Two Flintlock Pistols - The Firearms Forum

kb3310 · 10-20-2012, 06:40 PM

Hello,
I recently acquired 2 flintlock pistols that I do not know anything about. I would like some help in trying to determine their time period, where they're from, and of course their value.
The 1st one is made with a dark colored wood and has some brass pieces on the butt of the gun and the trigger. It has some inscriptions on the side and on the barrel. The ones on the side are tower, a crown with maybe GR underneath?, and a sideways triangle looking shape. On the barrel, the numbers 23081.
The 2nd one is a little more worse for the wear. I can't find any inscriptions on it. It has a rifle-like butt, it's too short to be a rifle though. The barrel ends in a bell shape. The wood is a dark type too, and it looks to have a glossy finish on it. I will post pics of both shortly.

Thanks for any and all help,
KB

jack404 · 10-20-2012, 06:43 PM

G'day and welcome!

its a bit hard to help correctly without pic's

they'll help ID them a lot ...

as for the second one it may be a blunderbuss or coach gun

and these bring good $$ just sold one at Auction in the US recently

kb3310 · 10-20-2012, 07:17 PM

Here is the pics of the 1st one.

jack404 · 10-20-2012, 07:31 PM

ok first one is a replica tower coachmans pistol
its a modern reproduction of a famous style of pistol used by english highway men and others

however the edgeing is modern and the hammer has been sanded machine finished

the edging also passes over the crown stamp of George Rex ( king george)

no brit would ever do that as they could get locked up for marking the crown

the numerals on the stamps are modern style as well

i'd call a very good quality reproduction ment for re-enactments and similar

dcriner · 10-20-2012, 07:43 PM

Please send pix of the second pistol.

Jim K · 10-20-2012, 07:44 PM

The tipoff is the presence of a serial number at all. Few antique guns had them; they were not required by law and served no purpose. But modern replicas have them because some jurisdictions require serial numbers on handguns regardless of the type of ignition system. Other points to look at are the crudity of the crown marking and the overall appearance of the gun.

Jim

kb3310 · 10-20-2012, 07:50 PM

The 2nd one

jack404 · 10-20-2012, 07:57 PM

second one is a royal marked blunderbuss but witha arabic marking

with the willamena crown this is worth some $$$ do get a expert to review this one get as good a expert as you can

kb3310 · 10-20-2012, 08:02 PM

Do you have any links, connections, or e-mails of a good expert you'd recommend?

jack404 · 10-20-2012, 08:08 PM

James D. Julia 207-453-7125

kb3310 · 10-20-2012, 08:25 PM

Ok, thank you very much for your help. A little disappointing that the 1st one is a replica, but I'm excited to find out more on the blunderbuss.

Jim K · 10-20-2012, 08:27 PM

The lock might be European, though it appears to be of poor quality, but the rest of the gun has the look of a Middle East product. If you feel it may be valuable, by all means consult an appraiser, but my take would be in the $100-150 range as a novelty.

AFAIK, the Netherlands has no proof law, and no guns are made there today, so no proof mark. The crown/W was used as a government property mark during Wilhelmina's reign, but that pistol would be much too early for that. If the crown/W has any connection with Holland at all, it would presumably date to William I.

Jim

10-20-2012, 06:40 PM	#1
kb3310 Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 5	Two Flintlock Pistols Hello, I recently acquired 2 flintlock pistols that I do not know anything about. I would like some help in trying to determine their time period, where they're from, and of course their value. The 1st one is made with a dark colored wood and has some brass pieces on the butt of the gun and the trigger. It has some inscriptions on the side and on the barrel. The ones on the side are tower, a crown with maybe GR underneath?, and a sideways triangle looking shape. On the barrel, the numbers 23081. The 2nd one is a little more worse for the wear. I can't find any inscriptions on it. It has a rifle-like butt, it's too short to be a rifle though. The barrel ends in a bell shape. The wood is a dark type too, and it looks to have a glossy finish on it. I will post pics of both shortly. Thanks for any and all help, KB -->

10-20-2012, 06:43 PM	#2
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: Two Flintlock Pistols G'day and welcome! its a bit hard to help correctly without pic's they'll help ID them a lot ... as for the second one it may be a blunderbuss or coach gun and these bring good $$ just sold one at Auction in the US recently

10-20-2012, 07:17 PM	#3
kb3310 Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 5	Re: Two Flintlock Pistols Here is the pics of the 1st one. Attached Images

10-20-2012, 07:31 PM	#4
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: Two Flintlock Pistols ok first one is a replica tower coachmans pistol its a modern reproduction of a famous style of pistol used by english highway men and others however the edgeing is modern and the hammer has been sanded machine finished the edging also passes over the crown stamp of George Rex ( king george) no brit would ever do that as they could get locked up for marking the crown the numerals on the stamps are modern style as well i'd call a very good quality reproduction ment for re-enactments and similar

10-20-2012, 07:43 PM	#5
dcriner V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 238	Re: Two Flintlock Pistols Please send pix of the second pistol.

10-20-2012, 07:44 PM	#6
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: Two Flintlock Pistols The tipoff is the presence of a serial number at all. Few antique guns had them; they were not required by law and served no purpose. But modern replicas have them because some jurisdictions require serial numbers on handguns regardless of the type of ignition system. Other points to look at are the crudity of the crown marking and the overall appearance of the gun. Jim

10-20-2012, 07:50 PM	#7
kb3310 Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 5	Re: Two Flintlock Pistols The 2nd one Attached Images

10-20-2012, 07:57 PM	#8
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: Two Flintlock Pistols second one is a royal marked blunderbuss but witha arabic marking with the willamena crown this is worth some $$$ do get a expert to review this one get as good a expert as you can

10-20-2012, 08:02 PM	#9
kb3310 Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 5	Re: Two Flintlock Pistols Do you have any links, connections, or e-mails of a good expert you'd recommend?

10-20-2012, 08:08 PM	#10
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: Two Flintlock Pistols James D. Julia 207-453-7125

10-20-2012, 08:25 PM	#11
kb3310 Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 5	Re: Two Flintlock Pistols Ok, thank you very much for your help. A little disappointing that the 1st one is a replica, but I'm excited to find out more on the blunderbuss.

10-20-2012, 08:27 PM	#12
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: Two Flintlock Pistols The lock might be European, though it appears to be of poor quality, but the rest of the gun has the look of a Middle East product. If you feel it may be valuable, by all means consult an appraiser, but my take would be in the $100-150 range as a novelty. AFAIK, the Netherlands has no proof law, and no guns are made there today, so no proof mark. The crown/W was used as a government property mark during Wilhelmina's reign, but that pistol would be much too early for that. If the crown/W has any connection with Holland at all, it would presumably date to William I. Jim