Re: The oldest known handgun in existence, ca. 1400-10

[Andi]

Some objects of the Deutsches Historisches Museum Berlin, Germany.


Handgonne inventory No. V 87/15 dated ca 1450
Calibre 2,7, weight 2.320 g, Length 48 cm
http://www.dhm.de/datenbank/dhm.php?...fld_0=MI011708

Reconstruction of the Tannenberg handgonne which looks slightly different from the original one
http://www.dhm.de/datenbank/dhm.php?...fld_0=MI011706

A Reconstruction of Tannenberg handgonne - but with HOOK ??
http://www.dhm.de/datenbank/dhm.php?...fld_0=MI011707

[Paddy T.]

Originally Posted by Andi

[...]

A Reconstruction of Tannenberg handgonne - but with HOOK ??
http://www.dhm.de/datenbank/dhm.php?...fld_0=MI011707

This example has been published in the exhibition catalogue of "Burg und Herrschaft" in the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin in 2010. Following the catalogue it´s an original piece of the "Tannenberg type" and it´s dated to the early 15th century. The dating criteria are "the casted hook" and "the uncommen small caliber". The text mentions the common interpretation of the gun to be a replica of the 19th century because of the Whitworth-screw behind the ignition pan, but following the catalogue the screw is a plug for a later drilled second touchhole.

To be honest, I don´t believe the catalogue is right. The structure of the gun is very similar to the Tannenberg examples, it looks like a mixture of these two weapons and several other templates (and looks very wrong, of course ). Furthermore, the original touchhole is situated inside the pan, it´s illogical why one more touchhole should have been drilled behind it. Maybe this piece is a 19th century replica and they´ve used the screw to close a hole which was supposed to support the core of the form while casting (which is a common practice in bronze casting for statues and stuff like that, but not for guns of course), because the muzzle seems to be cast and not drilled. The patina also appears to be modern. In addition, the provenance seems unhelpful, because the hook gun was bought by the museum from a private collection in 1986.