The 20 bore Ottoman, Miquelet Lock pistol has a 10½ ins barrel, and is full stocked. It has a single band round barrel with a decorative oval. The pistol has a steel lock with a full brass engraved and decorated stock, which is mother-of-pearl mounted with a rat tail.
These were often referred to as Miquelet ''Rat Tail'' Pistols because of the shape of the stock. These were the traditional muzzle loading pistol of the Balkans and Greece in the early to mid 1800s. Designed to be worn in a sash around one''s waist, the weapon is very streamlined in appearance. The stock on this example is almost entirely clad in lovely embossed and engraved sheet brass. The Miquelet ignition system is a hangover from High Quality Italian pistols of the 17th and early 18th centuries.
This is a particularly nice example retaining its brass cladding.
Faux ramrod under the barrel.
At sea the ramrod was usually carried on a strap around the neck. The engraved and embossed designs are excellent.
Unlike most miquelets we see, the lock on this example is still functional but weak. It is a bit finicky, and sometimes hangs at half cock, but usually we can''t even get these to move, making this a rare treat!
These are just the weapons carried by Brigands and Pirates of the Mediterranean Sea that caused so much trouble to the Europeans in the early 1800s. Most decorative, with an intriguing ignition system. Ready to Display!
History of the Miquelet Lock:
Miquelet lock is a modern term used by collectors and curators, largely in the English-speaking world, for a type of firing mechanism used in muskets and pistols. It is a distinctive form of snaplock, originally as a flint-against-steel ignition form, once prevalent in Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Balkans, North Africa, Ottoman Empire and throughout Spain''s colonies from the late 16th to the mid 19th centuries.
The term miquelet lock was not recorded until the 19th century, long after the appearance of the mechanis
...m in the 16th century, and is of uncertain origin. One commonly held view is that it was coined by British troops in the Peninsular War to describe the style of musket used by the Miquelet (militia) that had been assigned to the Peninsular Army of the Duke of Wellington.
Specifications:
Year of Manufacture: Circa 1800 - 1810
Caliber: 20 bore Pistol
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Action: Miquelet Lock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded
Measurements
Barrel Length 27cm
Overall Length 44.5cm
Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria, Portobello Road
WE are open every Saturday between 9.30 - 3.30pm in Chelsea Galleries 67 Portobello Road London.
We are at the front of the gallery, on the 1st aisle.
Web page:-
https://peterharrisclocks.com/welcome/
Internal Reference: 2810/01
Antique Number: SA1102478
Dateline of this antique is 1800
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