I just wanted to add my 'concurrent thread'
to add some comments that I have discovered after my last post, and addressed to RDG. I wanted to add them here rather than editing them into my last post so as not to be overlooked.
As I previously noted in my last episode, these markings appear to be based on the earlier flaunched version of the EIC balemark. The two key characters selected to place within these markings are the 'I' and the '4', and where the TOWER mark would have been, the I is placed in a sequence of 5, in the same curvature and configuration.
I would suggest that the prototype for this lock's markings may well have been from an earlier East India Company gun from regions to the south in Sind, where the Company was well present after the mid 1750s after securing diplomatic relations with Talpoor. The East India Company heart shape marking in variation seems to have prevailed into the mid 19th century with the Scinde Dawk stamp, however weapons by this time were being marked with the rampant lion.
It seems quite feasible that flintlocks with the old flauched heart balemark ended up to the north in Khyber regions, and were probably remounted numerous times as well as copied by local gunsmiths. The gunsmiths of Darra Khel are world renowned for thier work at fashioning modern style guns with only the basest tools and technology. This type flintlock was probably done sometime in the early 19th century by a local artisan in Khyber regions.
Like Rick, I cannot stop thinking of Kipling's quintessant words, 'ten rupee jezail' ! Beautiful !!! History in your hands RDG.
All the best,
Jim