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Founding collection 1850-1900 Firearm series Pitt Rivers founding collectionFirearm series Pitt Rivers founding collection
This is a transcription of a document, possibly written by Pitt-Rivers himself (though the reference to Col. Fox ie himself, suggests otherwise), which shows which objects were placed in which order in the series of firearms in the founding collection. The numbers in square brackets are the related Pitt Rivers Museum accession numbers added by the transcriber. This is a list which is duplicated in the so-called Black book (see end), a book said to have been compiled between 1874 and 1885 at Bethnal Green and South Kensington Museums which lists some series not included in the original 1874 catalogue. The reason why this list, and the black book listing were compiled is unknown. As firearms are one of the types of artefacts not covered by the published catalogue of 1874 for the Bethnal Green displays this list adds new information about another series put together by Pitt-Rivers before 1884.
The original can be found in the Miscellaneous papers, number 5a, in the PRM ms collections. The black book forms part of the primary documentation for the objects in the founding collection, access to it can be obtained by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
First page
Specimens illustrating development in the form of hand fire-arms
1113. Hand cannon, centre touch-hole 14th Cent'y [1884.27.1]
1114 A. Hand cannon, side touch hole & pan 15th Cent'y [1884.27.2]
1114 B. Rampart gun with side pan & rings India [1884.27.3]
1115. Match lock with rest attached side touch hole & pan. Fired by hand without any lock [1884.27.5]
1116. Match lock European 16th Cent'y [1884.27.17]
1117. Match lock European 16th Cent'y. Stock of later date. [1884.27.16]
1118. Musket rest [1884.140.34. Note that this item was only found and entered into the Pitt Rivers Museum's accession books in the later twentieth century]
1119-21. Chinese match locks, serpentine trigger in one piece with spring. [1884.27.7 is 1120, the others no longer seem to be accessioned at the PRM]
1122. Match lock barrel inlaid with silver, India. [1884.27.14]
1123-6 Indian matchlocks [1884.27.10-1884.27.13]
1127. Indian matchlock carbine [1884.27.15]
1128. Match lock of peculiar form found in digging the foundations of a house in Edinburgh. Probably oriental. [1884.27.6]
First page verso
1131-1132 Burmese matchlocks, serpentine constructed to cock. Fire with trigger [1884.27.18 and 1884.27.46]
Second page
1129-32. Japanese matchlocks, serpentine constructed to cock, Fire with trigger. [1884.27.19-20 and see above]
1133. Wheel-lock musket. First introduced at the siege of Parma 1521. Wheel outside the lock. Rifle 6 grooved [1884.27.21]
1134. Wheel lock musket. Temp. James 2 Rifled, 7 grooved. Wheel inside [1884.27.22]
1135. Wheel lock musket. Temp. James 2, Rifled. 8 grooved [1884.27.23]
1136. Double action lock of wheel lock Wheel outside. [1884.27.26]
1138. Wheel lock, latest form. [1884.27.25]
1139. Snap haunce musket, constituting the link between the wheel lock & flint lock musket. From the Meyrick Collection. Fig. in Plate C XIV Fig 3 & 4. Vol II [1884.27.27]
1140. Snaphaunce pistol introduced into Germany about 1603. [1884.27.76]
1141 Moorish Snaphaunce lock same as 1140 Still used. [1884.27.28]
[Note 1137 appears to have been missed out, no item in the founding collection is associated with that number]
Third page
1142 Turkish fire lock Early form of lock, introduced into Spain about [insert] in [end insert] 1630 [1884.27.29]
1143. Spanish fire lock. Lock of same form as 1142, but the piece over the pan is only furrowed at bottom. [1884.27.31]
1144. Flint lock gun, ship's swivel gun Early form. [1884.27.32]
1145. Flint lock from swivel [1884.27.33]
1146. Flint lock adapted to an early form of stock usually applied with the wheel lock. Rifled the bore hexagonal. [1884.27.37]
1147. Flint musket, land service. Regulation pattern for Foot Guards Time of George III & IV with bayonet [1884.27.36]
1148. Flint musket. Line pattern. Time of George III & IV. With bayonet [1884.27.35]
1149. Flint musket. Light infantry. Time of George III & IV. With bayonet [1884.27.38]
1150 Flint rifle. 7 grooved. English regulation With sword bayonet. [1884.27.39]
Fourth page
1151. Flint carbine to throw grenades [1884.27.43]
1152. Flint blunderbuss, brass barrel. [1884.27.41]
1153. Flint rifle, oval bore. [1884.27.34]
1154. Flint firelock, German, double barrelled to revolve [1884.27.40]
1155. Flint lock, Spanish. [word illegible] & the pan, full [illegible] [1884.27.30]
1156. Lock adapted to either flint or percussion. Marks the transition period. [1884.27.45]
1157 & 8. Russian infantry, back action, percussion locks. Used in the Crimea. [1884.27.50-51]
1159. English Brown Bess, with spring bayonet. Percussion. [1884.27.56]
1160. Russian Infantry percussion musket, used in the Crimean War. With bayonet. [1884.27.41]
1161. Russian Light Infantry percussion musket. Used in the Crimea. [1884.27.48]
1162. French Infantry small bore musket lock use just before the introduction of the rifle muskets. With bayonet. [1884.27.52]
1163. Belgian infantry percussion small bore musket. In use immediately before the introduction of the rifle musket. [1884.27.53]
Fifth page
1164. French Artillery Carbine. With sword bayonet. [1884.27.54]
1165. French carbine "à tire" Hammer missing [1884.27.55]
1166. Rifle muskeet constructed for Col. Fox on the pattern of the French Minie Rifle Musket in 1852. This was the first rifle musket made in England. [1884.27.57]
1167. Rifle small bore. Bayonet made by Wilkinson for experiment in 1852. [1884.27.58]
1168. Short Enfield Rifle made by Lancaster for experiment [1884.27.60]
1169. Rifle, Lancaster, smooth oval bore, made for Experiment. [1884.27.59]
1170. Rifle German, ? square bore. Percussion. [1884.27.61]
1171. Rifle self priming, percussion, 1729. Used by the Hungarians in their revolution in 1848. [1884.27.68]
1172. Percussion for piercing discs used by the Hungarians in their revolution in 1848. [1884.27.67]
1173. Needle gun, 3 barrelled (one rifled) German [1884.27.69]
1174. Needle gun, 2 barrelled muzzle-loader, German [1884.27.70]
1175. Needle gun, 2 barrelled muzzle loader. French Made by Pauly & Co. Paris. [1884.27.71]
Sixth page
1176. Russian Infantry needle gun, breech loader, from 51 Exhibition. With bayonet. [The Great Exhibition] [1884.27.72, sic it is now described as a Chassepot rifle French]
1177. United States percussion breech loader 1845. [1884.27.65]
1178 Experimental breech loader constructed for Col. Fox, 1852. [1884.27.66]
1179. Gun. 6 barrelled revolver. Lock missing. [1884.27.75]
1180. Breech loader. Robin & Lawrence, N. Yorks. Patented, 1849. [1884.27.62]
1181. Musket, self-priming, percussion, English [1884.27.63]
1182. Musket, breech loading, hammer beneath [1884.27.74]
1183. Musket, breech loading. French [1884.27.64]
1183 A. Japanese needle gun, sword bayoneet. Copy of an English gun. [1884.27.73]
1184-6. Air guns [1884.27.89, 90, 92]
1187. Pump for air gun [1884.27.91]
1188. Flint lock rocket gun. [1884.27.44]
Transcribed by AP, March 2011 for the Rethinking Pitt-Rivers project.
Black book entries for firearms and firearm accessories including bayonets.
|
Black book number |
PRM Accession number |
Black book description |
|
Black 1113 |
1884.27.1 |
1113 Hand cannon centre touch hole 14th century |
|
Black 1114 |
1884.27.2 |
1114 Hand cannon side touch hole and pan Early 15th cent |
|
Black 1114a |
1884.27.3 |
1114a Rampart gun with side pan and rings India |
|
Black 1115 |
1884.27.5 .11884.27.5 .2 |
1115 Match lock with rest attached Side touch hole and pan Fires by the hand ......... [sic illegible] any lock |
|
Black 1116 |
1884.27.17 .1 |
1116 Matchlock European 16th cent? |
|
Black 1117 |
1884.27.16 [.1 - .2] |
1117 Matchlock European 16th cent Stock of later date |
|
Black 1118 |
1884.140.34 |
1118 Musket rest |
|
Black 1119 |
1884.27.8 |
1119 - 1121 Chinese matchlocks serpentine and trigger in one piece with spring |
|
Black 1120 |
1884.27.7 |
1119 - 1121 Chinese matchlocks serpentine and trigger in one piece with spring |
|
Black 1121 |
1884.27.9 |
1119 - 1121 Chinese matchlocks serpentine and trigger in one piece with spring |
|
Black 1122 |
1884.27.14 |
1122 Match lock barrel inlaid with silver India |
|
Black 1123 |
1884.27.11 |
1123 - 1126 Indian matchlocks |
|
Black 1124 |
1884.27.12 |
1123 - 1126 Indian matchlocks |
|
Black 1125 |
1884.27.13 |
1123 - 1126 Indian matchlocks |
|
Black 1126 |
1884.27.10 |
1123 - 1126 Indian matchlocks |
|
Black 1127 |
1884.27.15 |
1127 Indian matchlock Carbine |
|
Black 1128 |
[1884.27.6] |
1128 Matchlock of peculiar form found in digging the foundations of a house in Edinburgh Probably Oriental |
|
Black 1129 |
1884.27.20 |
1129 - 1130 Japanese matchlocks serpentine constructed to cock fires with trigger |
|
Black 1130 |
1884.27.19 |
1129 - 1130 Japanese matchlocks serpentine constructed to cock fires with trigger |
|
Black 1131 |
1884.27.18 |
1131 - 1132 Burmese matchlocks serpentine constructed to cock fires with trigger |
|
Black 1132 |
1884.27.46 |
1131 - 1132 Burmese matchlocks serpentine constructed to cock fires with trigger |
|
Black 1133 |
1884.27.21 .1 - .5 |
1133 Wheel lock musket. First introduced at the siege of Parma 1521. Wheel outside the lock. Rifle six grooved |
|
Black 1134 |
1884.27.22 |
1134 Wheel lock musket Temp James 2nd Wheeled inside the lock Rifled 7 grooved |
|
Black 1135 |
1884.27.23 |
1135 Wheel lock musket Temp James 2nd Rifled 8 grooved |
|
Black 1136 |
1884.27.26 |
1136 Double action lock of wheel lock Wheel outside |
|
Black 1137 |
Not matched |
1137 Lock of wheel lock |
|
Black 1138 |
1884.27.25 |
1138 Wheel lock latest form |
|
Black 1139 |
1884.27.27 |
1139 Snaphaunce musket constituting the link between the wheel lock and the flint lock musket. From the Meyrick collection. Figured in Plate CXIV fig 3 and 4 vol II |
|
Black 1140 |
1884.27.76 |
1140 Snaphaunce pistol introduced about 1603 into Germany |
|
Black 1141 |
1884.27.28 |
1141 Moorish snaphaunce musket lock same as 1140 [1884.27.76] still used |
|
Black 1142 |
1884.27.29 |
1142 Turkish firelock Early form of lock. Introduced in Spain in 1630 |
|
Black 1143 |
1884.27.31 |
1143 Spanish firelock Lock of same form (1142 - 1884.27.29] but the piece over the pan is only furrowed at bottom |
|
Black 1144 |
1884.27.32 |
1144 Flint lock gun Ships swivel gun Early form |
|
Black 1145 |
1884.27.33 |
1145 Flint lock gun Swivel |
|
Black 1146 |
1884.27.37 |
1146 Flint lock adapted to an early form of stock usually applied with the wheel lock rifled the bore a hexagon |
|
Black 1147 |
1884.27.36 [.1 - 2] |
1147 Flint musket land service regulation patterns for Foot Guards Time of George III and IV with bayonet |
|
Black 1148 |
1884.27.35 .1-2 |
1148 Flint musket line pattern Time of George III and IV with bayonet |
|
Black 1149 |
1884.27.38 .1 [1884.27.38 .2] |
1149 Flint musket light infantry Time George III and IV with bayonet |
|
Black 1150 |
1884.27.39 & 1884.28.43 |
1150 Flint rifle 7 grooved English regulation with sword bayonet |
|
Black 1151 |
1884.27.43 |
1151 Flint carbine to throw grenades |
|
Black 1152 |
1884.27.41 |
1152 Flint blunderbuss brass barrel |
|
Black 1153 |
1884.27.34 |
1153 Flint rifle oval bore |
|
Black 1154 |
1884.27.40 |
1154 Flint firelock German double barrelled to revolve |
|
Black 1155 |
1884.27.30 |
1155 Flint lock, Spanish, Piece over the pan furrowed |
|
Black 1156 |
1884.27.45 |
1156 Lock adapted to either flint or percussion made to the transition period |
|
Black 1157 |
1884.27.51 |
1157 and 8 Russian infantry back action percussion locks used in the Crimea |
|
Black 1158 |
1884.27.50 |
1157 and 1158 Russian infantry back action percussion locks used in the Crimea |
|
Black 1159 |
1884.27.56 .1-2 |
1159 English Brown Bess with spring bayonet Percussive |
|
Black 1160 |
1884.28.41 .1-2 |
1160 Russian infantry percussion musket used in the Crimean war with bayonet |
|
Black 1161 |
1884.27.48 .1-2 |
1161 Russian light infantry percussion musket used in the Crimea |
|
Black 1162 |
1884.27.52 .1-2 & 1884.28.42 |
1162 French infantry small bore musket in use just before the introduction of the rifle musket with bayonet |
|
Black 1163 |
1884.27.53 |
1163 Belgian infantry percussion small bore musket In use immediately before the introduction of the rifle musket |
|
Black 1164 |
1884.24.122 .1-2, 1884.27.54 .1, 1884.28.44 .1-2 |
1164 French artillery carbine with sword bayonet |
|
Black 1165 |
1884.27.55 |
1165 French carbine "à tigo" Hammer is missing |
|
Black 1166 |
1884.27.57 |
1166 Rifles musket constructed for Col Fox on the pattern of the French Minié Rifle musket in 1852 This was the first rifle musket made in England |
|
Black 1167 |
1884.27.58 .1-3 |
1167 Rifle small bore Bayonet made by Wilkinson for experiment in 1852 |
|
Black 1168 |
1884.27.60 |
1168 Short Enfield rifle made by Lancaster forexperiment |
|
Black 1169 |
1884.27.59 |
1169 Rifle Lancaster smooth oval bore, made for experiment |
|
Black 1170 |
1884.27.61 |
1170 Rifle German ?square bore Percussion |
|
Black 1171 |
1884.27.68 |
1171 Rifle Self priming percussion 1729 Used by the Hungarians in their revolution in 1848 |
|
Black 1172 |
1884.27.67 |
1172 Percussion gun for piercing discs used by the Hungarians in their revolution in 1848 |
|
Black 1173 |
1884.27.69 |
1173 Needle gun 3 barrelled one barrel rifled German |
|
Black 1174 |
1884.27.70 |
1174 Needle gun 2 barrelled muzzle loader German |
|
Black 1175 |
1884.27.71 |
1175 Needle gun 2 barrelled muzzle loader French made by Pauly & Co Paris |
|
Black 1176 |
1884.27.72 .1[1884.27.72 .2] |
1176 Prussian infantry Needle gun breech loader from the Great Exhibition of 1851 with bayonet |
|
Black 1177 |
1884.27.65 |
1177 United States percussion breech loader Dated 1845 |
|
Black 1178 |
1884.27.66 |
1178 Experimental breech loader constructed for Col Fox 1852 |
|
Black 1179 |
1884.27.75 |
1179 Gun 6 barrelled revolver Lock missing |
|
Black 1180 |
1884.27.62 |
1180 Breech loader Robin and L..... New York Patented 1849 |
|
Black 1181 |
1884.27.63 |
1181 Musket self priming percussion English |
|
Black 1182 |
1884.27.74 |
1182 Musket breech loading hammer beneath |
|
Black 1183 |
1884.27.64 |
1183 Musket breech loading French |
|
Black 1183a |
1884.27.73 .11884.27.73 .2 |
1183a Japanese needle gun sword bayonet Copy of an English gun |
|
Black 1184 |
1884.27.89 |
1184 - 1186 Air guns |
|
Black 1185 |
1884.27.90 |
1184 - 1186 Air guns |
|
Black 1186 |
1884.27.92 |
1184 - 1186 Air guns |
|
Black 1187 |
1884.27.91 |
1187 Pump for air gun |
|
Black 1188? |
1884.27.44 |
1188 Flint lock rocket gun |
|
Black 1189 |
1884.28.24 |
1189 - 91 Moorish cartridge belts |
|
Black 1190 |
1884.28.22 |
1189 - 91 Moorish cartridge belts |
|
Black 1191 |
1884.28.23 |
1189 - 91 Moorish cartridge belts |
|
Black 1192 |
1884.28.21 |
1192 Cartridge belt used by the Amazons at Abeokuta |
|
Black 1193 |
1884.28.26 |
1193 Cartridge belt and box locality not known |
|
Black 1194 |
1884.28.25 |
1194 Cartridge belt N Africa |
|
Black 1195 |
1884.28.27 .1-13 |
Case 10 1195 Cartridge belt and ball bag Locality not known (3296) |
|
Black 1196 |
1884.28.13 |
Powder flask Late 16th cent ?Malta |
|
Black 1197 |
1884.28.14 |
1197 Small flask for serpentine powder (sic) 16 cen Malta |
|
Black 1198 |
1884.28.15 |
1198 Powder horn 16th cent Malta |
|
Black 1199 |
1884.28.8 |
1199 Priming flask with key to wind up wheel lock |
|
Black 1200 |
1884.28.28 .1-7 |
1200 Case for six cartridges Caucasus |
|
Black 1201 |
1884.28.20 |
1201 Partoon (sic) for holding pistol cartridges 16th cent |
|
Black 1202 |
1884.28.5 |
1202 Ball bag Skin African |
|
Black 1203 |
1884.28.4 .1-3 |
1203 Powder flask King Dahomey's Army Abeokuta |
|
Black 1204 |
1884.28.6 |
1204 Powder flask N American Indians |
|
Black 1205 |
1884.28.2 |
1205 Powder horn India |
|
Black 1206 |
1884.28.3 |
Case 10 1206 Powder horn carved tortoise shell horn ?Africa (p 68) |
|
Black 1207 |
1884.28.10 |
1207 and 8 Powder horns for cannon |
|
Black 1208 |
1884.28.11 |
Powder horns for cannon |
|
Black 1209 |
1884.28.12 |
1209 Powder horn carved by the soldiers time of the American War of Independence representing a view of New York and its surroundings |
|
Black 1210 |
1884.28.16 |
1210 Powder flask to give out the charge in one motion Used by the Bersagliere of the Piedmontese Army in 1852. Discontinued previous to the Crimean War. This is probably the last powder flask used in a European Army |
|
Black 1211 |
1884.28.17 |
1211-13 Powder flasks to give out charges in two motions |
|
Black 1212 |
1884.28.18 |
1211-13 Powder flasks to give out charges in two motions |
|
Black 1213 |
1884.28.19 |
1211-13 Powder flasks to give out charges in two motions |
|
Black 1214 |
1884.28.1 |
1214 Powder horn locality not known |
|
Black 1215, 1216, 1217 |
1884.28.29 .1-2 or 30 |
1215-1217 Pouches Africa |
|
Black 1218 |
Not matched |
1218 Pouch African Leather |
|
Black 1219-1232 |
1884.27.42, 77-85 |
1219-1232 Pistols various (14) two constructed with a view to fire several charges out of the same barrel |
|
Black 1233 |
Not matched |
Revolutionary weapons. R 1233 Revolutionary weapons ... Cropie Pike and rein cutter used by the Irish in 1798 |
|
Black 1234 |
Not matched |
Revolutionary weapons. R 1234 Revolutionary weapons ... Pike and rein cutter constructed for the Chartist riots 1847 - 8 |
|
Black 1235 |
Not matched |
Revolutionary weapons. R 1235 Revolutionary weapons ... Pike head used by the Irish 1832 |
|
Black 1236-1248 |
Not matched |
Revolutionary weapons. R 1236 - 1248Revolutionary weapons ... Hungarian Liberty weapons used in the revolution 1848. Includes a scythe used and hafted as a sword a sickle a Spanish lock pistol of early form a percussion firearm having a very simple lock and a pike head of a standard having upon it the date 1848 |
|
Black 1249-1263 |
1884.24.70-76, 82, 1884.27.47, 49, 1884.28.40, 1884.32.17-19, 1884.91.25 |
Revolutionary weapons. 1249-1263 Swords muskets a fractured rifle and 3 helmets used by the Russians in the Crimean War (3 swords with scabbards) [single word at end illegible] |
|
Black 1264 |
Not matched |
Revolutionary weapons. 1264 Model mataguada 11th and 12th century Additional Black book entry - Matafund - a kind of sling |
|
Black 1265 |
Not matched |
Revolutionary weapons. 1265 Model catapulta for throwing arrows Additional Black book entry - Catapulta - Lat [sic - Latin] for catapult |
|
Black 1266 |
Not matched |
Revolutionary weapons. 1266 Model catapulta for throwing arrows Additional Black book entry - Catapulta - Lat [sic - Latin] for catapult |
|
Black 1267 |
Not matched |
Revolutionary weapons. 1264 Model Onager for slinging stones Additional Black book entry - Onager 'So-called from the Onager (wild ass) which was supposed to throw stones with its feet at its pursuers'. |
|
Black 1268 |
1884.28.31 |
Specimens illustrating the development of the bayonet. 1268 Plug bayonet Charles II three edged from the Meyrick colln figured in Pt CXV fig 6 Skelton vol II |
|
Black 1269 |
1884.28.32 |
Specimens illustrating the development of the bayonet. 1269 Plug bayonet Spanish flat two edged with guard with inscription On one side 'No.me. saques.sin.rason' (Do not draw me without reason) on the other 'No.me.embaines.si.honor' (Do not return me without honour) Meyrick colln Fig'd in Pl CVX fig 7 vol II Skelton |
|
Black 1270 |
1884.28.33 |
Specimens illustrating the development of the bayonet. 1270 Plug bayonet with sheath ornamented with head on handle and having date 1547 on blade |
|
Black 1271 |
1883.28.35 |
Specimens illustrating the development of the bayonet. 1271 Plug bayonet of same form [as 1884.28.33] ornamented with head on handle |
|
Black 1272 |
1884.28.34 |
Specimens illustrating the development of the bayonet. 1272 Plug bayonet |
|
Black 1273 |
1884.28.36 |
Specimens illustrating the development of the bayonet. 1273 Cutting bayonet with ring and spring to fasten outside the muzzle First used by the French reign William III Meyrick colln Fig in Plate CXV fig 12 Vol II Skelton |
|
Black 1274 |
1884.28.38 |
Specimens illustrating the development of the bayonet. 1274 Bayonet modern |
Black book entries transcribed by 1998 during first Leverhulme Trust funded Pitt Rivers project by AP.
To find another view of the firearm series, by Pitt-Rivers in 1889-90 see here.
Page compiled March 2011 by AP.
