Thomas Del Mar - Arms & Armour

372
372
A RARE SUPERIMPOSED LOAD WHEEL-LOCK CARBINE
BUILT ON THE BOSSI PRINCIPLE, CIRCA 1630-35
with sighted barrel, flat lock retained by three side nails
(two replaced), with bevelled borders and acorn tail, two
wheels each retained by a moulded bracket (one wheel
chain incomplete), sliding pan-covers, figured walnut full
stock (fore-end cracked), near fishtail-shaped butt (the
right-hand side previously with later inlay), and steel
mounts comprising trigger-guard with sprung triggerreturn,
vestigial butt-plate pierced with a circular aperture
for measures of powder, and two plain ramrod-pipes
(ramrod and saddle bar both missing)
92cm; 36D in barrel
Giuliano Bossi was an Italian gunsmith who worked in
Antwerp between 1625-9. He promoted his superimposed
load carbine in a pamphlet published in 1629, where he
specifically cites the benefits of his ‘double advantage
wheellock Arquebus......particularly against Turkish cavalry’.
Three other examples were formerly in the Visser
Collection, (inv.nos HV-577, HV-841, and HV-903), one of
which is signed and dated 1631. See D. R. Baxter 1966,
pp129-138, pls.72 and 73 and H. L. Visser 1996, pp.692-7.
£6000-8000
177