Djezail With East India company lock

Jim McDougall · 10th May 2012, 05:12 PM

Interesting jezails, and as far as I can see the markings on the locks are indeed spuriously applied locally, however aside from from the poorly executed '8' and some other rather minor flaws they seem fairly well copied. The local artisan, quite probably from the Darra Khel region in Khyber or surrounding areas, even followed the characteristic long tail on the '7' typical of 18th century dates on these locks.
I would point out that the EIC heart is actually quartered not flaunched, as that feature is two semicircles opposed rather than the quartering. I recall discussions we had trying to determine more on these heart variations of the EIC, and the idea that perhaps the type of separation used with the letters might indicate time frame for these balemarks. It would appear that this was not the case necessarily in comparing with the nusimatic evidence which of course carries good examples of these on the coins.

It seems that the lack of incised border around the lock might be a consideration as well, as it seems this feature was typically seen on British locks. I am not really too sure about that detail on some of the India pattern or Windus muskets though, and am still trying to learn more on these fascinating guns.

As far as the jezails, regardless if rather newly made or not, they represent intriguing and exotic ethnographic weapons still carrying wonderful history in thier ancestry.

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10th May 2012, 05:12 PM	#11
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,288	Interesting jezails, and as far as I can see the markings on the locks are indeed spuriously applied locally, however aside from from the poorly executed '8' and some other rather minor flaws they seem fairly well copied. The local artisan, quite probably from the Darra Khel region in Khyber or surrounding areas, even followed the characteristic long tail on the '7' typical of 18th century dates on these locks. I would point out that the EIC heart is actually quartered not flaunched, as that feature is two semicircles opposed rather than the quartering. I recall discussions we had trying to determine more on these heart variations of the EIC, and the idea that perhaps the type of separation used with the letters might indicate time frame for these balemarks. It would appear that this was not the case necessarily in comparing with the nusimatic evidence which of course carries good examples of these on the coins. It seems that the lack of incised border around the lock might be a consideration as well, as it seems this feature was typically seen on British locks. I am not really too sure about that detail on some of the India pattern or Windus muskets though, and am still trying to learn more on these fascinating guns. As far as the jezails, regardless if rather newly made or not, they represent intriguing and exotic ethnographic weapons still carrying wonderful history in thier ancestry.