Miquelet Pistol, decoration and maker questions

[corrado26]

Ok, here are the fotos of the buttplate and others.
All brass items are fixed with small brass nails. The foto with a very similar spring at the inner side of the lock I found in the book of Keith Neal, Spanish Guns and Pistols, Foto n°52.

Thanks für help.
corrado26

[fernando]

Welcome to the forum Corrado .
I am sorry that it takes someone with better knowledge (than me) to distinguish a Portuguese lock from a Spanish one. There are lots of similarities and often experts use the term "Portuguese (patilha) lock in the Castillian style".
You can also see this type of stock in both countries.
For some, the fixing of the parts with (plenty small) brass nails means Spain (Ripoll); but is also wide spread that, the position of the screw that fixes the barrel to the stock being in the inverted position, like in your example, means Portuguese.
We may also consider that having no marks or names tend to be Portuguese; Spanish examples were more often profusely marked.
It would be interesting to see a photo of the frizzen front face; is it plain or has any decoration ? Is the inner (striking) face removable ?
In any case this is a rather interesting pistol, Corrado; i wouldn't mind having it in my small collection

[corrado26]

Fernando, many thanks for your reply which confirms my impression that my pistol might possibly come from Portugal. As you can see the front of the frizzen is without any design but specially styled and its inner face is removable - on one of the fotos you can see the gap between frizzen and inner face.


Thank you very much for your help.
corrado26

[fernando]

You are welcome, Corrado
The last word will be for who is able to define its precise origin ... if ever possible

[Fernando K]

Hello everyone

Would have to consider the Italian origin. First, because the gun (barrel) is grooved (fluted) and decorated with engraving, uncommon in the canyons (barrel) Spanish or Portuguese.

Second, by the strange method of fixation of internal lamina of frizzen. In the Iberian weapons dovetail is vertical and here I noted that it is horizontal. Also, have you soldier ?. Also, the configuration of the Iberian Miqueletes your frizzen is square, and here is faceted .....

Affectionately. Fernando K.

[corrado26]

Just to show and invite comments some fotos of a nice pistol of my collection made by the Fabbrica Reale di Napoli.
corrado26

[fernando]

Originally Posted by corrado26

Just to show and invite comments some fotos of a nice pistol of my collection made by the Fabbrica Reale di Napoli.
corrado26

Very nice example Corrado. Is it marked Fabbrica Reale di Napoli, or is just an information ? Where are such marks placed?

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Fernando K

Hello everyone

Would have to consider the Italian origin. First, because the gun (barrel) is grooved (fluted) and decorated with engraving, uncommon in the canyons (barrel) Spanish or Portuguese.

Second, by the strange method of fixation of internal lamina of frizzen. In the Iberian weapons dovetail is vertical and here I noted that it is horizontal. Also, have you soldier ?. Also, the configuration of the Iberian Miqueletes your frizzen is square, and here is faceted .....

Affectionately. Fernando K.

Points noted, Fernando. You sure know a lot more than us about these things.