden, Dat.

Nevstadt ann der Orla, Dienstags nach Jubilate Anno liiij.

(17. April 1554).

Brief Peter Millich Bürger vnd Büchsengiesser datiert

Zwickau Donnerstag nach Jubilate (19 April.)

An die Fürsten worin er schreibt, dass er von Kurfürst

Friedrich und Herzog Johann auf Lebenszeit bestallt worden

sei «Welcher Dinst mit püchsen vnd glocken giessen vieler

schonen grosser vnd kleinen stücke, auch etlichen Zügen,

vnd schiessen Ich nhun gotlob Inn die 31 Jhar auch unter

Regierung des Kurlürsten Johann Friedrich E. F. G. geübten

Hern Vaters.

Schlechte schweren Zeiten «ist mir nhun In sieben Jharen

mein Jhar gelt vnd kleidung nit gereicht worden, er hätte

zur Antwort bekommen, er möge bessere Zeiten abwarten, aber

wie ich zu bequemer Zeit deshalb anregung Zuthun

entschlossen, Ist sein Churfürstl. gnaden verschieden mich

ein unglück dero ich doch durch treibung aus der stadt, vnd

entwendung des meinen vil erlitten, auch noch kein andern

hern, dann E. F. G. weiss vnd erkhenn, ist er dr Zuversicht

auch von ihnen die bestallung auf Lebenszeit anerkannt zu

erhalten, mit grossen vnd kleynen püchsen, glocken vnd

grabsteinen zugiessen vnd sonsten von allerley von messing

vnd kuppfer. Er will auch persönlich kommen, auch schöne

Kunst vnd muster mitzubringen vnd zuweysen, Darob E. F. G.

sondern gefallen haben sollen,

Von gottes gnaden Johanns Friedrich d. Mittler Herzog zu

Sachsen etc. Sontag Visitationis Mariae 1557. (4 Juli) thun

kund dass wir Peter Mülich von unsern Hofdienst gnediglich

verlaubt. Vnd aus sonderlich gnaden Im jehrlich die

Besoldung an geld als 4o gulden und auch seinen leib die

Sommer und Winterkleidung, und vor die Unterhaltung seiner

zwei pferde das ehr die abgehen hat lassen 2 Erfurdische

malder korn und ein erfurdischer malder gersten, und damit

er sich sambt seinem weibe soviel desto besser habe

zubehelffen. So haben wir hierüber ihm vnd itzigenn seinem

weibe vf ihr beider lebenn langk die Thanneck sampt dem

Ackerbau und wiesenwachs und anderen, wie er das biss doher

inne gehabt, Vnd Ime vff vnseren befehl eingeräumt und

gegeben ist worden, zuhaben, zunutzen und zugeniessen

gnediglich vrschrieben gut Thanneck, er soll es in baulich

wesen erhalten und darauf nichts vpffänden odr vrschreiben.

Nach seines und seines Weibes Tode soll es wieder vnserm

Ambte Eissenbergk wiederum heimkommen.

♦Rechnung von 1522 bis 1523 (B. b. 4312). icxxxv gulden dem

buchsngisser zu Zwickau von eyner feuerbuchsn zu giessen.

* Rechnung von 1523 bis 1324 (B. b. 4324).

1 gulden peter Mulich büchchsengisser zu Zwickau Seine

Jarbesoldung, Michaelis nechst felhaffig (?) gewest,

entricht zu weymer am Sambstag nach Simon et Jude anno

xxiii.

xcii gulten peter Mulich buchsengisser zu Zwickau an der

grossen Neuen Carthaun zugissen, hält lxxxiii Centner von

jed. iiii gulden hat hiruon ym oster vnd Michelsmarckt

negst unschynen iic gulden auch impfangen inhalts derselben

bucher Zcalt zu Weymer am Sambstag nach Simon et Judae

xxiiii.

*Ostermarkt 1524 (B. b. 4328).

ic dem buchssingisser zu Zwickau vff arbait.

* Michaelismarkt 1524 (B. b. 4323).

ic gulden dem buchssengisser zu Zwickau, hat ym Ostermarkt

negst auch soul (?) empfangen.

ic gulden für viii ff Zcin zubuss zur Neuen büchssen.

xli gulden xvii gl. ii pf. von der grossen büchssen ym

Schloss Zwickau, Zuschlagen vnd andere vnkost ....

vii gulden xiii gl. zulon Zweyen furleuten. welche die

Neuen büchssen von Zwickau biss gen Weymar fürgespannen.

♦Michaelismarkt 1524 (B. b. 4233).

ic gulden für xiii centnr Zcin Zcubuss zu der Neuen

buchssen Nickel Heynel Zu zwickav zalt.

xli guld xvii gl. ii pf. von der grossen buchssen in Schlos

Zwickau. »Ostermarkt 1525 (B. b, 4336).

xxv gulden dem buchsengiesser zu Zwickav Jar Zcins vff

lebenlang.

iicxlv gulden peter Mulich dem buchssengiesser zu Zwickau

von der Neuen Buchssen, basiliscus gnant, helt lxx center

von id. iiii gulden inhalts seiner quitanz zu gissenn.

ic guld demsselben buchssengisser von Neuem wieder vff

arbait.

Source: http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA2...zI&output=text

[Matchlock]

Hi John,

I'm afraid it's a bit too risky to narrow the possible founder of your barrel down to just one person who was active in Zwickau. Nuremberg and Augsburg were the great centers of early gunmaking and founding in the 16th c. The flames you mentioned are by no way characteristic of a specific craftsmen or workshop but originated from the Italian 15th c. Renaissance where they firstly symbolized a fire throwing dragon or serpent-like monster and, using this zoomorphic ornamentation, were employed to make look firearm barrels like embodiments of monsters breathing fire. Soon after that, the flames became common in all kinds of arts and crafts; e.g. the vertical slits in the Landsknecht trousers derived from these flame ornaments.

Best,
Michael

[cannonmn]

Michael, thanks again for your information. I do think there is something to be said for Peter II Mulich having used the rings of undulating flames as a trademark for his bronze cannons, as each one of the four for which drawings (including the one surviving specimen in bronze) have the same kind of decorative rings. Using decorative rings of evenly-spaced wavy (undulating) flames is I think a bit stronger evidence than just flames per se. Another thing to consider is that Peter II Mulich was indeed from Nuremberg, where his father had always practiced his trade, but he moved to Zwickau at some point in his career, apparently about 1520-23. However these are merely idle ramblings or at most "food for thought, and you are indeed the expert and I am but a slow-learning and somewhat impetuous student.

Two additional features of the "Schellenberg" hackbut may help tell us something. What looks like a proof-mark on the side of the flash pan seems to match some of those shown for Saxony in my 1943-dated two-volume Swedish-language set of Der Stoeckel. However the marks in the book are supposed to be much later than my gun, so who knows?

A final feature to consider which may help identify the maker is the very prominent iron core-pin, or chaplet, which goes through the breech vertically and is exposed most noticeably on top. Chaplets were always used to hold the cores in place while casting cannons in those days. Have you seen such core pins or chaplets in other bronze hackbuts?

Thanks again for sharing your incredible database and knowledge of these rare pieces.

[cannonmn]

I had my "Ulrich von Schellenberg" hackbut "shot" by an x-ray analyzer today to see what it was made of. I had always thought the metal would be similar to cannons, namely gunmetal, which is approximately 90% copper and 10% tin. Poor innocent, ignorant me! Here's what the analyzer came up with. The very high iron and lead percentages were quite a surprise. I wondered why there would be any aluminum at all, but some other things tested the same day which I know are antique, also showed around 3% aluminum. Go figure!

Test no. and ID:

#10-Bronze Hackbut ca. 1510, presumed to be bronze

Al – 3.62

Si – 7.24

P – 2.08

Ti - .33

Mn - .08

Fe – 17.23

Ni - .04

Cu – 24.68

Zr - .028

Sn – 5.16

Sb – 3.23

Ir – 2.84

Pb – 33.43

[cannonmn]

All I can think of is that the x-ray tester made a mistake. I had the operator shoot the machine at the muzzle of the hackbut to stay well clear of the small iron pieces nearer the breech. He shot several other objects I had, all either iron or steel, and the results on all of those seemed quite reasonable. I'm wondering if he had to change a setting on the machine to get a correct reading for a nonferrous object, and didn't do so? I didn't tell him the hackbut wasn't iron like all the other things. I'll have to ask him during the coming work-week.

[Matchlock]

Hi John,

This result does not puzzle me at all. Actually it represents what one should expect of early 16th c. bronzes; moreover it pefectly backs up metallurgic analyses of early-16th c. gun bronzes carried out in the 1960's, which I have menioned earlier on this forum. They even found traces of silver and other metallic components.


I think this is due to at least three different facts:

Firstly, raw ore in these ages could not be melted to be as pure as it can be today.
Secondly, all the knowledge on the reliability of bronze the founders then had was based merely on practical experience. I would imagine them them to have deliberately added traces of other sorts of metal because they believed - or had learned - that these additions would make the outcome more durable.
Thirdly, popular superstition played an enormous role in ages past. This means that people believed that certain substances just had to be added to whatever they were about to produce in order to ge a good result. It was magic make believe instead of today's hardheaded science that ruled over everday arts and crafts, including medicine and fireworks. When analyzing 16th-17th firework substances you e.g. find traces of urine - simply because it contained saltpeter - and various earths. People felt that that special mixture would guarantee a great outcome - and it obviously did.

Please also cf.
http://books.google.de/books?id=4Ozo...ronzes&f=false
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Age
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_...edieval_Europe

When I had the varnish of one of my Landsknecht arquebus of. ca. 1540 spectroanalyzed in the early 1990's traces of silver and even gold were discovered - in the dark brown lacquer on an almost 500 year-old gun stock!

Best,
Michael