The extensive main inventory of historical weapons was gathered together in the 19^th century. Numerous castles, mansions and monasteries in Upper Austria are the places of origin of the different objects.

However, the collection contains not only domestic weapons, but also numerous imported and foreign pieces.

These objects of European weapon forging art came to the Upper Austrian Provincial Museum mainly through the bequest of Emanuel Ludolf, Ambassador in Rome and Austrian diplomat in Constantinople, Paris and the Hague.

Fig.:

A centrepiece of the collection is the iron morion from ca. 1565. The helmet was worked in France and came from the possession of Count Sprinzenstein as a gift to the weapon collection.

The collection contains objects from the 9^th to 19^th century and covers all common types of weapons that were used for representation, physical training and hunting, but also for purposes of war.

Represented in it are defensive weapons, horse equipment, pole weapons, beating weapons, hand weapons, batons and piercing weapons, but also shooting weapons, with and without fire. The provenance of some pieces is prominent: They originate from the property of high Turkish dignitaries, was well as of emperors.

The collection’s holdings also offer an insight into weapon forging art and contain not only domestic products, but also some from Nuremberg, Innsbruck, Vienna, Passau, Solingen, Munich, and Suhl. Exotic objects originate among others from Constantinople and Southeast Asia.

Fig.: An important work of European armourer’s art is this gold and silver inlayed round shield, which is part of a large harness set kept in Madrid that belonged to King Philipp III. of Spain (1598-1621).

Defensive weapons: Coat and sleeves of mail, harness, helmet and shield

Horse equipment: Bit, stirrup and spurs

Hand, beating and piercing weapons: Sword, dagger, broadsword, rapier, hunting knife, fighting knife, two-handed sword

Pole weapons: all types

Beating weapons

Weapons from the time of the Austrian Peasant War

Shooting weapons without fire: Crossbow including winch and bolts, bow and arrow

Firearms: earliest gun barrels (ca. 1400), iron cannons, hooking and hand rifles from the time of Emperor Maximilian I., muskets, rifles, guns and pistols, including all associated equipment

Fig.: A flintlock pistol by the Linz rifle maker Franz Per(t)sch is considered a main work of domestic weapon production. The piece was created sometime around 1740 and according to the engraved number “1” represents half of a pair of pistols.

Since the collection was moved to a new depot, treatment up till now has mainly applied to revision and inventorying. The development of a display depot as well as the publication of an inventory catalogue and a graphic database is planned.

Collection management:

(prior appointment requested)

Mag. Ute Streitt

Upper Austrian Provincial Museum

(Welserstr. location)

Welserstr. 20

4060 Leonding

Tel: +43 732 674256-102

Fax: +43 732 74256-160

E-mail: u.streitt@landesmuseum.at