A Highly Ornate Flintlock Pistol Featuring Gold and Silver Inlay

Possibly by a French Maker for an Eastern Market

Flintlock full-stock pistol of extremely high quality, octagon to round barrel with a wedding ring; side lock with a swan neck hammer and a bridled roller frizzen. Gold decoration includes washed spade footed trigger guard with floral bouquet at finial, gold washed panoply of arms below the rear side plate screw, the silver plated butt cap has long splines and is inlaid with gold floral and shield decoration, crescent moon, and stars, and large crescent moon at tip. Lock has hammered gold inlays with floral scrolls and small dragon heads. Top jaw and screw are gold inlaid. Top jaw has a small dragon head, frizzen inlaid with gold scrolls. The stock features masterfully worked all-over silver wire scrolled and floral inlay; nose cap is engraved as are silver barrel and rammer channel moldings. The breech tang is ornamented in gold as are sights.

1. Sometimes, we come across something so remarkable that that we just have to show it to you, even if we are not quite sure what it is! Such was the case this month, when a friend of ours came by the office for a photo session of an unrelated topic and just happened to bring this pistol along “for fun.” As you can see, it is extremely high quality, but entirely unmarked. Is it a European-made firearm that was decorated in the East, or an Eastern weapon produced in the European manner? Check out the following page for some theories!

ROLL OF HONOR BONUS

In an effort to identify this workmanship, we contacted a couple of respected retired museum curators and asked them for their opinions.

              We had noted that the construction of the lock looked English, and they added  

              that the trigger guard does as well. The escutcheon, however, seems more 

              French.

              It was thought that the raised gold ornament on the lock and barrel look Turkish,

              but the quality of the silver filigree and mounts is more European.

              Perhaps it is Turkish (or even Indian) using European parts, or a European maker who

              Had parts of his gun decorated in the Eastern Style?

Measurement: .60-Caliber / 12” octagonal to round barrel; overall: 18.75”

Material: Figured walnut, steel, gold, and silver

Item Condition: Outstanding original condition including mechanics, and rammer; trivial thinning of gold at terminus of trigger guard tang; some scattered thinning of silver on buttcap… Both comments mentioned for accuracy, no aesthetic. The gun displays beautifully, art and utility masterfully combined.

Provenance: The Richard “Dick” Littlefield Collection [2009]

Literature: Man At Arms for the Gun and Sword Collector / Roll of Honor, Vol. 40, No. 3, June 2018; pp., 36, 37, and 38.

Price: $28,000

SKU 308-689

For More Information, Please Contact David Hillier at 978-597-8084 or email drh@aaawt.com.

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