Flintlock Pistol for Comment and ID

kahnjar1 · 25th November 2017, 02:04 AM

It has taken quite some time, but at last I have this pistol in my collection.
Overall length approx 19" (480mm). Smooth bore of approx 14mm.
The barrel bears script similar to that which I have seen on Albanian Tanchika muskets, and the lock also is inscribed, but I can not decipher what it says. The barrel has a makers???stamp, again not familiar to me. I have not removed the barrel and do not intend to do so in case I damage the wirework by removing the 2 pins whichhold it in place.
The rammer is false and the back of the stock and butt are decorated with corals. The butt decoration may be a coloured stone of some sort or glass.
Any information or suggestions as to the origin of this piece would be appreciated.
Stu

kahnjar1 · 25th November 2017, 02:05 AM

More pics.......

rickystl · 25th November 2017, 04:23 PM

Hi Stu.

Congratulations !! That is a really nice pistol for your collection.
Looks to be unmolested, with a nice, even age patina throughout. Looks like about 99% of the wire inlay is still intact. And the coral stones really add to it. Yes, the butt cap looks to be glass. But a really nice touch. Overall, the gun looks entirely locally made. Probably from one of the many gunshops in the Balkans. Most of these pistols are unmarked. I hope someone can make an attempt at translating.
BARREL: You're right, that lettering on the barrel does look similar to Tanchika barrels I've seen. There does seem to be a makers stamp on the barrel. Of course the barrel could have been an import and stamped latter during assembly. Most of these pistols make the use of barrel bands. So it's interesting to see this one using pins to fasten. A possible clue to European barrel origin (?) But you would have to take the barrel off to see if the pin keepers were made at the same time as the barrel, or added later during assembly. I wouldn't bother in this case, as you mention.
LOCK: The lock looks typical, locally made Balkan lock, with a style you see on many of these pistols. I can't make out the lettering, but the bottom line looks like an attempt to spell: WARRENTED (?) The inside of the lock also looks typical Balkan. It looks like the mainspring was replaced at sometime. Note the empty hole where the original mainspring screw once resided. A similar, but not exact, mainspring was fitted and wedged at/under the pan. There is possibly a pin from the mainspring inside the hole that once held a screw. I've seen this fix on many locks. It would have been easier to do this with a spring that was readily available versus making a new, exact fir spring. Also, note the sear spring was replaced with a stiff piece of spring wire versus a flat, original style spring. I've seen this type of fix also. But as long as the lock is working, I wouldn't bother replacing anything.

Again, a very nice pistol Stu. Sure would not mind having it in my collection. Nice find.

Rick

corrado26 · 26th November 2017, 10:24 AM

This is a really nice pistol in a very good condition. Its gunmaker tried to imitate the European style and I think he added a signature without any knowledge of what he had to write. He just lined up letters of the European alphabet without any sense.
corrado26

fernando · 26th November 2017, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corrado26

...Its gunmaker tried to imitate the European style and I think he added a signature without any knowledge of what he had to write. He just lined up letters of the European alphabet without any sense ...

Apparently an usual procedure

.

Aslan Paladin · 26th November 2017, 06:54 PM

That looks nice Stu. Congratulations!

Oliver Pinchot · 26th November 2017, 09:54 PM

The unusual combination of dense lineal inlay of this type (usually in pewter wire,) and gems, glass or otherwise, is characteristic of Ottoman Syria in the second half of the 19th century.

There is a similar variant which is mounted with a spherical butt (occasionally a flattened sphere,) showing influence from the weapons of Circassians who were posted in the Ottoman provinces.

rickystl · 27th November 2017, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernando

Apparently an usual procedure

.

Unfortunately, yes.

rickystl · 27th November 2017, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver Pinchot

The unusual combination of dense lineal inlay of this type (usually in pewter wire,) and gems, glass or otherwise, is characteristic of Ottoman Syria in the second half of the 19th century.

There is a similar variant which is mounted with a spherical butt (occasionally a flattened sphere,) showing influence from the weapons of Circassians who were posted in the Ottoman provinces.

Thanks Oliver for the reply. Interesting.

Rick

25th November 2017, 02:04 AM	#1
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,739	Flintlock Pistol for Comment and ID It has taken quite some time, but at last I have this pistol in my collection. Overall length approx 19" (480mm). Smooth bore of approx 14mm. The barrel bears script similar to that which I have seen on Albanian Tanchika muskets, and the lock also is inscribed, but I can not decipher what it says. The barrel has a makers???stamp, again not familiar to me. I have not removed the barrel and do not intend to do so in case I damage the wirework by removing the 2 pins whichhold it in place. The rammer is false and the back of the stock and butt are decorated with corals. The butt decoration may be a coloured stone of some sort or glass. Any information or suggestions as to the origin of this piece would be appreciated. Stu Attached Images

25th November 2017, 02:05 AM	#2
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,739	More pics More pics....... Attached Images

25th November 2017, 04:23 PM	#3
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,623	Hi Stu. Congratulations !! That is a really nice pistol for your collection. Looks to be unmolested, with a nice, even age patina throughout. Looks like about 99% of the wire inlay is still intact. And the coral stones really add to it. Yes, the butt cap looks to be glass. But a really nice touch. Overall, the gun looks entirely locally made. Probably from one of the many gunshops in the Balkans. Most of these pistols are unmarked. I hope someone can make an attempt at translating. BARREL: You're right, that lettering on the barrel does look similar to Tanchika barrels I've seen. There does seem to be a makers stamp on the barrel. Of course the barrel could have been an import and stamped latter during assembly. Most of these pistols make the use of barrel bands. So it's interesting to see this one using pins to fasten. A possible clue to European barrel origin (?) But you would have to take the barrel off to see if the pin keepers were made at the same time as the barrel, or added later during assembly. I wouldn't bother in this case, as you mention. LOCK: The lock looks typical, locally made Balkan lock, with a style you see on many of these pistols. I can't make out the lettering, but the bottom line looks like an attempt to spell: WARRENTED (?) The inside of the lock also looks typical Balkan. It looks like the mainspring was replaced at sometime. Note the empty hole where the original mainspring screw once resided. A similar, but not exact, mainspring was fitted and wedged at/under the pan. There is possibly a pin from the mainspring inside the hole that once held a screw. I've seen this fix on many locks. It would have been easier to do this with a spring that was readily available versus making a new, exact fir spring. Also, note the sear spring was replaced with a stiff piece of spring wire versus a flat, original style spring. I've seen this type of fix also. But as long as the lock is working, I wouldn't bother replacing anything. Again, a very nice pistol Stu. Sure would not mind having it in my collection. Nice find. Rick

26th November 2017, 10:24 AM	#4
corrado26 Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Black Forest, Germany Posts: 1,204	This is a really nice pistol in a very good condition. Its gunmaker tried to imitate the European style and I think he added a signature without any knowledge of what he had to write. He just lined up letters of the European alphabet without any sense. corrado26

26th November 2017, 06:54 PM	#6
Aslan Paladin Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Te Aroha, New Zealand Posts: 122	That looks nice Stu. Congratulations!

26th November 2017, 09:54 PM	#7
Oliver Pinchot Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 457	The unusual combination of dense lineal inlay of this type (usually in pewter wire,) and gems, glass or otherwise, is characteristic of Ottoman Syria in the second half of the 19th century. There is a similar variant which is mounted with a spherical butt (occasionally a flattened sphere,) showing influence from the weapons of Circassians who were posted in the Ottoman provinces.