![]() |
|
![]() |
#1 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: GREECE Patras
Posts: 40
|
![]()
Hi everyone
I bought recently this pistol and I want your opinion if it is an antique one or a copy. It has marks on it 1847 St Etienn.At all parts there are marks "MM" even at the screws. Thanks a lot. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
Lead Moderator European Armoury
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,694
|
![]()
Something worth to analize.
The lock 'might' be French, but the barrel has marks from the Ulm proof house in Germany. Does the lock reads Etienn instead of Etienne ?. That is very strange ![]() Some other member will comment further? Fernando |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: GREECE Patras
Posts: 40
|
![]()
Hi Fernando.
Thanks a lot for the information about the barrel. The lock writting is St Etienne but the ''e'' is not visible at the picture that I have provide. Does this change something?Is the pistol antique or not? I dont know a lot of things about this item.I just liked it and bought it.Thats why I am looking for informations. Thanks a lot again for your answer. All the best. Aristeidis |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
Lead Moderator European Armoury
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,694
|
![]()
Hi Aristeidis,
Let's see what other knowledged members say about it. Judging by the pictures, the stock has a decent look. But it is highly improbable that the flintlock system was still being made in 1847. This type of pistol was active some eighty years before this date. Fernando |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 |
Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,896
|
![]()
It cannot be denied this is a very handsome pistol, and with my limited knowledge of guns, I can only note that the St. Etienn inscribed on the lock with date above seems odd. The inscribed 'date' , then the stamped 'date' on the barrel with misaligned numbers seems incongruent.
As Fernando has noted, the 1847 date presumably intended to be a production date seems late for flintlocks, despite the fact that they remained preferred in many regions. In colonial regions such as North Africa, flintlocks and even matchlocks remained in use into the 20th century by tribal peoples, much as they did in Arabia and many other areas. In frontier America, especially in wilderness areas, the flintlock remained of choice as it was easier to procure powder and fashion ammunition than to obtain percussion cap materials or cartridges in later cases. The flintlock remained somewhat universal in those kinds of situations. This gun, incongruent as it seems in parts, might have been assembled in a trade situation, perhaps even in America where the St. Etienne guns were known to have arrived in number for trade in areas like St. Louis etc. From its appearance it looks more like an 18th century British gun to me, but I am not as familiar with 18th century French models. The script looks 19th century in style, so perhaps industrious merchant put this together for sale in American frontier? Just optimistic thoughts ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND
Posts: 2,731
|
![]()
The proof marks in my opinion are definately NOT Belgian or French. I believe that the Eagle over the letters SP is the German Black Powder Proof mark used from 1951 onwards. The mark to the extreme right looks remarkably like the ULM Proofhouse mark (an antler) used from the same date. If some other Member has the History of Proof Marks by Mr Lee Kennett, they might like to confirm my thinking. So.................what do we think now about age?
Regards Stu |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|