Flintlock pistol
Category
Arms and armour
Date
circa 1800 - circa 1850
Materials
Iron, Wood, Silver
Measurements
420 mm (Length)
Order this imageCollection
Gunby Hall Estate, Lincolnshire
NT 637513.1
Summary
One of a pair of flintlock pistols with silver filigree decoration, Albania, first half 19th century.
Full description
One of a pair of flintlock pistols, Albania, first half 19th century. The silver decoration of these pistols is typical of that produced in the arms making towns of Prizren and Shkodra, Albania, which were both famous for their silver filigree work. Iron barrel of tapering round form with moulded bands at the breech. The breech top with engraved decoration. Lengths 25cm and 25.3cm respectively. Calibre 16mm. Wooden full stock, the whole overlaid with sheet silver and profusely inlaid with silver filigree wire forming scrolls and geometric patterns (some lifting). Each stock terminates with a bulbous pommel. The sheet silver which covers the fore-ends also covers part of the muzzle end of the barrel, thus securing the barrel to the stock. The silver is also shaped to form a false ramrod; the ramrod being carried separately on a lanyard around the neck.The silver trigger guard is decorated in a similar fashion to the stock. Flintlock of iron, the lock-plate and cock of rounded profile, both lightly engraved. The locks have internally mounted frizzen and frizzen-spring screws and are constructed with a bridle for both the frizzen and the tumbler. The frizzen has a serrated face. Overall length: 45.5cm. Source/Reference: Robert Elgood, The Arms of Greece, London 2009
Provenance
1990, purchased from J Montgomery-Massingberd.
References
Elgood, 2009: Robert Elgood, The Arms of Greece