Oct 062016
 

Here is an amazing pistol Dick bought for £20 – he tells me he  will accept offers in three figures (not including the pence)!

treasure-side1

 

treasure-side2

treasure-top

treasure-lock

Elegant inlaid aluminium !

treasure-lock-rear

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!

 Posted by at 5:24 pm

  9 Responses to “A Real Treasure”

  1. 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 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…

  2. 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

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