Two Arab ex-Enfield Pattern 1853 guns

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Ouch!!! claws in the butt!!
Im was hoping you would come in on this Ibrahiim!
Great note on the use of these materials as ballast. Interestingly the enormous volume of the glass beads which became trademark items in American Indian crafts were also ballast material.This again seems to represent the profound use of these otherwise common items from utility to decoration.
I wonder if there are characteristic motif in the decorative bands which might suggest any regional affinity?
Also, were there regions in Arabia which may have had more access to British guns than others? I have always been under the impression that flintlocks and even matchlocks were more prevalent in the more remote Bedouin tribes due to accessibility of ammunition and supplies. As we have discussed, trade from the Indian coastal regions in Sind brought considerable trade weapons to Muscat..perhaps obsolete British guns as well?

All the best,
Jim

Salaams Jim ~ I think you are correct on all counts however it is a fact that the old and tested systems ruled longest as put by the late Anthony North in his Islamic Arms treatise .. For that reason we still see a lot of abu futtila (the one with the match) matchlock gun barrels though there are a lot of Martini Henrys and Enfields some in very good order... favoured by Palace guards and the various official Muscat gendarmeries often under British control in the late 19th C. The Bedouin preferred Martini Henrys; barrels cut back about a foot removing nicely the bulky bayonet fitting whilst retaining the accuracy(amazingly) and lessening the weight! Ajman and Muscat star highly as import points; therefor in addition to weapons entering the market as palace guards weapons became obsolete(ie their old weapons were sold by the authorities to the souk) Muscat also attracted Martini Henrys, Enfields similar to the ones at thread and the later 303 black powder versions and other marks from all points of the compass.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.