Exceptional Algerian Long Gun

[rickystl]

Hello everyone.
Here is another Algerian long gun from my collection. When I first saw this gun I thought it was a replica, due to it's condition. But then I immediatly thought: Who would make a replica of this? It's neither a replica or a tourist grade item. So the next thought was that the gun had been refinished. And their may be some evidence of some cleaning. But I can't detect any real evidence of refinishing. The simple wood ramrod has no evidence of sandpaper. All made with a file. The lock is authentic and seems to have a maker mark. It has only a thin, but even fading of the original brass overlay. The only issue being the broken corner of the frizzen (battery). Even the inside of the barrel looks like it's never been fired. The thin metal butt plate cap looks like it might have been a latter addition due to the style of screw heads. But the walrus butt plate and other inlays show only the slightest amount of aging. The silver barrel bands were done in typical Algerian fasion, but show virtually no aging.
Overall, the gun "looks" like it was made in the third or fourth quarter of the 19th Century, and then put in a closet to sit for the next 125+ years LOL. It certainly displays well.
I purchased this gun a few years ago from a reputible dealer in antique arms. He made an attempt to trace back the providence through previous owners. But the previous owner had passed away. His wife really new nothing about the gun. But she seemed to remember him purchasing the gun from a museum in California where it resided for many years, and that it resided in a mueum in Greece many years before that.
Anyway, picture heavy. So hope you enjoy. And thanks for looking.
Rick.