I see a fleur-de-lis on the barrel, so it's gotta be one of the "44 barrels made by medieval masters from seventeen countries of Europe and Asia". Sorry I couldn't have been more help.The first complex represents guns from the 16th¬19th centuries (97 exhibits). These are basically all smoothbore guns and their barrels: pishchals, field, ship and coastal cannons, howitzers, edinorogs and mortars. Among them are unique guns made by Russian masters. Pishchals of the ancient siege artillery are the decoration of this collection. Made in the late 16th century — early 17th century they are a graphic example of the flowering of gun making in Rus. These are works by famous gun masters Andrei Chokhov (Lev, Skoropeia, Tsar Achilles pishchals) and Semen Dubinin (Medved gun).
Each of these guns has its history and destiny. The Tsar Achilles pishchal, for example, was included in artillery of Russian troops that besieged Smolensk in 1633–1634, and then became a trophy of Polish troops. Until 1703, it was in Elbing, where it was captured by Swedes. As it was said before, the gun was redeemed from the Swedes by Russian merchants F. Anikeev and P. Barsukov (Borsukov) and brought to St. Petersburg in the 1720’s. According to the order of Peter I, 1,540 rubles in silver were paid to the merchants for this pishchal. In addition, a monument to Anikeev was cast, and Barsukov was granted a gold snuff¬box with the inscription FOR REPEATEDSERVICES by Peter I.
Here visitors may see a barrel of the unique 2 pounder three-¬bored regimental cannon cast by master Ivan Falk in Moscow in the first half of the 17th century.
In addition to Russian guns, 44 barrels made by medieval masters from seventeen countries of Europe and Asia — Sweden, Poland, France, England, Italy, Turkey, Persia, and others are displayed in the complex.
Ten of them were made by Riga masters. Some of them have names of their own, such as Rizhskii lev [Riga Lion], Sampson, Deti Marsa [Children of Mars], and Bolshoi drakon [Big Dragoon].
The barrels of these guns are richly decorated and often have emblems. In addition to their names they contain cast mottos, names of the masters, wishes and threatening inscriptions. Here are only some of them: “Children of Mars are not big, but bellicose and adroit in the fight; I was cast in the name of God; I was made by Gans Mayer. 1586” (the Deti Marsa cannon); “My name is Sampson the Strong and I am related to Riga gentlemen. Let all the impious run away from me, otherwise I will punish them” (the Sampson cannon), “One may hear noise, when I, Little Cat, catch mice, when I deliver a blow, nothing will survive. One may find me in the city of Riga. 1568” (Malenkaia koshechka [Little Cat] cannon); “Formless metal cast in such a bulk is rightfully called Riga lion and intended for roaring for Riga and destroying trenches; the patriot devotes it to fathers and the homeland” (the Rizhskii lev cannon); “The Duma called me the Lion of Revel in order to destroy its enemies that do not want to live with the city in peace” 1559 (the Revelskii lev cannon).
Especially notable is the barrel of the 1 pood (195 mm) Lubeck cannon which is completely decorated with a wonderful ornament and allegoric figures. It was founded by famous Dutch master Albert Bennink in 1669. The chase contains an allegoric image of trade on the globe in the air of a woman with a scepter in her left hand and a ship in her right hand. On the left is a figure with a shield and a sword on a chariot. A man with a trumpet or a shell is riding one of the chariot’s horses. Below is an image of military accessories (pikes, colors, sabers, rifles, ships, guns, mortars) and two shields with emblems under them. The left one pictures seven hexagonal stars, the right one, a double¬-headed eagle. The sea battle of sailing vessels is cast on the middle part. Trunnions and handles are made in the form of dolphins. The trunnion cuts have the image of a standing lion, the emblem of Holland. A big shield with the same image is cast on the chase. STAY BRAVELY WITH GOD is inscribed under the shield. A woman with a hat on her spear and a man with a cudgel are depicted from the left and the right of the shield accordingly. All the surface of the barrel, including its cascable with the button, is decorated with cast ornamentation. The button is formed as a knightly helmeted head. The barrel is engraved with the inscription ALBERT BENNINK CAST ME IN LUBECK IN 1669.
Due to these ancient guns, the names of master gun-¬founders have been kept until now. Among them are Grigorii Naumov, Yakov Dubina, Pantelei Yakovlev, Login Zhikharev (Russia), George Mayer (Riga), Gerhard Mayer (Sweden), Johann Gilger (Saxony), Asseverus Koster (Holland), Mohammed Kethuda, Ibragim (Turkey), Daniel Tim (Poland), Jean Maurice (France), Antony Zechenter (Austria), Alberegeti, Innokenti Giordani (Italy) and others.
The first rifled breech¬-loaded fortress and siege cannons, mortars Models 1867 and 1877 are displayed within the same complex as well.
Here is a full-size pic. Maybe you can find more?
Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin
