Firearms From the Collection of the Teohari Antonescu Giurgiu County Museum

7/18/2019 Firearms From the Collection of the Teohari Antonescu Giurgiu County Museum

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Seria Patrimoniu nr. 2

The Heritage Series no. 2


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Arme de focdin colecia

Muzeului judeeanTeohari Antonescu

Firearms from the Collectionof the Teohari AntonescuGiurgiu County Museum

Editura PelicanGiurgiu, 2010

IC G I I. S


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ISBN 978-973-1993-10-2

Traducere: Diana CionteaFoto: IonuCistian Gheorghe Gheorghe Chelmec

Layout: Gabiel Ionescu

Tiprit n Romnia deSC DESKTOP PUBLISHING SRL

@p. 0726-221191

Editura PELICAN ese diviziune a Societii Ecologite Noua Alian.Editura PELICAN ese acreditat de ctre Coniliul Naional al Cercetrii tiinice din nvmntul Superior.

Muzeul judeean Teohari Antonescu Giurgiustr. C. D. Gherea nr. 3

telefon 0246212.804, 0246216.801

Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Naionale a RomnieiGHEORGHE, IONU CRISTIAN Arme de foc din colecia Muzeului judeean Teohari Antonescu/ Ionu Cristian Gheorghe, Ioan I. Scafe ; cuvnt nainte: Ionu CristianGheorghe ; trad. de Diana Ciontea. - Giurgiu : Pelican, 2010 Bibliogr. ISBN 978-973-1993-10-2

I. Scafe, Ioan I.

II. Ciontea, Diana (trad.)

069(498 Giurgiu) Teohari Antonescu:623.4


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Cuvnt nainte

Muzeul judeean Teohari Antonescu a fost nfiinat n 1934, printr-o hotrrea Prefecturii de Vlaca. ntre 1950 i 1980, muzeul a fost pe rnd raional, municipal

i secie fr personalitate juridic. A redevenit muzeu judeean n 1981, n urma

corecturii aduse reformei teritorial-administrative, avnd secii de istorie i etnogra-

fie i Oficiu pentru patrimoniu cultural naional. ntre 1977-1990, expoziia lui per-

manent s-a numit Muzeul luptei pentru independena poporului romn. Din 1993

i reia patronul antebelic, iar ntre 1999-2005 se reface expoziia seciilor de arhe-

ologie i istorie.

Schimbrile survenite n societatea giurgiuvean dup al Doilea Rzboi Mon-

dial, au afectat i procesul de colecionare a obiectelor care ar fi putut fi inclusen patrimoniul de istorie militar. Nici instituiile i nici colecionarii particulari nu

manifestaser preocupri muzeistice n acest domeniu, cele mai multe piese fiind

distruse ori confiscate i expediate la ealoanele superioare, de regul la Bucu-

reti.

Colecia de arme a muzeului din Giurgiu s-a format dup 1950, dezvoltndu-se

mpreun cu acesta, ntr-un ritm fluctuant. Mai nti, ea a fost beneficiara confis-

crilor din perioada de nceput a regimului comunist, cnd legislaia nu permitea

deinerea armelor de foc de ctre particulari, chiar i armele albe (de panoplie

ori parad) fiind tolerate numai cu autorizaii speciale.Deoarece o bun parte din arhiva fostului Muzeu raional a fost distrus, nu s-au

gsit actele de provenien ale primelor piese de armament ce intraser n patri-

moniul acestuia. n ceea ce privete armele de foc, ntr-un registru de eviden

din 1963 sunt consemnate 7 exemplare, purtnd numerele de inventar 835-841.

Era vorba despre cteva pistoale i flinte cu cremene, dintre care patru fuse-

ser introduse n expoziia permanent; din pcate, aceste arme au fost furate,

iar Miliia vremii a mai recuperat doar eava unui pistol i pri din altul (care mai

avea sistemul de dare a focului, dei eava fusese retezat).

n 1975, la constituirea Muzeului Judeean Ilfov, muzeul din Giurgiu a devenit o

secie a acestuia i la aceea dat deinea patru pistoale cu cremene, un pistol

pentru rachete i piesele celor dou arme recuperate dup furt. Ulterior, n con-

textul lurii deciziei de nfiinare a Muzeului Luptei pentru Independena Poporului

Romn la Giurgiu i ca urmare a aplicrii Legii nr. 63/1974, patrimoniul istoric a

crescut spectaculos, inclusiv n ceea ce privete armele albe i de foc.

O parte dintre armele din patrimoniul Muzeului Luptei pentru Independena

Poporului Romn provin de la Studiourile cinematografice de la Buftea, n recu-

zita crora se gseau tot soiul de arme autentice, dezafectate, obinute dinconfiscrile efectuate de Miliie de la populaie. n toamna anului 1976, au avut

loc dou transferuri de la Centrala Romniafilm, pentru care exist documente


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6 Cuvnt nainte

n arhiva Muzeului Judeean Teohari Antonescu Giurgiu; primul act atest exis-

tena unui numr mai mare de arme albe n comparaie cu armele de foc, dei

printre ultimele se gsete i un interesant pistol turcesc cu cremene, iar urmtorul

proces-verbal consemneaz laconic 22 de pistoale de panoplie (proces verbal

din 18.12.1976), n realitate arme de foc diferite, descrise pentru prima dat nacest catalog.

O alt surs au reprezentat-o instituiile judeene. De la Primria comunei Tunari

s-au transferat dou piese de artilerie, ce strjuiau anterior monumentul nchinat

eroilor din Primul Rzboi Mondial. De la coala General din comuna Ion Roat

au fost aduse dou pistoale i o puc Krnka. Miliia municipal a predat dou

vechi puti de vntoare, descoperite n urma seismului din 4 martie 1977: o cl-

dire utilizat drept magazie, aflat n curtea colii Generale nr. 4 din Giurgiu, s-a

prbuit, iar dintr-o ascunztoare prsit de mai multe decenii au ieit la iveal

piesele menionate.Pentru inaugurarea expoziiei din 1977, Muzeul Brilei a mprumutat Muzeului

Luptei pentru Independena Poporului Romn dou dintre cele unsprezece puti

ale marinarilor turci de pe vasul Duba-Seifi, recuperate de scafandri din adn-

cul Dunrii; un deceniu mai trziu, n urma unui schimb de obiecte ntre cele dou

instituii, putile cu pricina au fost transferate definitiv.

n perioada urmtoare srbtoririi centenarului independenei, singurele intrri

consemnate pentru grupul armelor de foc sunt dou donaii individuale, din anii

1983 i 2008; ele sunt revolvere din dotarea aviaiei americane, care a bombar-

dat, n cel de-al Doilea Rzboi Mondial, portul Giurgiu, fiind dovezi ale luptelor

aeriene ncrncenate desfurate atunci.

Armele muzeului au fost gestionate pn n 1982 de muzeografii Mihai Ionescu

i Constantin Iscescu, laolalt cu restul patrimoniului tiinific. Iniiativa unei colec-

ii separate a aparinut muzeografului Damian Ancu, dar organizarea i evidena

ei, ncepnd din 1985, constituie meritul muzeografului Mircea Alexa care gestio-

neaz n prezent colecia.

Cele mai multe piese dintre cele prezentate n catalogul de fa au fost restau-

rate, n anii 80, de un grup de colaboratori ai muzeului, dintre care fceau parte,n primul rnd, Traian Anghel i Gheorghe Popescu, dar i ali tehnicieni de la an-

tierul Naval care au cutat i soluii de etalare adecvate pentru piesele expuse

permanent. Prin nelegere cu aceeai ntreprindere au fost sablate i revopsite

cele dou tunuri, ale cror roi au fost refcute de Marin oav, unul dintre anga-

jaii muzeului. Ornamentele putilor orientale au fost restaurate parial de Mihai

Ionescu, iar la cteva piese a intervenit i restauratoarea Mariana Simion.

Prezentarea pieselor coleciei s-a fcut n cteva articole de popularizare n presa

local (cele mai importante n revista Valahia) i la o comunicare tiinific, publicat n

Buletinul Muzeului Militar Naional (numrul 1/2003, partea I, serie nou ), toateaparinndu-i muzeografului Mircea Alexa.


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Cuvnt nainte 7

Actuala colecie de arme a Muzeului Judeean Teohari Antonescu Giurgiu

cuprinde 184 de piese: dintr-un total de 53 arme de foc, 48 de arme s-au pstrat

ntr-o stare aproape complet, iar din alte cinci arme au rmas numai unele pri;

s-au mai pstrat 12 proiectile diverse i 119 arme albe. O impresionant colecie

de proiectile, provenind n covritoare parte din spturile arheologice efectu-ate la Cetatea din Insul, urmeaz s fie studiat i conservat separat.

Unele arme din colecia muzeului au o istorie interesant: cele dou puti ale

marinarilor turci de pe vasul Duba-Seifi, recuperate din Dunre i transferate de

la Brila, erau denumite n fiele de inventar drept arme BSACO. Graie mijloacelor

moderne de informare, s-a putut analiza sigla BSAcoi identifica fabrica produc-

toare: Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSACO); ulterior, armele au fost identi-

ficate n catalogul Les Armes de Guerre Portatives (Ian V. Hogg, Graham Smith,

CELIV, Paris, 1994), stabilindu-se marca lor: Enfield, model 1856, pentru marin (Arm.

118). Datele din fia de eviden a unui pistol de duel cu percuie (Arm. 139/146),utilizat n a doua jumtate a secolului al XIX-lea, prezent i el n colecia muzeului,

au fost completate, utiliznd resursele de informare digital, stabilindu-se, pe baza

analizei unui text gravat pe eava pistolului, armurierul (Immanuel Meffert), locul

de provenien (oraul german Suhl, vestit pentru producia de arme de foc), pre-

cum i data aproximativ a fabricrii lui (1870-1882).

Colaborarea cu expertul Ioan I. Scafe a permis i alte identifi cri: nti, o arm

de vntoare balcanic a fost corect identificat ca fiind puc german de

vntoare (arm cu cremene) din secolul al XVII-lea i apoi, proveniena ctorva

arme de vntoare balcanice (arme cu cremene) a fost stabilit mai exact: ele

au fost fabricate n centre de producie situate n nordul Bulgariei. De asemenea,

din aceast colaborare a rezultat i clasarea n fondul patrimoniului cultural naio-

nal a 19 piese, prezente n acest catalog.

De la directorul adjunct Emil Punescu, cruia i mulumim n mod special pen-

tru informaiile privitoare la istoria patrimoniului muzeal, s-a aflat c muzeografii

giurgiuveni au beneficiat de-a lungul anilor de ndrumrile colegilor de la Muzeul

Militar Naional, n problema armelor de foc evideniindu-se Carol Knig i col. (r)

Dan Cpn, iar n prezent Ioan I. Scafe.Mulumiri deosebite de aduc tuturor celor citai mai sus, domnului director Tra-

ian Popa, pentru ncurajarea i sprijinul permanent, precum i fotografilor i tehno-

redactorului lucrrii.

IonuCristian GHEORGHE


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Foreward

Teohari Antonescu County Museum was established in 1934, through adecision of Vlaca Prefecture. From 1950 to 1980, the museum was successively

under county and municipal administration, to be changed later into a

section with no legal personality. In 1981, following the amendment of the

administrative-territorial reform, it regained its status as a county museum, with

history and ethnography sections and an office for the national cultural patrimony.

From 1977 to 1990, its permanent collection was called the Museum for the

Romanian peoples fight for independence but in 1993 it regained its pre-war

name, Teohari Antonescu. From 1999 to 2005 the collection of the history and

archaeology section was gradually restored.The changes that occurred in Giurgiu society after the Second World War

affected the collection of items likely to have been included in the military history

patrimony. As neither the institutions, nor the private collectors showed interest in

this domain, most items were destroyed or confiscated, then sent to the higher

echelons, to Bucharest as a general rule.

The weapon collection of Giurgiu museum was established after 1950 and

developed together with the museum, at a fluctuating pace. First of all, it was

enriched by the confiscations made in the early period of the communist regime,

when private ownership of firearms was forbidden by the law. Even (panoply orparade) knives were subject to a special permit.

Since an important part of the archives of the former district museum was

destroyed, the documents attesting the origin of the first weapons included in its

patrimony were not found. As for the firearms, a 1963 register mentions 7 items,

bearing the entry numbers 835 841.

These were a few flintlock pistols and rifles, of which four had been included in

the permanent collection; unfortunately the weapons were stolen and the Militia

of the time only recovered the barrel of one pistol and several parts of another

(which kept its firing system, although the barrel had been cut).

In 1975, Ilfov County Museum was established and Giurgiu Museum was turned

into one of its sections. At the time, it had four flintlock pistols, a rocket gun and the

remains of the two stolen and recovered weapons. Later on, when the decision

to create the Giurgiu Museum for the Romanian peoples fight for independence

was made, and as a result of the enforcement of Law no. 63/1974, the historical

patrimony of the museum developed dramatically, including the knife and firearm

collections.

A part of the weapons belonging to the patrimony of the museum for theRomanian peoples fight for independence were acquired from Buftea cinema

studios, the stage props of which included all kinds of authentic disused weapons


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Foreward 9

that had been confiscated from private owners by the former Militia. In the fall

of 1976, two transfers were made from Romaniafilm Central Offi ce, certified by

documents registered in the archives of Teohari Antonescu County Museum. The

first protocol attests the existence of more knives than firearms, although among

the latter there is a Turkish flint pistol. The second one tersely mentions 22 panoplypistols (protocol of 18.12.1976), which are actually different firearms, described in

this catalog for the first time.

The county institutions were another source of collection items. Two artillery

pieces, which used to guard the monument to the memory of the First World

War heroes, were transferred from Tunari commune hall. Two pistols and a Krnka

rifle were brought from the school of Ion Roat commune. The municipal Militia

delivered two old hunting guns, discovered after the earthquake of March 4,

1977: a building used as storehouse, located in the yard of School no. 4 of Giurgiu,

collapsed during the earthquake and the above mentioned weapons turned upfrom a hiding place that had been abandoned for several decades.

For the opening of the 1977 exhibition, Brila Museum lent the Museum for

the Romanian peoples fight for independence two of the eleven rifles having

belonged to the Turkish sailors of Duba-Seifi ship, recovered by divers from

the depths of the Danube. A decade later, following an exchange of exhibits

between the two institutions, the respective rifles definitively entered the patrimony

of Giurgiu museum.

In the period following the celebration of the centenary of Romanias

independence, the only entries in the firearm collection were two individual

donations, made in 1983 and, respectively, in 2008. They are revolvers having

belonged to military of the American aviation, which bombed Giurgiu harbor

during the Second World War, proofs of the fierce battles fought in this place at

the time.

Until 1982, the weapons belonging to the museum collection, together with the

rest of its scientific patrimony, were in the custody of curators Mihai Ionescu and

Constantin Iscescu. The initiative of a separate collection belonged to curator

Damian Ancu, but its organization and records since 1985 have been the merit ofcurator Mircea Alexa, who is currently in charge of the collection.

Most of the items presented in this catalog were restored in the 1980s by

a group of collaborators of the museum, among whom Traian Anghel and

Gheorghe Popescu, as well as by other technicians of Giurgiu Shipyard, who

searched appropriate solutions for the display of the permanent collections. Under

an agreement with the same enterprise, the two cannons were sandblasted and

repainted, and their wheels were restored by an employee of the museum, Marin

oav. The ornaments of the oriental rifles were partially restored by Mihai Ionescu

and a number of items were brought back to their original condition by MarianaSimion. The collection was presented in several articles in the local press (the most

important of them were published in Valahia magazine) and at a scientific


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10 Foreward

communication, published in the Bulletin of the National Military Museum (no

1/2003, part I, new series). All of them were written by curator Mircea Alexa.

The current weapon collection of Teohari Antonescu County Museum

includes 184 items: out of a total of 53 firearms, 48 have been maintained almost

intact. Five other weapons have survived only partially; 12 diverse projectiles and119 knives are still in existence. An impressive collection of projectiles, most of

them dug out during the excavations carried out at the Island Fortress, are to be

studied and preserved separately.

Several weapons belonging to the museum collection have an interesting

history: the two rifles belonging to Turkish sailors of Duba-Seifi ship, recovered

from the Danube and transferred from Brila, were inventoried as BSACO

weapons. Thanks to the modern means of information, the acronym BSACO

could by analyzed, leading to the identification of the manufacturing enterprise:

Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSACO); later on, the weapons were identifiedin Les Armes de Guerre Portatives (Ian V. Hagg, Graham Smith, CELIV, Paris,

1994) and their brand could be properly established: pattern 1865 Enfield naval

rifles (Arm. 118). The data found in the record card of a dueling percussion-cap

pistol (Arm. 139/146) used in the latter half of the 19thcentury and belonging to the

museum collection, were completed by using the digital information resources.

After analysis of the text engraved on the pistol barrel it was established that it

had been manufactured by Immanuel Meffert, its place of origin was the German

town of Suhl, famous for its production of firearms, and it had been produced

between 1870 and 1882.

Our collaboration with expert Ioan I. Scafe allowed us to identify other items.

First of all, a Balkan hunting rifle was correctly identified as actually being a

German hunting rifle (flintlock rifle) of the 17thcentury; then, the place of origin of

several Balkan hunting rifles (flintlock rifles) could be established more accurately

as being production centers of Northern Bulgaria. This collaboration also resulted

in the classification of 19 items which can be found in this catalog in the fund

of the national cultural patrimony.

Mr. Emil Punescu, Deputy Manager, to whom we express our special thanksfor providing us with valuable information on the history of the museum patrimony,

declared that along the years the curators of Giurgiu County Museum enjoyed

the assistance of their colleagues of the National Military Museum. In the domain

of firearms, special mention should be made of Mr. Carol Kning, Reserve Colonel

Dan Cpn and, at present, Mr. Ioan I. Scafe.

I express my warm thanks to all the persons mentioned above and to Mr. Traian

Popa, Manager, for their encouragement and permanent support, as well as to

the photographers and the editor of the work.

IonuCristian GHEORGHE


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Scurt istoric al armelor de foc portative(din sec. al XIV-lea pn la apariia

primei arme militare cu ncrcare pe la culat)

Ioan I. SCAFE

Numeroi cercettori calific descoperirea prafului de puc drept una dintre izbnzilecapitale ale omenirii, punnd-o, uneori, pe acelai plan cu revoluia declanat de desco-perirea prelucrrii metalelor. Momentul apariiei prafului de puc este, ns, nvluit nmister. n general, inventarea sa este atribuit chinezilor ce utilizau n mod tradiional sul-ful i salpetrul n prepararea medicamentului de foc (huoyao), remediu mpotriva bolilorinfecioase, reumatismului sau paraziilor. Primul care menioneaz amestecul de salpe-tru, crbune din lemn i sulf ingredientele de baz ale prafului de puc a fost mediculchinez Sun Simiao (581-682) care, n lucrarea Caracteristicile pulberii analiznd procedeul sal-

petrului, semnaleaz inclusiv combustia lui violent, dup momentul aprinderii. Faptul c

praful de puc nu mai era o necunoscut n China nceputului secolului al XI-lea reiesedin lucrri precum Drum important, cale pentru minunatele adevruri principale sauPrincipiigenerale ale caracteristicilor rzboiului (ambele datate n 1044) ce conin sfaturi pentru mane-vrarea atent a prafului obinut din salpetru, crbune i sulf, amestec ce poate exploda,sau metode de fabricare a grenadelor din bambus, pentru producerea de zgomot.

Prin intermediul arabilor, n secolul al XIII-lea, praful de puc a ajuns n Europa. n1230, Marcus Graecus descrie, n lucrarea Liber Ignium ad camburandos hostes, pentru primaoar n Occident, procedeul preparrii prafului de puc, precum i precauiile necesare

n vederea evitrii unor accidente generate de aceasta. Proporiile exacte ale elemente-lor constituente ale prafului de puc vor fi, ns, menionate mai trziu, n anul 1257,

de clugrul englez Roger Bacon, n lucrarea De Secretis Operibus Artis et Naturae et deNullitate magiae.De la utilizarea proprietilor pirotehnice (praful era folosit pentru a obine zgomot i

lumin) ale prafului de puc la cea a proprietilor balistice i fabricarea de arme de foc,evoluia va fi gradat i se va derula n intervalul dintre secolul al XI-lea i pn la sfri-tul secolului al XIII-lea.

Ca i n cazul originii, informaiile despre primele utilizri ale proprietilor balisticeale prafului de puc sunt destul de puin precise. De pild, sunt tiri c n China, n seco-lul al XIII-lea, praful de puc era folosit pentru propulsarea unor sgei, prin intermediulevilor din bambus, c, n aceeai perioad, s-ar fi construit grenade cu corpul din font,sau c, n secolul al XIV-lea, aici ar fi existat deja tunuri din bronz, ceea ce induce ideeaexistenei, n secolul anterior, unor altfel de tunuri, mai rudimentare.

n ceea ce privete emisfera vestic, majoritate informaiilor converg spre opinia ccei ce au utilizat pentru prima oar proprietile balistice ale prafului de puc au fost


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arabii. Cele mai interesante semnalri se refer la folosirea tunurilor de ctre arabi laasediul Saragosei, n anul 1118, i la turnarea lor n Spania, n anul 1132; alte informaiivorbesc despre utilizarea artileriei de ctre otirea sultanului Abu Yusuf la asediul cetiimarocane Sidjilmesa, n anul 1274, etc. Dei afirmaiile sunt credibile, niciuna dintre aces-tea nu este sprinit de documente contemporane.

Primele certitudini privind existena i ntrebuinarea unor arme de foc sunt oferite dePolistoria fratis Bartholomei Ferariensis ab anno 1287 usque annum 1367, ce vorbete despreutilizarea tunurilor n anul 1311, n Nordul Italiei, mpotriva trupelor lui Henri al VII-lea,i de alte dou documente datate n 1326; primul, De notabilitatibus sapientiis et prudentiisregum, aparine lui Walter de Milmete, tutorele viitorului rege Eduard al III-lea, i coninecea mai veche reprezentare a unei arme de foc (fig. 1). Aceasta are forma unui vas cul-cat, iar proiectilul este o sgeat. Servantul declaneaz tirul prin introducerea n lumina1armei a unui fier nroit, ataat la captul unei te. Al doilea document este un decret aladministraiei din Florena, datat 11 februarie 1326, prin care se comandau tunuri i ghiu-lele din metal, fiind deci o pies de artilerie mai evoluat dect cea reprezentat de Mil-

mete. Dup utilizarea cu succes a artileriei de ctre englezi, n btlia de la Crcy (1346),sau la asediul oraului Calais (1347), importana i eficiena armelor de foc a fost neleasde un numr tot mai mare de conductori militari. La rndul lor, i municipalitile aurecurs la achiziionarea unui numr important de tunuri pentru a le ntrebuina mpotrivaasediatorilor, iar cererea mare de tunuri a dus la dezvoltarea rapid a artileriei.

Fabricarea tunurilor era o operaiune dificil; n general, tunurile de calibru mic eraurealizate din evi de fier forjat, mbinate una ntr-alta, locul de mbinare fiind ntrit cu

frete2. Piesele de calibru mare, n schimb, erau realizate din fii de fier, asamblate n jurulunei mandrine de lemn, sudate una de cealalt i fretate. Evident, cele mai cutate pieseerau tunurile de mare calibru, singurele capabile s distrug zidurile masive ale fortificai-

ilor oraelor. n consecin, n ultimul ptrar al secolului al XIV-lea, s-a ajuns la fabricareaunor tunuri, cum este cel furit la Caen, n anul 1375, ce cntrea 2300 de livre,3cu ghiu-lele de 500 de livre.

Primele tunuri au purtat numele de bombarde (fig. 2), cuvnt derivat de la termenullatin bombus,semnificnd zgomot, bubuitur. Pe la jumtatea secolului al XIV-lea, aproape

n acelai timp cu bombardele, denumire ce treptat s-a restrns doar la desemnarea tunu-rilor de mare calibru, pe cmpurile de lupt medievale, au aprut tunurile de mn, cule-vrinele4(fig. 3) primele arme de foc portative. evile acestora erau din fier forjat, mai rarturnate din aram, aveau calibre mici i erau fixate pe un suport alungit (uluc i pat, foarterudimentare, fasonate dintr-o singur bucat de lemn), ce putea fi inut sub bra. Culevri-nele au evoluat pe dou direcii: una ce va conduce la armele portative (archebuze), cea-

lalt spre piesele grele de artilerie, cu eav lung i calibre mari din secolele XV-XVII.La mlocul secolului al XIV-lea, armele de foc portative (n fapt tunuri individuale de

mici dimensiuni) erau menionate cu termenul generic de bastoane cu foc5. Bastoanele defoc, (sau scopetele) cntreau n jur de 5 kg, se ncrcau pe la gura evii i trgeau prininiierea ncrcturii de azvrlire cu un fier nroit sau crbune aprins introduse n luminaevii. Manevrarea unei astfel de arme era anevoioas deoarece presupunea o bun ateniedistributiv i executarea aproape simultan a mai multor operaii: fixarea armei sub bra,ochirea i darea focului. n ciuda lipsei totale de precizie, acest tip de arm, folosit mai

1 orificiu practicat n eava unei arme folosit pentru iniierea ncrcturii de azvrlire2 cercuri metalice aplicate pe evile pieselor de artilerie cu rolul de a le consolida3 livra a avut n Frana n perioada medieval valori cuprinse ntre 380g i 552 g, n funcie de diferitele zonegeografice. Ca urmare tunul putea s aib ntre 875 kg i 1260,6 kg..4coulevrines,n lb. francez, Feldschlange (arpe de cmp),n lb german5bons feu, n lb. francez, scopeon lb. italian


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ales de cavaleri, s-a bucurat de o apreciere real, fapt dovedit de rspndirea sa cvasige-neral n Occident, la sfritul secolului al XIV-lea. Comenzile erau, n consecin, impor-tante, aa cum o demonstreaz de pild actele oraului Perugia din Italia unde, n anul1364, este menionat o comand de 500 scopete.

Destul de lent la nceput, apoi tot mai rapid, aceste arme vor ncepe s fie perfecio-nate. Primul pas a fost mutarea luminei armei din partea superioar n cea lateral a cula-tei evii. A urmat crearea bazinetul6, o mic consol adncit, plasat n exterior, n dreptulluminei armei, ce avea rolul adpostirii unei cantiti de pulbere amors ce, odat aprins,iniia, prin lumin, ncrctura propriu-zis a armei.

Alte mbuntiri au vizat creterea preciziei i a traiectoriei tirului; n acest scop s-arecurs la manufacturarea unor evi mai lungi i la prelucrarea suportului lor (pat i uluc)

ntr-o form care s faciliteze mnuirea armelor de ctre ostai n timpul luptei.Urmtorul pas spre apariia unor arme cu adevrat eficiente l-a constituit utilizarea

pentru declanarea focului, nc din preajma anului 1400, a fitilului cu ardere nceat, rea-lizat din material textil, macerat n salpetru i alcool. A urmat o alt inovaie remarcabil,

serpentina (fig. 4), o prghie n forma literei Sce pivota pe un ax plasat pe laterala dreapta armei; la extremitatea superioar a serpentinei existau dou flci ce fixau captul aprinsal fitilului, iar prin apsarea pe captul liber al prghiei, aceasta bascula cu fitilul aprins

n bazinet, declannd focul. Aparent simpl, aceast invenie a avut un rol capital n uu-rarea manevrrii armei, dnd posibilitatea trgtorului, de aici nainte, s se concentrezemai mult asupra operaiunii de ochire.

Spre sfritul secolului al XV-lea, mecanismul de dare a focului a cunoscut o nouperfecionare prin crearea platinei7 cu fitil (fig. 5). n esen, era vorba de un mecanismindependent de restul armei, fixat pe o plac metalic. Prghia port-fitil avea o parte exte-rioar, pe care era fixat fitilul, i o parte situat n interiorul armei, ce transmitea comanda

de tragere a trgtorului prin intermediul unei bielete, a unui balasier i unei chei8

, plasatsub mecanism. Un arc lamelar inea ndeprtate serpentina i cheia de bazinet i respec-tiv de patul armei. Tirul era declanat prin apsarea cheii ce determina, prin intermediulpieselor amintite, coborrea captului serpentinei, cu fitilul aprins, n bazinet. Cu timpul,platina cu fitil se va perfeciona prin cteva mbuntiri: forma cheii se va apropia decea a trgaciului, aa cum l cunoatem astzi, apoi va fi creat piedica pentru blocareatirului accidental, iar bazinetul va fi prevzut cu un capac de protecie ce se deschidea nmomentul tragerii, simultan cu micarea descendent a serpentinei.

Platina cu fitil era un mecanism simplu, robust, cu o funcionare sigur, uor de fabri-cat i iein. Aceste caliti au fcut ca putile cu fitil s se rspndeasc rapid i s fiemeninute n uz o lung perioad.

Putile cu fitil, numite generic archebuze9, erau arme grele, cntrind n jur de 7 kg, cuo btaie eficient de cca. 50m. Funcionarea archebuzelor era anevoioas nu numai dincauza sistemului de dare a focului, dar i din cauza calitii pulberii ce ardea incompleti ancrasa eava dup numai cteva lovituri trase (n medie patru lovituri). Archebuzeleau cptat n secolul al XVI-lea, n funcie de utilizatori i modul de purtare al luptelor,forme ce au condus la cele dou mari categorii de arme de foc, pistoale i puti de infante-rie, net difereniate prin form, mrime i greutate.

Astfel, se consider c strmoul pistoalelor l constituie petrinalul, archebuza cevamai mic pe care o purtau cavalerii i cu care se trgea sprinind patul armei n piept.

6 n literatura de specialitate romneasc, bazinetul este cunoscut mai ales sub denumirea detigi7 placa pe care erau prinse piesele mecanismului de dare a focului8 declanator n form de prghie9haquebuses meche, n lb. francez, matchlock, n lb. englez, Luntengewehr, n lb. german


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Pentru infanterie s-a impus muscheta (fig. 6),o variant de arm cu fitil, aprut n primajumtate a secolului al XVI-lea, remarcabil prin patul ce putea fi sprinit n umr, eava

lung de aproximativ 1,20 m (lungimea total a armei era de cca 1,60 m) i calibrul ntre13-20 mm. Arme grele, ntre 10 i 13 kg, muschetele, necesitau pe cmpul de luptsprinirea pe un suport special,furca.Treptat, n special spre sfritul secolului al XVI-lea,att lungimea, ct i greutatea muschetelor cu fitil au fost reduse, totui ele rmnnd,

n esen, arme impuntoare prin dimensiuni i greu de manevrat. n consecin, furca armas un accesoriu folosit pe cmpurile de lupt pn n jurul anului 1650.

Muschetele impuneau utilizatorilor nu numai o bun condiie fizic (un muschetarpurta asupra sa permanent, alturi de arm i de furca de sprin, un ntreg inventar ceservea la curarea evii, ntreinerea i ncrcarea armei, pungi cu gloane i mici man-oane din piele pentru acestea, 12 fitiluri pentru platin etc.), dar i un antrenament serios,att n ceea ce privea operaiunea de ncrcare a armei, complicat, i periculoas, deoa-rece se efectua cu fitilul aprins, ct i n privina utilizrii ei.

Dei lipsite de o precizie deosebit, archebuzele erau eficiente atunci cnd erau uti-

lizate n numr mare, trgnd simultan foc de salv, mpotriva unui inamic organizat ndispozitive de lupt compacte. O astfel de ntrebuinare a archebuzelor cu platin cu fitila adus trupelor spaniole un succes rsuntor asupra celor franceze n anul 1525, n btliade la Pavia. Perceput corespunztor, evenimentul a mrit interesul pentru armele de focportative, iar odat cu sporirea numrului de archebuze n otirile europene, va ncepe iorganizarea de uniti speciale de archebuzieri. n linii mari, armele cu platin cu fitil aurmas n uzul militarilor pn la sfritul secolului al XVII-lea. Rspndite de cltori isoldai n ntreaga lume, ele au rezistat n dotarea unor corpuri de trup mai conserva-toare chiar i n secolul al XIX-lea: ienicerii le aveau n dotare n anul 1826, n momentuldesfiinrii corpului, japonezii le-au folosit pn la mlocul secolului al XIX-lea (fig. 7), iargarda mprtesei Chinei, pn la sfritul aceluiai secol.

Spre 1550, armele de foc vor crete n eficien prin utilizarea unei noi pulberi negre,cea granulat, mai puternic, cu o ardere mai rapid i mai complet. Cu toate progresele

nregistrate n timp, armele cu fitil aveau inconveniente majore; cele mai importante derivaudin necesitatea meninerii fitilului aprins permanent, din lungimea fitilului (ntre 3-12 m)ce trebuia purtat n lupt nfurat n jurul braului archebuzierului, devenind stnjenitori, nu n ultimul rnd, din flacr, ce demasca poziiile trgtorilor pe timp de noapte.

Remedierea acestor deficiene a venit odat cu inventarea unui alt sistem de dare afocului, platina cu cremene i roti10 (fig. 8), la nceputul secolului al XVI-lea. Inventareaacestuia este revendicat de italieni, care susin existena ei nc de la sfritul secoluluial XV-lea, n Lombardia. Cert este c Leonardo da Vinci includea n anul 1500, n Codice

Atlantico Ambrosiano, (fig. 9) un desen al unei platine cu cremene i roti, iar n primeledecenii ale secolului al XVI-lea, documentele atest armurieri ce fabricau arme cu cre-mene i roti n Germania (fig. 10).

Noutatea principal adus de acest sistem rezida n nlocuirea prghiei port-fitil cuuna port-cremene i introducerea unei piese noi, rotia, care, nvrtit prin detensionareaunui resort, n contact cu cremenea, producea scnteia necesar iniierii ncrcturii deazvrlire. Principalul avantaj al armelor cu platin cu cremene i roti era asigurarea uneiaprinderi sigure i a unei funcionri constante. n plus, armele dotate cu acest sistem deaprindere ofereau posibilitatea de a fi purtate ncrcate i folosite n orice moment, fr amai depinde de existena unui fitil aprins.

Dincolo de aceste ctiguri, platina cu cremene i roti avea dou neajunsuri ce-i vorlimita destul de mult rspndirea. n primul rnd, este vorba despre mecanismul fragil

10platine rouetn lb. Franceza,wheellock n lb. engleza, Radschlossgewehr n lb german


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i complicat, ce nu putea fi reparat dect de specialiti. n al doilea rnd, trebuie amintitpreul foarte ridicat. Ca urmare, doar cei cu o bun stare material i permiteau achiziio-narea de arme cu cremene i roti, ns, chiar i acetia ezitau s le foloseasc pe cmpulde lupt, tiind c cea mai mic defeciune putea s le fac inutilizabile. Mai mult, pierde-rea cheii speciale ce servea la tensionarea arcului rotiei fcea arma inutilizabil, inconve-nient speculat de armurieri ce s-au ntrecut n a crea chei ct mai complicate i, mai ales,scumpe.

Devenite semn al nobleei, armele cu cremene i roti au fost bogat ornamentate, une-ori chiar i n detrimentul funcionalitii. Scumpe i fragile, armele cu cremene i rotii-au echipat destul de rar pe infanteritii ce vor prefera archebuzele cu fitil, ieine, rezis-tente i uor de reparat de orice fierar.

Cu toate acestea, platina cu cremene i roti a rmas n uzul curent, mai ales la armelede vntoare (fig. 11) i pistoale pentru cavalerie, chiar i n secolul al XVII-lea, dup apa-riia unui sistem mai perfecionat de dare a focului, cel cu cremene. Mai mult, n EuropaCentral, ea a continuat s fie ntrebuinat pn la jumtatea secolului urmtor.

Urmtorul moment important n evoluia armamentului de foc portativ i se datoreazlui Marin Le Bourgeoys, cel care, n anul 1610, a realizat prima platin cu cremene (silex)din lume (fig. 12). Piesele principale ale platinei cu cremene erau cocoul port-cremene oprghie mobil n form de S, prins n partea sa inferioar pe un ax, i acionat de unarc lamelar ce avea la captul liber o menghin n care era fixat o bucat de cremene iamnarul. Prin apsarea pe trgaci, cocoul, acionat de arcul lamelar, izbea cremenea desuprafaa aspr a amnarului, provocnd o scnteie puternic. Al doilea efect al lovitu-rii cocoului era deplasarea amnarului ce descoperea bazinetul, scnteia iniiind pulbereadin acesta i, apoi, prin lumin, i ncrctura de azvrlire.

Platina cu cremene, sau platina francez s-a impus rapid datorit simplitii i a pre-

ului de cost redus. Dei mai fiabil dect orice sistem de dare a focului cunoscut pn nacel moment, ea era departe de perfeciune, statistic nregistrnd un rateu la cinci focuritrase. Cu mici transformri, n special n ceea ce privete designul, platina cu cremene vaconstitui totui principalul sistem de arm de foc timp de 200 de ani, cunoscnd apogeulspre sfritul acestui interval, n timpul rzboaielor napoleoniene.

Armele de foc cu cremene au devenit mai eficiente i prin generalizarea unor inova-ii aprute nc de la nceputul secolului al XVII-lea, la armele din generaia anterioar.O prim astfel de mbuntire, rspndit mai ales n timpul rzboiului de 30 de anide armata regelui Gustav Adolf, a fost cartuul pregtit ntr-un nveli din hrtie, ceconinea att pulberea necesar amorsajului bazinetului, ct i ncrctura propriu-zis,glonul i burajul. ncrcarea armei cu acest tip de cartu era mult mai uoar: soldatulrupea nveliul din hrtie (de obicei printr-o muctur), vrsa o mic cantitate de pulbere

n bazinet, pentru amorsaj, iar restul acesteia pe gura evii. Apoi ndesa n eav glon-ul i hrtia, hrtia jucnd aici rolul de buraj. Avantajele inovaiei erau mrirea vitezei de

ncrcare i, datorit folosirii aceleiai cantiti de pulbere pentru toate cartuele preg-tite, economisirea de praf de puc i un tir mai regulat. Germanii au mbuntit acestsistem confecionnd mici cutii ce conineau 6 cartue, suspendate de o curea, purtatde ostai n bandulier. A doua mbuntire notabil a constituit-o baioneta care, ata-at la arme, le fcea utile i n lupta corp la corp. Primele baionete, aprute n ultimaparte a secolului al XVII-lea, se introduceau pe gura evii, ceea ce mpiedica tirul cuacest accesoriu fixat la arm. Inconvenientul a fost depit, ns, prin adoptarea baione-

tei cu dulie, creat de ctre marealul Vauban11. Odat cu introducerea de ctre armata11 Sbastien Le Prestre, Marchiz de Vauban (1543-1707), mareal al Franei i important arhitect militar,creatorul sistemului de fortificaii ce-i poart numele


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prusian, n timpul lui Friedrich al II-lea, a vergelei metalice (n locul celei din lemn)pentru ncrcare, putile cu cremene au devenit arme cu adevrat redutabile, cu un tiri mai rapid, ajungndu-se, aa cum prevedeau regulamentele franceze pentru instruciarecruilor din a doua jumtate a secolului al XVIII-lea, la o caden de patru lovituripe minut.

Un alt reper n dezvoltarea armelor cu cremene l constituie iniiativa lui Jean Baptiste Vaquee de Gribeauval12: el a avut, pentru prima oar n istorie, ideea standardi-zrii produciei de armament, stabilind dimensiunile exacte pentru fiecare reper constitutival gurilor de foc. Aplicat n domeniul armelor portative, ea a condus la apariia putiifranceze de infanterie model 1777 (fig. 13), practic prima arm produs dup o metodtiinific, ale crei piese componente puteau fi schimbate doar cu preul unor minimeretuuri. Procedeele de fabricaie impuse de Gribeauval au fost rapid copiate n Austria,Elveia, Rusia sau Statele Unite ale Americii, dar armele rezultate nu difereau de cele pro-duse anterior dect prin calitatea superioar a procesului de fabricaie (fig. 14).

Ultima perfecionare a armelor cu ncrcare pe la gur a fost inventarea unui nou sis-

tem de darea focului, cel cu percuie13(fig. 15), dezvoltat din ncercrile lui John Forsyth(1807) de folosire a proprietii fulminatului de mercur care exploda sub efectul ocului.Ideea sa a fost preluat i mbuntit de americanul Josuah Shaw, n anul 1822, prinintroducerea fulminatul de mercur n capsule din tabl subire, din cupru, a cror deschi-dere era acoperit de o substan impermeabil ce avea proprietatea de a permite trecereaflcrii produse n momentul exploziei.

Din punct de vedere mecanic, noul sistem constituia o simplificare notabil a celuianterior. Cocoul mobil era pstrat, partea sa liber terminndu-se printr-o suprafaplat, asemntoare unui ciocan, dar bazinetul i amnarului erau nlocuite cu un suport

port-caps, tubular, aezat pe lumina evii. Prin apsarea trgaciului, un arc lamelar aci-

onacocoul ce lovea cu for capsa aezat pe suportul port-caps. Fulminatul de mercurexploda, iar flacra rezultat se transmitea prin lumin ncrcturii de azvrlire, declan-nd tirul armei (fig. 16). Noua invenie s-a impus destul de greu, putile cu percuie fiindadoptate ca arme militare abia ncepnd cu deceniul patru al secolului al XIX-lea14, cnddeja existau o serie de ncercri, mai mult sau mai puin reuite, de realizare a unor armei mai perfecionate. ntre armele cu caps, s-au impus cele britanice, produse la Arsenaluldin Enfield. Putile sistem Enfield model 1853 au marcat cel mai nalt stadiu n evoluiaarmamentului cu percuie prin calibrul standardizat, 577 inch. (14,65 mm), evile ghin-tuite, ce confereau glonului o traiectorie razant, regulat i lung, fiind prevzute cu

nltor reglabil i protejate, prin brunare, mpotriva coroziunii. Balistica excelent con-ferit de evile ghintuite au impus definitiv acest tip de arm ce a influenat armamentulprodus de aici nainte n state ca Spania, Austria, sau Statele Unite ale Americii. Utilizatecu muniie modern, gloane cilindro-ogivale sistem Mini, armele de infanterie cu evighintuite au ajuns la performane spectaculoase: btaie eficace de 400 m, fa de 200 m cugloane sferice, i un tir precis la 200 m fa de 60 m cu gloane sferice. Armele cu percuieaveau, totui, un mare neajuns, cel al ncrcrii pe la gur, devenit foarte dificil, mai alesdup adoptarea evilor ghintuite.

La scurt timp dup generalizarea utilizrii n mari conflicte, armele cu caps i-au ar-tat i alte limite, generate tot de sistemul de ncrcare pe la gura evii. S-a constatat astfel

12 Jean Baptiste Vaquee de Gribeauval (1715-1789), locotenent-general, inspector al artileriei franceze dinanul 177613 cunoscut n Romnia i sub denumirea de sistem cu caps14 astfel Prusia le-a introdus n dotare n anul 1839, Frana n 1840, S.U.A. n 1851 (cu toate c le introdusese,parial, n dotate din 1833), i Marea Britanie, n 1853


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c, n timpul luptelor, din cauza tensiunii generate de evenimente, soldaii se precipitaui uitau unele dintre secvenele procesului de ncrcare a armelor, ajungndu-se astfel, lasituaii dramatice, cum a fost cea constatat dup btlia de la Geysburg (1-3 iulie 1863),cnd, de pe cmpul delupt, au fost culese 18000 de puti cu mai multe gloane pe eav(ntre 2 i 10) i 6000 ncrcate cu pulbere, dar fr glon.

Aceste importante neajunsuri au fost rezolvate prin apariia armamentului cu ncr-care pe la culat. Cel ce a prezentat prima arm viabil cu ncrcare pe la culat a fost

Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse care, n anul 1837, a brevetatpuca cu acZundnadelgewehr(fig. 17), numit aa datorit percutorului lung, foarte asemntor unui ac. Puca luiDreyse se ncrca pe la culat, iar obturarea camerei cartuului se fcea cu un nchiz-tor mobil, cilindric, ce coninea acul-percutor i un resort. nchiztorul era prevzut cuun mner de manevrare lateral i culisa pe axul evii, ntr-o deschiztur longitudinal,prefigurnd, cel puin ca aspect, nchiztoarele armelor moderne. Puca cu ac utiliza uncartu complet, de o concepie original: el se compunea dintr-un nveli din hrtie care

ncorpora att glonul, de calibru mai mic dect al armei, un sabot din hrtie macerat,

capsa exploziv (fulminat de mercur), ct i ncrctura de azvrlire. Dezavantajul generatde calibrul mai mic al glonului (soluie aleas pentru a facilita ncrcarea) era compensatde eava pe care Dreyse a conceput-o, doar cu patru ghinturi late, puin profunde, i carepermitea sabotului din hrtie macerat existent n cartu, s preseze glonul subcalibrat peghinturi, n momentul tragerii, imprimndu-i micarea de rotaie n jurul axei lungi.

Arma conceput de Nikolaus von Dreyse se ncrca n 5 timpi: retragerea acului per-cutor n corpul nchiztorului, deschiderea camerei cartuului prin manevrarea nchizto-rului spre napoi, introducerea cartuului, nchiderea camerei cartuului prin mpingerea

nchiztorului spre nainte i blocarea acestuia prin apsarea n jos a mnerului de mane-vrare i armarea, ce consta n comprimarea arcului percutorului. Fapt cu totul remarcabil,

toate aceste operaiuni puteau fi fcute de militari rapid, chiar i n poziia culcat, ceea cele conferea, pe de-o parte o protecie sporit n timpul luptelor, iar, pe de alta, posibilita-tea de a ochi mai bine. Cadena real a armelor cu ac era, pentru acele timpuri, absolutremarcabil: 10-12 lovituri pe minut. Adoptate ca arme regulamentare de ctre Prusia nanul 1841, putile sistem Dreyse au fost inute n secret mult timp; folosite pentru primaoar pe scar larg n rzboaiele mpotriva Danemarcei (1864) i Austriei (1866) ele aucontribuit decisiv la victoriile prusienilor, consacrnd definitiv superioritatea armamentu-lui cu ncrcare pe la culat.

Armele sistem Dreyse constituie practic primele arme militare moderne (fig. 18). Prinrezolvarea satisfctoare a problemelor fundamentale, legate de ncrcarea rapid ncr-carea pe la culat i muniia corespunztoare acestei operaiuni sistemul Dreyse a con-tribuit la accelerarea progresului armamentului, materializat prin apariia i generalizareacartuelor n ntregime metalice, a noilor sisteme de nchidere, mai perfecionate i, nfinal, a putilor cu repetiie, ce i vor gsi expresia cea mai nalt n ultimul deceniu alsecolului al XIX-lea prin sisteme precum Mauser, Mannlicher, Lee Enfield.


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A short history of portable firearms(from the 14thcentury to the introductionof the first military breech-loading rifle)

Ioan I. SCAFE

A good many researchers regard the discovery of gunpowder as one of the mostsignificant achievements of mankind, sometimes puing it on an equal footing with therevolution brought about by the discovery of metal working. However, the moment thegunpowder actually appeared remains cloaked in mystery. In general, its invention isaributed to the Chinese, who traditionally used sulphur and saltpetre to prepare thefire medicine (huoyao), a remedy against infectious diseases, rheumatism or parasites.The first to mention the mixture of salpetre, charcoal and sulphur the basic ingredientsof gunpowder was Sun Simiao (581-682), a Chinese physician who, in his work Powder

features analyzing the salpetre procedure, notes its violent combustion aer the ignition.

The fact that gunpowder was no longer an unknown in early 11th century Chinaresults from works such as An important way, a path to the wonderful main truths orGeneral Principles of the Classic on War(both dated 1044), which contain advice for thecareful handling of the powder obtained from salpetre, charcoal and sulphur, a mixturewith explosive potential, or methods of manufacturing bamboo hand grenades to producenoise.

In the 13th century, through the agency of the Arabs, gunpowder reached Europe.In 1230, in his work Liber Ignium ad camburandos hostes, Marcus Graecus describes forthe first time in the Western world, the recipe for preparing gunpowder, as well as theprecautions to be taken in order to avoid the accidents that it might cause. Nevertheless,

the exact proportions of its constituent elements will be mentioned only later, in 1257, bythe English monk Roger Bacon, in his De Secretis Operibus Artis et Naturae et de Nullitatemagiae.

The evolution from the original use of the pyrotechnical properties of gunpowderto produce noise and light, to the use of its ballistic properties and the manufacture offirearms, was gradual and unfolded between the 11 thand the late 13thcentury.

Like its origins, the information on the earliest use of the ballistic properties ofgunpowder is rather imprecise. For instance, according to some information, in 13 thcentury China, gunpowder was used to propel arrows through bamboo tubes; in the sameperiod, cast iron-bodied hand grenades would have been produced or, in the 14thcentury,

bronze cannons could already be found there, which leads us to suppose the existence ofmore rudimentary cannons in the previous century.

As for the Western hemisphere, most of the information converges on the idea thatthe Arabs were the first to use the ballistic properties of gunpowder. The most interesting


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reports speak about cannons being used by the Arabs at the siege of Saragosa, in 1118, andtheir being cast in Spain, in 1132. Other sources mention the use of artillery by the army ofSultan Abu Yusuf at the siege of the Moroccan fortress of Sidjilmesa, in 1274 etc. Despitetheir credibility, none of these allegations is supported by contemporary documents.

The first certitudes regarding the existence and use of firearms are provided byPolistoria fratis Bartholomei Ferariensis ab anno 1287 usque annum 1367, which reportsabout cannons being used against the troops of King Henry VII in Northern Italy, in1311, and by two other documents, dated 1326; the former, De notabilitatibus sapientiis et

prudentiis regum, is the work of Walter de Milemete, the tutor of the future King EdwardIII, and it contains the oldest illustration of a firearm (picture 1). It is vase-shaped andhas an arrow-shaped projectile. The gun crew starts the fire by inserting a red-hot ironwire aached to a rod into the touch-hole1. The laer document is a decree issued by theadministration of Florence, dated February 11, 1326, ordering cannons and metal shots. Itwas supposed, therefore, to be a more evolved artillery piece than the one illustrated byMilemete. Aer the English had successfully used artillery in the bale of Crcy (1346),

or at the siege of Calais (1347) more and more military chiefs got to understand theimportance and effi ciency of firearms. In their turn, municipalities acquired a significantnumber of cannons, in order to use them against besiegers. This increasing demand forcannons led to a rapid development of artillery.

Cannons were diffi cult to produce; generally, light cannons were made of wroughtiron tubes fied into each other, with their connections strengthened by binding hoops2.In exchange, heavy cannons were made of iron bands joined around a wooden mandrel,welded together and shrunk fit. Certainly, the laer were the most sought aer, as theonly cannons capable of destroying the massive walls of the city fortifications.

Consequently, the last quarter of the 14th century witnessed the production of such

cannons as the one made in Caen in 1375, which weighed 2300 pounds3

and fired500-pound cannon-balls.The earliest cannons were called bombards(picture 2), a term derived from the Latin

bombusmeaningnoise, roar. In the mid-14thcentury, almost concurrently with the bombards(a name that gradually grew to apply only to heavy cannons), the hand cannons orculverins4 (picture 3) the first portable firearms started being used on the medieval

balefields. A culverin consisted of a barrel made of wrought iron, rarely of copper, it hada small caliber and was fixed on an elongated rest (composed of a rudimentary guer andstock made of a single piece of wood), which could be held under the arm. Hand cannonsevolved in two directions: one led to the development of portable guns (arquebuses), theother to the long-barrel and large-caliber heavy artillery pieces of the 15th- 17thcenturies.

In the mid-14th century, portable firearms (actually small-sized individual cannons)were mentioned under the general name offire sticks5.

Fire sticks (or hand bombards) weighed about 5 kg, were muzzle-loaded and fired bythe insertion of a red-hot iron piece or a burning coal into the touch-hole. To handle sucha weapon was a diffi cult task as it required good distributive aention and the abilityto perform several operations almost at a time: to fix the weapon under the arm, to aimand to fire. In spite of its complete lack of accuracy, this type of weapon, mainly used

by mounted men-at-arms, was highly appreciated, and its quasi-general dissemination in

1 an opening in the barrel used to initiate the propellant charge2 circular bands of metal applied on cannon barrels to reinforce them3 in medieval France, a pound weighed between 380 g and 552 g, depending on the geographical region4couleuvrines, in French, Feldschlange (field serpent)in German5btons feu, in French, scopeoin Italian


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the West in the late 14thcentury proves it. As a consequence, they were ordered in a bignumber, as shown, for example, by the 1364 records of the Italian city of Perugia whichmentioned an order for 500 hand bombards.

Prey slowly at first, faster and faster later, these weapons started being improved.The first step was to move the touch-hole from the top to the right-hand side of the

breech. This was followed by the creation of the pan6, a small shallow container placedon the outer side, near the touch-hole. It was meant to hold a quantity of priming which,once ignited, would initiate, through the touch-hole, the charge of propellant.

Consequently, the cannon might have weighed between 875 kg and 1260.6 kg.Other improvements concerned the increase of the shooting precision and trajectory;

to this aim, longer barrels started being produced and their guer-and-stock support wasgiven a shape that made it easier for the soldiers to handle them in bale.

The next step towards the development of really effective weapons was the use,from around 1400, of the slow match, made of a textile cord macerated in salpetre andalcohol. This was followed by another remarkable innovation, the serpentine (picture 4),

an S-shaped lever pivoting on a spindle placed on the right-hand side of the weapon; atits upper extremity, the serpentine had a pair of jaws which held the smoldering match.The pressure exerted on the lever made it tilt over with the match into the pan, whichstarted the fire. Apparently simple, this invention had a crucial role in making the weaponhandling easier, which allowed the shooter a beer concentration on aiming.

Towards the 15thcentury, the firing mechanism was further improved by the creationof the matchlock7(picture 5). Essentially, it was an independent mechanism fixed on a metalplate. The match holder consisted of an outer part on which the match was fixed, and apart placed on the inside of the weapon, which sent the firing command by means of alink rod, a balancer and a trigger8 placed under the mechanism. A leaf spring separated

the serpentine and key on the one hand from the pan and stock on the other hand. Firewas initiated by pressing the trigger, which, via the above mentioned pieces, lowered theslow match-holding end of the serpentine into the pan. In the long run, matchlocks weregradually refined: the trigger was shaped in a more modern fashion, closer to the one weknow today, the firing pin block was introduced in order to prevent accidental dischargeand the pan was equipped with a protective cover that opened when firing, while theserpentine was lowered.

The matchlock was a simple but robust, safely operated, easy to produce and low-costmechanism. These qualities made it spread rapidly and be kept in use for a long time.

Matchlock muskets, generally called arquebuses9, were heavy weapons weighingaround 7 kg and having an effective range of about 50 m.

To operate an arquebus was diffi cult, on account not only of its firing system, but alsoof the quality of the powder used, which would burn incompletely and clog the barrelaer only a few shots (four on the average).

In the 16thcentury, depending on their users and on the warfare methods, arquebusestook shapes that eventually resulted in two big firearm types the pistols and the infantryrifles, clearly differentiated in terms of shape, size and weight.

Thus, thepetrinal the smaller arquebus used by mounted knights, who would fire byholding the stock flush against their chest is considered the ancestor of pistols. On theother hand, the musket a variant of matchlock that appeared in the first half of the 16th

6 in the Romanian specialty literature, the pan is known astigi (literally small pan)7 the plate on which the elements of the firing mechanism were fixed8 a release lever9haquebuses mche, in French, Luntengewehrin German


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century came into use in infantry (picture 6). What made it remarkable was its stock,which could be propped against the shoulder, its barrel about 1.20 m long (for a totallength of the weapon of about 1.60 m) and its caliber of 13 to 20 mm.

As they weighed between 10 and 13 kg, muskets used on the balefield had to beset on a special rest called fork. Gradually, especially towards the end of the 16thcentury,

both the length and the weight of the matchlock muskets grew smaller. However, theseweapons remained essentially imposing in terms of size and diffi cult to handle. As aconsequence, the fork was maintained in use on the balefield until around 1650.

Muskets required not only a good physical condition a musketeer would permanentlycarry, besides his musket and fork, a whole inventory for the barrel cleaning, the weaponloading and maintenance, bullet purses and small leather sheaths for them, 12 matchesetc.. They also required hard training, both for loading the musket a complicated anddangerous operation as it was performed with a smoldering match and for its utilization.

Although lacking particular precision, arquebuses were effi cient when used in agreat number, with simultaneous volleys shot against an enemy with a compact force

disposition. The use of matchlock muskets brought the Spanish army a resoundingsuccess against the French troops in the bale of Pavia of 1525. Perceived accordingly, thisevent enhanced the interest in portable firearms and, with the increase of the number ofarquebuses in the European armies, special units of arquebusiers started being organized.Broadly speaking, matchlock muskets remained in military use until the end of the 17 thcentury. Diffused worldwide by travelers and soldiers, they were still used by a numberof conservative military corps until the 19th century: janissaries were equipped withmatchlock muskets in 1826, when the corps was disbanded, the Japanese used them untilmid-19thcentury (picture 7) and the guard of the Chinese Empress, until the end of thesame century.

By 1550, firearms had become increasingly effi cient, thanks to the use of a new,granulated black powder, which was stronger, burned faster and more completely. Despiteall the progress achieved in time, matchlocks had major drawbacks; the most significantof them derived from the necessity of keeping the match alight all the time, from thelength of the match (3 to 12 m) that arquebusers had to coil around their arm in bale,which made it very cumbersome; and, last but not least, from the flame, which betrayedthe shooters positions at night.

The remedy of these drawbacks came with the invention of another firing system, thewheel-lock10 (picture 8), in the early 16th century. The Italians claim to have invented it.According to them, it had existed ever since the end of the 15thcentury, in Lombardy. Inany case, it is certain that in 1500 Leonardo da Vinci included the drawing of a wheel-lockin his Codice Atlantico Ambrosiano(picture 9). Also, a number of documents dating backto the early 16thcentury aest the existence of gun makers who manufactured wheel-lockfirearms in Germany (picture 10).

The main novelty of this system consisted in replacing the match holder by aflint-bearing cock and in introducing a new element the wheel which, rotated byclockwork, struck the flint and produced the spark that initiated the propellant charge.The main advantage of wheel-lock guns was that they provided a safe ignition and asteady operation. Besides, this ignition system allowed carrying loaded guns and usingthem at any time, without the need of a smoldering match.

Apart from these advantages, the wheel-lock had two drawbacks which limited its

popularity. Firstly, its fragile and intricate device, which could only be repaired by

10platine rouetin French,Radschlossgewehrin German


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specialists; secondly, its very high price. Consequently, only wealthy people could afford awheel-lock gun, but even they were reluctant in using them on the balefield, aware thatthe smallest breakdown could make them useless.

Moreover, the loss of the special key used to wind up the spring made the weaponuseless, a drawback speculated by gun makers, who competed in creating the mostcomplicated and, above all, the most expensive keys possible.

Now a mark of nobility, wheel-lock guns were richly ornamented, sometimes evento the detriment of their functionality. Expensive and fragile, they were seldom used byinfantrymen. Instead, preference was give to arquebuses, which were cheap, robust andeasy to repair by any ironsmith.

Nevertheless, the wheel-lock remained in service, especially in hunting guns (pictures11) and in cavalry pistols, even until the 17th century, aer the introduction of a moreevolved firing system, the flintlock. Moreover, in Central Europe it went on being useduntil the mid-18thcentury.

The next significant moment in the evolution of portable firearms is due to Marin

Le Bourgeoys, who created the first flintlock mechanism in the world, in 1610 (picture12). The main parts of this device were the flint-bearing cock an S-shaped mobile lever,the lower end of which was fixed on a spindle and which was driven by a blade springholding a piece of flint in its jaws and the steel. When the trigger was pulled the cocksprang forward and the flint struck a piece of roughened steel, causing strong sparks. Thesecond effect of the cock blow was that it knocked the pan open, allowing the sparks tofall into it and ignite first the priming, then, through the touch-hole, the propellant charge.

Owing to its simplicity and low cost, the flintlock or French lock rapidly gained inpopularity. Although more reliable than any previous firing system, it was far from beingperfect statistics recorded one hangfire out of five shots. With small changes, mostly in

terms of design, the flintlock remained the main firearm system for 200 years, reaching itsclimax at the end of this period, during the Napoleonic wars.Flintlock guns gained in effi ciency by the generalization of several innovations that had

been introduced as early as the beginning of the 17thcentury in the guns of the previousgeneration. One of the first innovations, diffused especially during the 30-year war by thearmy of King Gustav Adolf, was the cartridge, made of a paper container holding both thepowder required for the primer ignition, and the load proper, namely the bullet and thewadding. It was much easier to load the gun with this type of cartridge: the soldier wouldtear open the paper (usually with his teeth), pour a small quantity of powder into thepan for priming and the rest into the barrel, following it with the bullet and the paper aswadding. This innovation had the advantage of increasing the loading speed and, owingto the equal quantity of powder in each cartridge, of sparing gunpowder and providinga more regular fire. The Germans further developed this system by manufacturing small

boxes containing 6 cartridges, suspended from a belt over the shoulder. The secondnotable improvement was the bayonet. Fied over the muzzle, it allowed the use of gunsin hand-to-hand fights. The first bayonets, which came into use in the late 17 thcentury,were jammed into the muzzle. However, they had the obvious disadvantage that, oncethey were in position, the gun could not be fired. This drawback was overcome by theirreplacement with socket bayonets, created by Marshal Vauban11. With the introduction bythe Prussian army, during the reign of Friedrich II, of the steel ramrods in replacementof the wooden ones, flintlock guns became really redoubtable. They fired even faster, at

a rate of four rounds per minute, in compliance with the provisions of the French drill11 Sbastien Le Prestre, Marquis de Vauban (1633-1707), marshal of France and a leading military engineer,designer of the fortification system that bears his name.


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regulations in the laer half of the 18 thcentury. Another landmark in the development offlintlock guns is the initiative of Jean Baptiste Vaquee de Gribeauval12: for the first timein history, he had the idea of implementing standard specifications for guns, establishingthe exact size for each component of the mouths. Applied in the field of portable weapons,his idea led to the development of the French 1777 model infantry musket (picture 13),virtually the first weapon produced according to a scientific method. Its componentscould be changed at the mere cost of minimum corrections. The manufacture proceduresimplemented by Gribeauval were rapidly copied in Austria, Switzerland, Russia or theUnited States of America. The only difference between these new guns and the previousones was the higher quality of their production process (picture 14).

The last improvement of the muzzle-loaded firearms was the invention of a new firingsystem, the percussion lock13 (picture 15). It was developed starting from John Forsythsaempts (1807) at using the property of fulminate of mercury, which would detonateviolently if submied to a blow. His idea was adopted and improved by the American

Josuah Shaw in 1822, who put fulminate of mercury into slim metallic tubes, the opening

of which was covered with a waterproof substance which allowed the passage of theflame produced by the explosion.

From the mechanical point of view, the new system was a remarkable simplification ofthe previous one. The mobile cock was kept, only it ended by a flat hammer-like surface.However, the pan and the steel were replaced by a tubular nipple set in the touch-hole.Pulling the trigger released the hammer which struck the percussion cap placed on thenipple. The fulminating mercury exploded and the resulting flame travelled through thetouch-hole, reached the propellant charge and fired (picture 16). The new invention tooksome time to gain ground, the percussion-cap guns being adopted as military weapons inthe fourth decade of the 19thcentury14, aer a number of more or less successful aempts

at producing beer weapons. The British percussion-cap rifles produced at Enfield arsenalwere the most appreciated. The paern 1853 Enfield rifle was the climax in the evolutionof percussion-cap firearms, owing to its standardized caliber 577 inch (14,65 mm) andits barrel bands which provided the bullet a regular and long grazing trajectory. Theywere equipped with an adjustable sight and corrosion-proofing. The excellent ballisticsprovided by the barrel bands definitively imposed this type of rifle, which influencedthe weapons later produced in countries such as Spain, Austria or the United Statesof America. Working with modern ammunition Mini conical bullets the infantryrifles achieved spectacular performances, among which an effective range of 400 m, ascompared with the 200 m range provided by the round bullets, and an accurate fire at200 m as compared with 60 m for the spherical ones. However, the percussion-cap rifleshad a big drawback: their muzzle loading, which had become very diffi cult, especiallyaer the introduction of the barrel bands.

Not long aer their generalization in extended conflicts, percussion-cap riflesdemonstrated further limits, generated by the same muzzle-loading system. It was foundthat, under the stress of the bale, solders would hurry and forget some of the sequencesof the loading process. This led to dramatic situations, such as in the bale of Geysburg(July 1-3, 1863), at the end of which a significant number of discarded rifles were collected

12 Jean Baptiste Vaquee de Gribeauval (1715-1789), lieutenant-general, inspector of the French artillery from177613 also known as fuse cap system in Romania14 thus, Prussia adopted them in 1839, France in 1840, the USA in 1851 (although they had been partiallyintroduced in 1833) and Great Britain in 1853


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from the balefield. 18 000 of them had 2 to 10 rounds in the barrel and 6 000 were loadedbut had no round at all.

Such important drawbacks were overcome by the development of the breech-loadingfirearms.

The first viable breech-loading weapon was produced by Johann Nikolaus von Dreysewho, in 1837, patented the needle-gun (Zundnadelgewehr). Its name comes from its longneedle-like firing-pin. Dreyses rifle was loaded from the breech end, while the cartridgechamber was obturated by a mobile cylindrical bolt containing the needle firing-pin anda spring. The bolt was provided with a side handle and glided along the barrel axis in alongitudinal opening, heralding, at least in terms of aspect, the bolts of modern firearms.The needle-gun used a complete cartridge, conceived in an original manner: it wascomposed of a paper case containing the bullet (of a smaller caliber than that of the gun),a macerated paper sabot, the percussion cap (fulminate of mercury) and the propellantcharge. The disadvantage generated by the smaller caliber of the bullet (supposed to makeloading easier) was compensated by the barrel conceived by Dreyse, with only four broad

and thin rifles, which allowed the macerated paper sabot to press the smaller-caliberbullet onto the rifles when shooting, imparting it a rotational motion around the long axis.

The needle-gun conceived by Nikolaus von Dreyse was loaded in 5 steps: the needlefiring-pin was withdrawn into the bolt, the cartridge chamber was opened by retractingthe bolt, the cartridge was inserted, the cartridge chamber was closed by pushing the boltforwards and the bolt was blocked by pressing down the handle, and the gun was armed

by the compression of the spring. Remarkably, all these operations could be performedin a rapid sequence, even in prone position. This provided the soldiers with enhancedprotection in bale, on the one hand, and with the possibility to aim beer, on the otherhand. The real rate of needle-guns was absolutely remarkable for the time: 10-12 rounds a

minute. Adopted as regular weapons by Prussia in 1841, the Dreyse rifles were kept secretfor a long time; first used on a large scale in the wars against Denmark (1864) and Austria(1866), they had a decisive contribution to the Prussian victories, confirming once and forall the superiority of the breech-loading weapons.

The Dreyse rifles are virtually the first modern military weapons (picture 18). Byproviding a satisfactory solution to fundamental problems related to fast loading

breech-loading and the appropriate ammunition the Dreyse system contributed to theacceleration of the weapons evolution, materialized in the introduction and generalizationof fully metallic cartridges, of the new improved shuing system and, in the end, ofthe repeater rifles, which will find their highest expression in the last decade of the 19 thcentury, by such systems as Mauser, Mannlicher or Lee Enfield.


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Figura 1.Cea mai veche reprezentare a unei arme de foc. Ilustraie din De notabilitatibuset sapientiis et prudentiis regum, Walter de Milmete, 1326

Picture 1.The oldest illustration of a firearm, in De notabilitatibus et sapientiis et prudentiisregnum, Walter de Milemete, 1326

Fig. 2. Bombard, sec. al XIV-lea

Picture 2.Bombard, 14thcentury


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Fig. 3.Cavaleri narmai cu tunuri de mn (culevrine)Picture 3.Mounted men-at-arms equipped with hand guns (culverines)

Fig. 4. Una dintre primele archebuze cu serpentin, sf. sec. al XV-leaPicture 4.Early serpentine arquebus, late 15thcentury


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Fig. 5. Platin cu fitilPicture 5.Matchlock

Fig. 6. Muschetar, nceputul sec al XVII-leaPicture 6.Musketeer, early 17thcentury


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Fig. 8.Platin cu cremene i rotiPicture 8.Wheel-lock

Fig. 7. Archebuza japonez cu fitil, sec. al XVIII-lea

Picture 7.Japanese matchlock musket, 18thcentury


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Fig. 9. Sistemul de dare a focului cu cremene i roti conceput de Leonardo da Vinci. CodiceAtlantico Ambrosiano, 1500

Picture 9.The wheel-lock conceived by Leonardo da Vinci. Codice Atlantico Ambrosiano, 1500

Fig. 10. Archebuza cu cremene i roti, sec. al XVII-lea

Picture 10.Wheel-lock arquebus, 17thcentury


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Fig. 12. Platina cremene. Desen din Enciclopedia lui Diderot, 1751Picture 12.Flintlock. Drawing from Diderots Encyclopedia, 1751

Fig. 11. Carabina de vntoare cu cremene i roti, nceputulsec. al XVII- lea

Picture 11.Wheel-lock hunting rifle, early 17thcentury


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Fig. 14.Puca de vntoare cu cremene, cca. 1750Picture 14. Flintlock hunting gun, cca. 1750

Fig. 13.Puca cu cremene md. 1777Picture 13.Flintlock rifle, model 1777


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Fig. 16.Puc de vntoare cu percuie, prima jumtate a secolului alXIX-lea

Picture 16.Percussion-cap hunting gun, first half of the 19thcentury

Fig. 15.Platina cu percuiePicture 15.Percussion-cap plate


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Fig.

17.

PucaDreysemd.

1841.

Culat,percutoricart

u

Pic

ture

17.

Dreyserifle,model1841.

Breech,

firingpinandcartridge


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Fig. 18.Dorobani narmai cu carabine sistem Dreyse, 1877Picture 18.Dorobani Romanian foot soldiers equipped with Dreyse rifles, 1877.


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Catalogul armelor de focdin colecia

Muzeului judeeanTeohari Antonescu

Firearms Catalogue from

the Collection of theTeohari AntonescuGiurgiu County Museum


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ARME DE FOC COLECIA MUZEULUI JUDEEANTEOHARI ANTONESCU GIURGIU

NR.CRT.

NR. INV. FELUL ARMEI MARC NR. ISERIE

CALIBRU Locul unde sepstreaz

1 ARM 1/1 Puc cu cremene KENTUCKY-JAGER 1178 11,43mm Expoziie

2 ARM 2/2 Pistol cu cremene - - - Expoziie

3 ARM 3/3 Pistol cu cremene - - - Depozit4 ARM 4/4 Pistol cu caps - - - Depozit

5 ARM 5/5 Pistol cu cremene - - - Custodie Muzeulc. gen. Nr. 4



8 ARM8/8 Pistol cu cremene - - - Expoziie

9 ARM 9/9 Pistol cu cremene - - - Depozit

10 ARM10/10 Pistol cu caps - - - Depozit

11 ARM11/11 Pistol cu cremene - - -Custodie Muzeul

c. gen. Nr. 4

12 ARM29/29 Pistolet - - - Depozit

13 ARM 30 Revolver SMITH-WESSON - 11mm Depozit


15 ARM41/41 Puc cu cremene BOYLIYA - 15,5mm Expoziie

16 ARM42/42 Puc cu cremene - - 16,24mm Expoziie

17ARM43/43 Pistol cu caps - - - Expoziie

18 ARM45/45 Puc cu cremene - - 13,72mm Expoziie

19 ARM

46/46

Puc cu cremene - - 16,32mm Expoziie

20 ARM47/49 Pistol cu caps - - 11,4mm Expoziie

21 ARM48/50 Pistol cu cremene - - 12,4mm Expoziie


23 ARM 60 Pistol cu caps - - - Depozit24 ARM 84 Pistol cu caps - - - Expoziie25 ARM 88 Puc fragmentar - - - Depozit

26 ARM94/101 Revolver E.L.G. R.T. 27 - Expoziie

27 ARM 97 Puc fragmentar - - - Depozit28 ARM 106 Puc fragmentar - - - Depozit29 ARM 112 Puc cu caps ENFIELD I.B. 20 15mm Expoziie


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NR.CRT.

NR. INV. FELUL ARMEI MARCNR. ISERIE

CALIBRULocul unde se

pstreaz


31 ARM

117/124Pistol cu cremene - - - Expoziie

32 ARM 118 Puc cu caps ENFIELD I.B. 20 15mm Expoziie

33 ARM121/128

Pistol cu cremene - - - Expoziie

34 ARM 122 Carabin HENRY-MARTINI A. 6530 11,43mm Expoziie

35 ARM123/130 Pistol cu caps - - - Expoziie

36 ARM 124 Puc de infanterie KRNKA 10.732 15,24mm Expoziie

37 ARM125/132 Pistol cu caps - - - Depozit


39 ARM134/141 Pistol cu caps - - 11,82mm Expoziie

40 ARM135/142

Pistol cu caps - - 14,8mm Expoziie

41 ARM136/143 Pistol cu capsSTEYR, IMPERIUL

AUSTRO -UNGAR

- 13,5mm Expoziie

42 ARM137/144 Pistol cu cremenePROBABIL

WATERS& CO,MAREA BRITANIE

- - Expoziie

43ARM

138/145 Pistol cu caps

H. NEUE & TIMPEHOFBURGSENN

BERLINGERMANIA

- 9,6mm Expoziie

44 ARM139/146 Pistol cu percuieIMMANUEL

MEFFERT, SUHL,GERMANIA

28.664 6mm Expoziie

45 ARM140/147 Pistol cu capsPROBABILFRANA - 11,6mm Expoziie

46 ARM161/173 Puc cu cremene - - -Custodie Muzeul

c. gen. Nr. 4

47 ARM164/164Pistol de

semnalizare - B.P.3126 - Expoziie

48 ARM 168 Tun de nsoirehotchkiss

SOCIETEANONYME DESANCIENNES

ETABLISSEMENTSHOTCHKISS ET

CIE, FRANA

N.O. 258 57mm n faa muzeului

49 ARM 169Tun de nsoire

hotchkiss

SOCIETEANONYME DES

ANCIENNESETABLISSEMENTS

HOTCHKISS ETCIE, FRANA

N.O. 135 57mm n faa muzeului


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FIREARMS COLLECTION OF TEOHARI ANTONESCUGIURGIU COUNTY MUSEUM

NO.INVENTORY

NO.TYPE OF FIREARM BRAND

NO.AND

SERIESCALIBER

PLACEWHERE IT IS

KEPT

1 ARM 1/1 Flintlock rifle KENTUCKY-JAGER 1178 11.43mm Collection

2 ARM 2/2 Flintlock pistol - - - Collection3 ARM 3/3 Flintlock pistol - - - Storehouse4 ARM 4/4 Percussion-cap pistol - - - Storehouse

5 ARM 5/5 Flintlock pistol - - -In custody ofSchool no. 4

Museum6 ARM 6/6 Flintlock pistol - - -

In custody ofSchool no. 4

Museum

7 ARM 7/7 Flintlock pistol - - -In custody ofSchool no. 4

Museum8 ARM 8/8 Flintlock pistol - - - Collection9 ARM 9/9 Flintlock pistol - - - Warehouse10 ARM 10/10 Percussion-cap pistol - - - Warehouse

11 ARM 11/11 Flintlock pistol - - -

In custody of

School no. 4Museum

12 ARM 29/29 Pistol - - - Storehouse

13 ARM 30 RevolverSMITH-

WESSON - 11mm Storehouse

14 ARM 38/38 Flintlock pistol - - - Collection15 ARM 41/41 Flintlock rifle BOYLYIA - 15.5mm Collection16 ARM 42/42 Flintlock rifle - - 16.24mm Collection17 ARM 43/43 Percussion-cap pistol - - - Collection18 ARM 45/45 Flintlock rifle - - 13.72mm Collection

19 ARM 46/46 Flintlock rifle - - 16.32mm Collection20 ARM 47/49 Percussion-cap pistol - - 11.4mm Collection21 ARM 48/50 Flintlock pistol - - 12.4mm Collection22 ARM 57/64 Flintlock pistol - - - Collection23 ARM 60 Percussion-cap pistol - - - Storehouse24 ARM 84 Percussion-cap pistol - - - Collection25 ARM 88 Fragmentary rifle - - - Storehouse26 ARM 94/101 Revolver E.L.G. R.T. 27 - Collection27 ARM 97 Fragmentary rifle - - - Storehouse28 ARM 106 Fragmentary rifle - - - Storehouse

29 ARM 112 Percussion-cap rifle ENFIELD I.B.20 15mm Collection30 ARM 116/123 Flintlock pistol - - - Collection


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NO.INVENTORY

NO.TYPE OF FIREARM BRAND

NO.AND

SERIESCALIBER

PLACEWHERE IT IS

KEPT31 ARM 117/124 Flintlock pistol - - - Collection32 ARM 118 Percussion-cap rifle ENFIELD I.B.20 15mm Collection33 ARM 121/128 Flintlock pistol - - - Collection

34 ARM 122 Carbine HENRY-MARTINI A.6530 11.43mm Collection

35 ARM 123/130 Percussion-cap pistol - 10.732 - Collection36 ARM 124 Infantry rifle KRNKA - 15.24mm Collection37 ARM 125/132 Percussion-cap pistol - - - Storehouse38 ARM 126/133 Flintlock pistol - - - Collection39 ARM 134/141 Percussion-cap pistol - - 11.82mm Collection40 ARM 135/142 Percussion-cap pistol - - 14.8mm Collection

41 ARM 136/143 Percussion-cap pistolSTEYR, AUSTRO-

HUNGARIANEMPIRE

- 13.5mm Collection

42 ARM 137/144 Flintlock pistolPROBABLY

WATERS& CO,GREAT BRITAIN

- - Collection

43 ARM 138/145 Percussion-cap pistol

H. NEUE &TIMPE HOFBUR-GSENN, BERLIN,

GERMANY

- 9.6mm Collection

44 ARM 139/146 Percussion pistolIMMANUEL

MEFFERT, SUHL,GERMANY

28.664 6mm Collection

45 ARM 140/147 Percussion-cap pistol PROBABLYFRANCE - 11.6mm Collection

46 ARM 161/173 Flintlock rifle - - -In custody ofSchool no. 4

Museum47 ARM 164/164 Flare pistol - B.P.3126 - Collection

48 ARM 168

Hotchkiss

accompanyingcannon

SOCITANONYME DES

ANCIENNES

TABLISSE-MENTSHOTCHKISS ET

CIE, FRANCE

N.O. 258 57mm

In front of

the Museum

49 ARM 169Hotchkiss

accompanyingcannon

SOCITANONYME DES

ANCIENNESTABLISSE-

MENTSHOTCHKISS ET

CIE, FRANCE

N.O. 135 57mm In front ofthe Museum


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Numr inventar: ARM 1/1Denumire obiect: PUC CU CREMENEDatare: nceputul secolului al XIX-leaLocul provenien: ITALIAAtelier: KENTUCKY JAGERCaracteristici: lungime 128 cm, greutate 2,9 kg,

calibru 11, 45 mmInscripie: 1178

Poziie n tabel: 1

Inventory number: ARM 1/1Name of item: FLINTLOCK RIFLEDating: early 19thcentury

Place of origin: ITALYWorkshop: KENTUCKY JAGERFeatures: length 128 cm, weight 2.9 kg, caliber 11.45 mmInscription: 1178

PUC CU CREMENE

FLINTLOCK RIFLE


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Numr inventar: ARM 38/38Denumire obiect: PISTOL CU CREMENEDatare: sfritul secolului al XVIII-leaLocul provenien: IMPERIUL OTOMANAtelier: probabil occidentalCaracteristici: lungime 59 cm, greutate 1,0 kg,

calibru 16,8 mm

Inventory number: ARM 38/38Name of item: FLINTLOCK PISTOL

Dating: late 18th

centuryPlace of origin: OTTOMAN EMPIREWorkshop: probably WesternFeatures: length 59 cm, weight 1.0 kg, caliber 16.8 mm

PISTOL CU CREMENE

FLINTLOCK PISTOL

Poziie n tabel: 14


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Numr inventar: ARM 41/41Denumire obiect: PUC CU CREMENE BALCANIC BOYLIYADatare: sfritul secolului al XVIII-lea - nceputul secolului al XIX-leaLocul provenien: IMPERIUL OTOMAN; PENINSULA BALCANIC,

NORDUL BULGARIEIAtelier: orientalCaracteristici: lungime 155 cm, greutate 3.0 kg, calibru 15,5 mm

Inventory number: ARM 41/41Name of item: BOYLIYA BALKAN FLINTLOCK RIFLEDating: late 18th- early 19thcentury

Place of origin: OTTOMAN EMPIRE, BALKAN PENIN-SULA, NORTHERN BULGARIAWorkshop: EasternFeatures: length 155 cm, weight 3.0 kg, caliber 15.5 mm

PUCA CU CREMENE BALCANIC BOYLIYA

BOYLIYA BALKAN FLINTLOCK RIFLE

Poziie n tabel: 15


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Numr inventar: ARM 42/42Denumire obiect: PUC CU CREMENE BALCANICDatare: nceputul secolului al XIX-leaLocul provenien: PENINSULA BALCANIC, ALBANIAAtelier: orientalCaracteristici: lungime 155 cm, greutate 3,2 kg, calibru 16, 24 mm

Inventory number: ARM 42/42Name of item: BALKAN FLINTLOCK RIFLE

Dating: early 19th

centuryPlace of origin: ALBANIA, BALKAN PENINSULAWorkshop: EasternFeatures: length 155 cm, weight 3.2 kg, caliber 16.24 mm

PUC CU CREMENE BALCANIC

BALKAN FLINTLOCK RIFLE

Poziie n tabel: 16


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Numr inventar: ARM. 45/45Denumire obiect: PUC DE VNTOARE CU CREMENEDatare: sfritul secolului al XVII-lea - nceputul secolului al XVII-leaLocul provenien:Atelier: Occidental, probabil GermaniaCaracteristici: lungime145 cm, greutate 4,9 kg, calibru 13,72 mm

Inventory number: ARM 45/45Name of item: HUNTING FLINTLOCK GUN

Dating: late 17th

- early 18th

centuryPlace of origin:Workshop: Western, probably GermanyFeatures: length 145 cm, weight 4.9 kg, caliber 13.72 mm

PUC DE VNTOARE CU CREMENE

HUNTING FLINTLOCK GUN

Poziie n tabel: 18

Firearms From the Collection of the Teohari Antonescu Giurgiu County Museum

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Transcript of Firearms From the Collection of the Teohari Antonescu Giurgiu County Museum