Flintlock rifle
Moroccan
Category
Arms and armour
Date
circa 1850
Materials
iron, wood, brass, silver, bone
Measurements
1810 mm (Length); 1442 mm (Length); 15 mm (Length)
Place of origin
Morocco
Order this imageCollection
Tatton Park, Cheshire
NT 1297690
Summary
Snaphance (flintlock) long-gun, Moroccan, c1850.
Full description
Moroccan snaphance long-gun c1850. Round iron barrel, the breech formed with a flattened top, decorated with scroll engraving and inlaid with silver wire, and inset with 3 silver makers marks. Brass raised and slotted rear sight. The muzzle with a blade fore-sight and decorated with scroll engraving, and struck with another makers mark. Engraved barrel tang. Retained to the stock by 9 large silver barrel bands, each decorated with a punched design. Wooden ramrod. Barrel length 144.2cm. Calibre 15mm. Wooden full stock, the butt of charateristic fish–tail form, the rear section of this composed of 2 separate hardwood sections, one inlaid with silver wire in a floral design, the other forming the butt-plate and decorated with a stamped geometric design. The stock inlaid silver wire behind the barrel tang and on the opposite side of lock. Brass trigger guard with a long rear tang, decorated with incised geometric patterns. The 3 sidenails holding the lock each have a small shaped brass side-plate with a border of silver wire. Large snaphance mechanism of typical late form (Greener style), the cock and steel of substantial construction, the lockplate engraved and inlaid with engraved silver panels and struck under the cock with a makers mark. Sliding pan-cover, external buffer, disc-shaped pan fence and bridle forming a cover to the steel spring. Retained to the stock by 3 side-nails. Overall length: 181cm
Provenance
Egerton collection devised to the National Trust in 1960 by Maurice, 4th Baron Egerton of Tatton (1874-1958)
Makers and roles
Moroccan , maker
References
Elgood, 1995: Robert Elgood, Firearms of the Islamic World