Ever seen one of these before?

[PirateKing]

A visitor to my site recently emailed me the 5 attached photos in the hope that I might be able to assist them in identifying the object, but so far I have not been able to produce anything concrete.

They report that they came across the object while in a remote area of China. Although they were not sure of the object's specific purpose when they bought it, they were told by the seller that it was a hand held weapon that was "several hundred years of age and was used by Chinese pirates", possibly as a firearm. There appear to be 9 barrels, each has a touch-hole to light the fuse or powder. There is a handle on one end where a pole could be attached.

Of course, given the data at hand this object may have been nothing more than a trinket designed for tourist consumption, a contraption for launching fireworks or maybe just a decorative planter. :-)

However, I would like to see if anyone here had any ideas or resources that may help identify it.

Thanks,

Rob Ossian

Rob@ThePirateKing.com

www.ThePirateKing.com

[callenish gunner]

Somewhere in my files I have a woodcut picture of an early European weapon that had six(?) barrels and a pole that was held under the arm and fired using a slowmatch fuse, used in the 1400's I believe, prior to the introduction of the matchlock musket. So this indeed could have been a relative of one of those guns.

da'Vinci's version

Edited April 5, 2009 by callenish gunner

[callenish gunner]

Also found this three barreled one-

still not finding that woodcut version

[Animal]

Haven't seen one with that many barrels but I believe it is a " pole gunne ". A black powder forum I belong to showed a clip of someone firing a single barreled one. They fired it using a slow match. I'll see if I can find the link and post it.

Here is the link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5O3Mvl3Ozo&feature=related

Animal

Edited April 6, 2009 by Animal

[Story]

a contraption for launching fireworks

- would be my guess, as fireworks where initially used by Chinese warlords as a psychological weapon.

Ever stick a bunch of bottle rockets in the end of a pipe, with the rocket part hanging out, then light the fuses and hold the pipe? Same thing.

Check

http://img.qihoo.com/qhimg/bbs_img/0_0/1/336/294/f5e12c.jpg

http://img3.pcpop.com/upimg3/2007/11/21/0004375031.jpg

from

wiudwing.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html

PS - I thought this thread was going to be about the eggrolls I had for lunch yesterday.

Edited April 6, 2009 by Story