A Unique Portuguese Wheel-lock Pistol, ca. 1580, Hermitage Museum St. Petersburg

[fernando]

Dear Michl,
Naturaly i am most thankful for you sharing the picture of this phenomenal piece, which i will save to my records.
As a matter of fact, having the Portuguese adventured so intensely around the world a few centuries ago, it is only obvious that they have developed their own weaponry might and school tendences.
What has happened to such weaponry, is another story; from disasters like the 1755 earthquake, which devoured a great part of Lisbon estate and valuables, passing through early XIX century Napoleonic devastations and paralel British appropriations, until modern times, where even museum officials were able to offer (and sell) rare specimens, which found their way to the vaults of private (and museum) collections, weapon masterpieces, which were not so difficult to spot, became a rare animal.
On the other hand, weapon smith skills were not forgotten, although their number has drasticaly decreased.
Here you have a magnificent pistol, with a completeley chiseled gold buttstock, made in the Lisbon Royal Arsenal in the first half XIX century, most probably by Master Thomas josé de Freitas, which belonged to Infant (later King) Dom Miguel, now kept in the Royal Palace of Ajuda.
Pictures are not so good, as they are result of scanning one of my books.

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