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ORNATE FRENCH FLINTLOCK HORSEMAN’S PISTOL LATE 17th-EARLY 18th CENTURY

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This flintlock pistol has a pleasing profile with gracefully swept butt and a long, 16” barrel of about .66 caliber. It is iron mounted and profusely ornamented with raised floral motifs chiseled on the barrel and iron mounts and carved on wood stock. The metal is smooth, showing a silver gray with some scattered, thin, deeper gray age stains. The wood has a mix of warm and deeper brown tones, and appears to be in excellent condition without chips, breaks or cracks, just showing some shrinkage gaps from age along the barrel channel and along the grip strap below the triggerguard bow. The pistol exemplifies the art of the gunmaker. It is unmarked, though likely French. We date it to the late 1600s or early 1700s.

The barrel is divided into three sections separated by shallow baluster rings. The panel at the breech is the most densely decorated with symmetrical floral scrolls and flourishes at top and bottom framing an asymmetrical series in the upper middle. This is separated from the next, shorter, panel by several baluster rings with the panel showing a sort of abstract crest in raised chiseling, with short, engraved flourishes at either upper side. A narrower group of rings marks off the last, longest panel, stretching from there to the muzzle, using asymmetrical rococo style floral scrolls at top and bottom, linked by a central narrow ridge, that we suppose might have been useful in sighting. The breechplug tang has simple engraving.

A thumbplate in the shape of a symmetrical floral swag, with two openings giving it the appearance of a mask or owl’s head, is placed on a raised, carved panel on the wrist. The flaring butt cap has long side straps engraved near the bottom with a border and floral scrolls that transition into raised motifs as the butt flares out. The buttcap itself is given a circular border of foliate swirls on which is mounted an abstract gargoyle face with brow of spreading acanthus leaves, oval eyes, a fleur-de-lis nose and shield-shaped mouth. The grip strap is plain. The triggerguard bow has borderlines and a central S-curved floral raffles. The tang has more floral work an openwork symmetrical floral terminal. The lockplate and cock both have engraved and raised floral swirls as does the top jaw of the cock. The face of the frizzen is grooved, for better sparking by the flint. The back of the frizzen, seen from the muzzle, has a punch dot and engraved border line with a central, raised oval, foliate cartouche. There are two ramrod thimbles: the forward one, solid; the rear an extension of the entry-pipe and open in a ribcage.

The wood is raised carved around the mounts and on its own in symmetrical leaf patterns extending up from the underside of the stock and forward along the raised border along the ramrod channel, with the barrel channel above having a parallel, raised, scalloped edge. The definition is quite good though the edges do show some slight softening from handling over the intervening 300 or so years. We have not disassembled it to look for lock or barrel markings. There are no repairs or restorations visible on the exterior. This is a beautiful pistol that would have been carried in an equally ornate saddle holster by someone of considerable social standing.    [sr][ph:m]

DISCLAIMER: All firearms are sold as collector's items only - we do not accept responsibility as to the shooting safety or reliability of any antique firearm. All firearms are described as accurately as possible, given the restraints of a catalog listing length. We want satisfied customers & often "under" describe the weapons. Any city or state regulations regarding owning antique firearms are the responsibility of the purchaser. All firearms are "mechanically perfect" unless noted, but again, are NOT warranted as safe to fire!

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