A highly important four barrel Landsknecht mace, ca. 1540

Matchlock · 3rd May 2014, 01:22 PM

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Matchlock · 3rd May 2014, 04:16 PM

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Matchlock · 3rd May 2014, 04:34 PM

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Matchlock · 3rd May 2014, 05:56 PM

Also in my collection; of usual construction.

A mace of this type is depicted in the painting The Armageddon, dated 1467, by Hans Memling (attachments).

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Matchlock · 3rd May 2014, 06:11 PM

The close-up of the mace in Memling's painting of 1467.

And contemporary illustrations two maces breathing fire - very similar to my MEYRICK piece, from Franz Helm's illuminated South German manuscript Buch von den probierten Künsten, ca. 1535, fol. 91v.

These are very similar to my MEYRICK MACE, with their barrel-like shapes and their iron bands, one of them set with spikes - and they are shown 'breathing' fire!
The date of that manuscript, ca. 1535, is adding another solid back-up to my dating of 'ca. 1540' assigned to the MEYRICK MACE.

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Matchlock · 3rd May 2014, 06:20 PM

As I stated in post #19, all we have on that mystery piece is this old photograph from about 1900 or the beginning of the 20th century.
It was then in the collection of the Fürst Reuß j.L., inv.no. 244.
Its whereabouts have been unknown since at least WW II.
Featuring no iron barrel lid and spikes, it seems to be a plainer version of my MEYRICK MACE, only fitted with two reinforcing bands; also, the touch holes obviously never had sliding covers.
The molded decoration visible on the two iron mounts is characteristic of the style of ca. 1520-1540; it is also found on stocks of contemporary arquebuses, both on barrels and the stocks, as well as on early Nuremberg round iron shields (rondaches) of ca. 1540-50. The latter are often misdated as 'late 16th century'.

I attached photos of two almost identical Nuremberg Landsknecht matchlock arquebuses, the barrels of both pieces struck with identical Nuremberg crossed arrows marks and the date 1539.
The characteristic molded ornamentation is present on both the rear end of the limewood buttstocks, and at the muzzles.
One of them, the stock heavily wormed and damaged, is preserved in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg, inv.no. W494, the other is in my collection.
Please see my thread:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...1539+harquebus

From Moritz von Ehrenthal's essay "Die Waffensammlung des Fürsten Reuß j.L. zu Schloß Osterstein bei Gera", in: Zeitschrift für Historische Waffenkunde (ZHWK), Alte Folge, Bd. IV, 1906-1908, p. 261-266.

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Matchlock · 3rd May 2014, 06:57 PM

As I wrote in post #19, this is the only known exact counterpart worldwide to my MEYRICK MACE.
It retains its holster/saddle hook, the full-length rear tiller stock drilled out to receive the wooden ramrod, and the sliding wooden covers for the touch holes, but the iron top lid covering the muzzles of the four barrels and the two rows of iron spikes are missing from the HERMITAGE MACE.
It measures 75.5 cm overall, the barrels 25 cm long, the bore 11.2 mm.

Leonid Tarassuk: Antique European and American Firearms at The Hermitage Museum, 1971, pl. IV, no. 396.

For the date assigned by Tarassuk, please see my comments in post #19ff.
Tarassuk was exactly right, calling the hook a 'saddle hook'.

Best,
Michael

3rd May 2014, 04:16 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	More. Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 3rd May 2014 at 04:33 PM.

3rd May 2014, 04:34 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	More. Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 3rd May 2014 at 04:52 PM.

3rd May 2014, 05:56 PM	#4
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	A plain Landsknecht mace with spikes, 15th-17th century Also in my collection; of usual construction. A mace of this type is depicted in the painting The Armageddon, dated 1467, by Hans Memling (attachments). m Attached Images

3rd May 2014, 06:11 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	The close-up of the mace in Memling's painting of 1467. And contemporary illustrations two maces breathing fire - very similar to my MEYRICK piece, from Franz Helm's illuminated South German manuscript Buch von den probierten Künsten, ca. 1535, fol. 91v. These are very similar to my MEYRICK MACE, with their barrel-like shapes and their iron bands, one of them set with spikes - and they are shown 'breathing' fire! The date of that manuscript, ca. 1535, is adding another solid back-up to my dating of 'ca. 1540' assigned to the MEYRICK MACE. m Attached Images

3rd May 2014, 06:20 PM	#6
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	The Four-barreled mace from the former collection of the Prince Reuß As I stated in post #19, all we have on that mystery piece is this old photograph from about 1900 or the beginning of the 20th century. It was then in the collection of the Fürst Reuß j.L., inv.no. 244. Its whereabouts have been unknown since at least WW II. Featuring no iron barrel lid and spikes, it seems to be a plainer version of my MEYRICK MACE, only fitted with two reinforcing bands; also, the touch holes obviously never had sliding covers. The molded decoration visible on the two iron mounts is characteristic of the style of ca. 1520-1540; it is also found on stocks of contemporary arquebuses, both on barrels and the stocks, as well as on early Nuremberg round iron shields (rondaches) of ca. 1540-50. The latter are often misdated as 'late 16th century'. I attached photos of two almost identical Nuremberg Landsknecht matchlock arquebuses, the barrels of both pieces struck with identical Nuremberg crossed arrows marks and the date 1539. The characteristic molded ornamentation is present on both the rear end of the limewood buttstocks, and at the muzzles. One of them, the stock heavily wormed and damaged, is preserved in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg, inv.no. W494, the other is in my collection. Please see my thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...1539+harquebus From Moritz von Ehrenthal's essay "Die Waffensammlung des Fürsten Reuß j.L. zu Schloß Osterstein bei Gera", in: Zeitschrift für Historische Waffenkunde (ZHWK), Alte Folge, Bd. IV, 1906-1908, p. 261-266. m Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 3rd May 2014 at 06:49 PM.

3rd May 2014, 01:22 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	More. Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 3rd May 2014 at 02:50 PM.

3rd May 2014, 06:57 PM	#7
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	The HERMITAGE MACE in St. Petersburg, ca. 1540 As I wrote in post #19, this is the only known exact counterpart worldwide to my MEYRICK MACE. It retains its holster/saddle hook, the full-length rear tiller stock drilled out to receive the wooden ramrod, and the sliding wooden covers for the touch holes, but the iron top lid covering the muzzles of the four barrels and the two rows of iron spikes are missing from the HERMITAGE MACE. It measures 75.5 cm overall, the barrels 25 cm long, the bore 11.2 mm. Leonid Tarassuk: *Antique European and American Firearms at The Hermitage Museum, 1971, pl. IV, no. 396. For the date assigned by Tarassuk, please see my comments in post #19ff. Tarassuk was exactly right, calling the hook a 'saddle hook'. Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 3rd May 2014 at 07:11 PM.*