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View Full Version : Matchlock help required please


thinreadline
20th December 2013, 11:12 AM
Can any members help me place the origin and age of this matchlock please . I rather like the look of it and have just swopped it for German bayonet so it seemed a good deal to me. It is 1.5 m long and has a hexagonal barrel with a bore of 0.5 inches . I can see no markings except for the deeply impressed shield shaped stamp illustrated. There is a peephole rearsight and a blade foresight . To me it seems of very good quality but I await more expert opions than mine. Thank you.

thinreadline
20th December 2013, 11:15 AM
A couple more pics inc the shield shaped stamp I mentioned .

Richard G
20th December 2013, 02:38 PM
Almost certainly Indian from the Malabar coast, or possibly Hyderabad area and quite possibly 19th century. These are often described as Indo-Arab because of the number of Arab mercenaries employed in those parts. Very similar matchlocks are found in the Yemen and Southern Oman. This one has a rather more refined but and stock than usual.
I'd rather have this than a bayonet!
Hope this helps.
Regards
Richard

thinreadline
20th December 2013, 03:14 PM
Almost certainly Indian from the Malabar coast, or possibly Hyderabad area and quite possibly 19th century. These are often described as Indo-Arab because of the number of Arab mercenaries employed in those parts. Very similar matchlocks are found in the Yemen and Southern Oman. This one has a rather more refined but and stock than usual.
I'd rather have this than a bayonet!
Hope this helps.
Regards
Richard

Thank you Richard , thats great I was hoping it was something like you have described as it then fits into my general theme of collecting . And I too prefer to a German bayonet anyday !