Hidán Csaba – Szőllősy Gábor: Fegyver- és lószerszámgyűjtemény a tápiószelei Blaskovich Múzeumban (PMMI kiadványai - Kiállítási katalógusok 24. Pest Megyei Múzeumok Igazgatósága, Szentendre, 2008)
Csaba Hidán: Weapon collection in the Blaskovich Museum of Tápiószele , Resume (Ford.: Juhászné Szepesi Beatrix)
well. One of the Spanish flintlock firearms is cast silver and ornamented on the whole surface while the other is richly decorated with mother-of-pearl plate encrustments. Most of the firearms accessories are powder flasks. The 22 items of the Blaskovich Museum can be considered significant compared to, for instance, the material of the more than one hundred year old Museum of Vác (where 3 items can be found). The most precious pieces of the 18 th c. powder flasks are the ones made of antlers and decorated with geometric elements. They are important relics of Hungarian craft. Among cartridge pouches it is worth mentioning the one from 1848, ornamented with Kossuth's coat-of-arms and a death's head. This sort of cartridge pouch was used by the Death's Head Legion organized from the students of Vienna during the Hungarian War of Independence of 1848-49. The special feature of the book is that several series of photos demonstrate the use of the weapons. A particular Hungarian trick of sabre-craft was using the false edge because they mostly attacked the enemy's fingers or wrist. The different stages of loading and powdering firearms can also be seen. The arsenal of the Blaskovich Museum features mainly Hungarian and Eastern weapons, except part of the firearms and a few side arms. Though the weapons were made in different periods and different countries, from the point of view of their character and practical usage they are similar, which reflects the collectors' identical attitude and value judgement. The sabres, axes, hatchets and short guns belonged not only to the equipment of Hungarian borderland warriors or hussars but also to that of Turkish, Balkan and Caucasian fighters. They all preferred individual heroism and bravery to mass fights. The generations of the Blaskovich, who preferred hunting and horse racing, that is, any challenges trying a man, must have considered such points of view when developing their weapon collection. Apart from hunting weapons and equipment, there are most interesting trophies in the museum as well as photos documenting hunting events that happened a long time ago. What we mentioned in connection with the weapons also refers to the finely wrought sporting guns and the sporting short gun, which is a real rarity.
