help with identification of flintlock pistol

[TommyBullock]

I know very little about this gun. It belonged to my great grandmother and was given to her on her wedding day in Greece by a family friend that was also Greek..... so I'm guessing that it may be from that area of the world.... but I have no idea really.


Any help with the identification of this gun would be awesome.

Thank You in advance for any help.

[TommyBullock]

Okay well if no one knows what it might be or a time period would anyone one know of some good web sites where I can do research and find out some more info?

Any help would be greatly apreciated

Thank You

[BETH]

i am sure someone will get back to you, i have one very similar don't know if its real or a replica?

[hrf]

Could be 200 years old or could be a later replica.

Try posting the pics at http://www.antiqueguns.com/phorum/list.php?6

[Jim K]

FWIW, I don't think it is a replica. I think it is Italian (Brescia area) from around 1710. Armi da Fuoco Italiane has pictures of very similar guns and the curled trigger is characteristic. I hesitate to assign a value, but if I am correct, I would say a minimum of $3000, and quite possibly much more.

If I had that gun, I would make every effort to have it appraised by a competent authority at Sotheby's or a museum. Your local gun shop or "the web" is just not the place to get accurate info on something like that.

Jim

[red14]

Originally Posted by BETH

i am sure someone will get back to you, i have one very similar don't know if its real or a replica?

Can you post a picture of yours, Beth?

[Big ugly]

Allright tommy that ons is a spanish made flitlock its not greek. Or it is a very good reproduction. However if the thing was given to your great grand mother I would guess it to be quite authentic and not a reproduction. There are certain ways you can tell and one is to look for the crafters mark somewhere on the firearm. You may actuall have to take some pieces off it to find ther crafters stamp. Very carfully take each plate off and look underneath them to see if there is a stamp under them. On the old spanich made flits and percussion firearms the stamp was usually place under the brass and not under the Iron.

[Jim K]

Hi, Big ugly,

Just curious, but what makes you think Spanish rather than Italian? Very similar work was done in both countries, of course.

Jim

[BETH]

Red have all the xmas stuff out now don't know where it is-DUH

[Big ugly]

Well I may be wrong but to me the brass work looks a little off to me for it to be Italian. I Emailed some pics to my father and he says the same thing that the brass work looks to be Spain. But yes you are right both countries did similar work on the old pistols and rfles. Yet with out any prof marks there ireally is know way to tell. Another way to may lie in the barrel itself. Spain also used some hammered Damascus Steel barres in some of their muzzloaders too but these are becomming as scarce as hens teeth and worth an absolute mint to the collector.