Decoration of Polish firearms of the 16th-18th centuries.

ŁABINOWICZ Adam - Issues of decoration on firearms from the 16th to 18th centuries in the collection of the National Museum in Cracow. [Cracow, not before 1952]. Typescript: pages [2], 54, IV, [1]; 79 photographs on 30 backings.
Master's thesis by the author. On the text in places corrections in pencil, in the author's hand, on Roman pages: Footnotes, on the last page: Bibliography. Typescript work on cards form. ca 30x20,5 cm, in two parts - part 1 - General, includes among others: Interest in decorative weapons in the 19th century in Poland and abroad, Jan Matejko and his interest in weapons, Short historical outline of the development of firearms, Organization of the gunsmithing industry, Distribution of guild organization and class struggles, Centers of the gunsmithing industry, Division and specialization of work in gunsmithing, Dynasties of gunsmiths, Technique of weapon decoration, Cooperation of artists with weapon manufacturers; part 2 - Detailed, contains, among others: Grotesque in the 16th and 17th centuries, Plant, animal and masquerade motifs on firearms, Grotesque and genre (figural) compositions in the 18th century, Figural compositions, personifications, allegories. Illustration part: photographs pasted on cardboard black backings ca. 30x20.5 cm; each photograph handwritten on the backing, some described in pencil on the back. Sample captions: Hunting rifle of the Netherlands in the 16th/17th century, Wheel lock cover, Grotesque design by Delaune, Left side of the butt, Shotgun (Cieszyn early 17th century), Double-barreled pistol, Pistol head, Armor of Stefan Batory study by Jan Matejko in 1871, Rock pistol, Vienna first half of the 18th century, Jean Berain: Projects for the decoration of firearms, Rifle butt fittings 1st half of the 18th century, Rifle butt decoration, Repel 1697 (Inflants), Project for the decoration of a wheeled rifle for the masterpiece of Mikołaj Hoffmann Gdańsk 1702. Good condition.
A. Sas-Łabinowicz (1919-1987) - art historian, expert on ancient firearms and author of many publications on the subject. Initially an employee of the militaria department, later of the conservation department of the National Museum in Cracow in the field of conservation of weapons, arts and crafts, metal; sculptor and engraver in the spirit of the eighteenth century; guide to Lviv, collector of Lviv souvenirs, a colorful and unusual character. An interesting memoir about the author - "About the Museum Subjectively:" Wojciech Bochnak - Adam Labinowicz (1919-1987) can be listened to: http://www.mediatekamnk.pl/obiekt.php?id=5752.