Here is an amazing pistol Dick bought for £20 – he tells me he will accept offers in three figures (not including the pence)!
Elegant inlaid aluminium !
Ingenious – coil spring for the sear – I somehow don’t think its a shooter! I’ll derust it anyway.
In many ways it has to be said that this is a masterpiece of the gunmaker’s art – somehow that sear, tumbler and cock function as they should! Its difficult to guess the age, but the spur of the cock is clearly welded on – a possible repair or original?. And how is a flint fixed in with the cock screw going through the middle of it? Clearly made for display – I decided that the patina of rust is actually part of the charm, and that it would be vandalism to clean it!
9 Responses to “A Real Treasure”
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I have aquired a simular style piece with simular ingravings, having trouble determining origin and value. have you had any luck?
I haven’t really chased it – its either North African or Arabic or near east The inlay is in the form of a palm of a hand or Hamsa, here is what the web says about it ;-
Hamsa. This symbol appears as the palm of a hand, and the hamsa is a popular symbol in many cultures and religions. These cultures believe that the symbol (depicted by a right hand with an open palm or a hand with two open thumbs) is a sign of protection. The word “hamsa” is derived from the five fingers on the hand.
The Hamsa is a palm-shaped amulet popular throughout the Middle East and North Africa, and … Another meaning of this symbol relates to the sky god, Horus. It refers to the eye of Horus, which means humans cannot escape from the eye of …
It was made for selling in a bazaar for a few pence either to put on a wall or to stick in a belt for show – any value now is just curiosity value – not many people would pay much for it!
I picked up mine at a estate sale for 300.00, looks very simular to a blunderbuss that sold for 1000, all designs ans inlays are the same except the stock has the tear drops surrounding a circle, like yours.
http://www.icollector.com/Middle-Eastern-Flintlock-Blunderbuss-The-blunderbuss-is-in-overall-good-condition-with-a-14-b_i19847920
Lucky you!
These things do come up occasionally in sales but all too often there is someone else who knows the value! I’ve seen some eyewatering prices at small auctions, and with the internet many more sales have become accessible. My impression is that prices for junk are falling and for good stuff rising slowly, and very good stuff even faster.
I saw a pistol by Bond with a broken cock estimate 4 – 800 go for 1700! Bit like my Parr but with a BIG name!
Tim
I also have a similar one, bought by gran-parents in a voyage to Turkey in the 1990’s… I believe it was made there. It was new as the time, but already with some patina, to look like a real old gun. Today, the aluminum inserts on the wood are coming out…
Send me a photo if you have a moment!
(see contact page for address)
Tim
Hi Tim, i just made some photos of it; as you will see mine is the same type o work and more or less the same style of pistol
A John Manton apprentice piece perhaps?
😉
I rather think a Joseph Manton apprentice from the style! But its difficult to tell the difference, I admit!
Isn’t it lovely?
I was going to derust it, but I’m not sure that the aluminium inlay and caustic soda will enjoy each other’s company, and anyway the rust is part of the patina and of its charm.
Tim