Miquelet Pistol, decoration and maker questions

[dana_w]

Originally Posted by fernando

Do you still have the pair, Dana ?

Yes, I have the pair. It was just easier to put up detailed photos of one pistol.

[fernando]

At first reaction i realized these could be Portuguese; the tradional so called "egg butt" pistols. This eventuality brought me a significant enthusiasm . But after consulting someone experienced in this area, who dealt with several egg butt pistols from both XVIII-XIX century, with the three different types of lock, i was told these could be indeed Spanish versions.
If you have James Lavin "A history of SPANISH FIREMARS", you may be interested in observing gunmaker's mark #96 (page 277) named Seria. Maybe this is your guy.

[dana_w]

Originally Posted by fernando

If you have James Lavin "A history of SPANISH FIREMARS", you may be interested in observing gunmaker's mark #96 (page 277) named Seria. Maybe this is your guy.

I guess that could be a "Y", It looks like a "T" to me and the style seems 17th century. These marks can really be critic. Looks like the barrel mark says CERRA. Have you seen a place name in one of these marks?

Here is the mark from the other pistol in the set.

[fernando]

You are quite right in that these things are often a dilemma to solve.
Weapons smiths weren't necessarily fine writers; the are lots of their names wrongly spelled.
The barrel maker is often a person other than the lock maker; the similarity in both marks lettering would just be a coincidence.
Cerra doen'st sound spanish (Castillian); Cierra would sound better ... but Sierra would sound best.
Serrat is a Catalunian name and matches with the lock mark letters; who knows?
XVII century ? I would be deeply surprised .

[dana_w]

Originally Posted by fernando

XVII century ? I would be deeply surprised .

You didn't say what you think.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by dana_w

You didn't say what you think.

I am no expert ... mid-end XVIII ... hardly beg. XIX. Remember the miquelet lock lasted til very late. But if i had no third party opinion, i would date it as XVIII ... even if late.

[dana_w]

Originally Posted by fernando

I am no expert ... mid-end XVIII ... hardly beg. XIX. Remember the miquelet lock lasted til very late. But if i had no third party opinion, i would date it as XVIII ... even if late.

I would love to hear what everyone thinks about that. Looks earlier to me. You are right about the Miquelet. They were in use a long, long, time, and for good reason.