rifle

[galvano]

It's African?
thanks

[TVV]

Looks like a very nice and rare early Ottoman matchlock to me. Congratulations

[fernando]

Very nice piece, Galvano :cool:.

[galvano]

Hello
Thank you, but how old is he?

[TVV]

Hello
Thank you, but how old is he?

Good question, and one that is not so easy to answer. Per Elgood, it appears the Ottomans adopted the miquelet lock sometime in the 17th century. According to North, the characteristic form of the stock butt was also developed around the same time, early 17th century. Finally, a little book published by the Royal Armories shows an Ottoman matchlock gun, formerly in the Tirri collection and dates it to the 17th century.

So my guess is 1600s.

[galvano]

thanks for your answer, but is it that old?
I think I see in oxidation a damascus cannon !
galvano

That's for sure, it is a complex damascus

[galvano]

new photo

[TVV]

Yes, beautiful damascus barrel, just a very nice gun overall. As for the age, I gave my guess based on what I know, though I am most certainly not an expert. Ottoman matchlocks are not common, as as a result collectors are not as familiar with them as with miquelet lock guns. This is why others may not have responded yet.

[galvano]

I discovered 2 marks in the gilding
I'm going to put pictures tomorrow

[galvano]

marks

[galvano]

On the web it would date around 1750

[galvano]

Hello,
what can be this green material embedded in the wood of the stock?
thanks
galvano

[TVV]

It is most likely ivory that has been dyed green.

[gp]

Looks like a Balkan Džeferdar, could be former Yugoslavia.
The green colour is indeed a form of dyeing of bone, wood, ivory also often applied to bichaqs

see also:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=28416

[galvano]

Thank you for your feedback,
the white inlays are made of bone, can the green ones also be made of bone?
thanks

[gp]

Thank you for your feedback,
the white inlays are made of bone, can the green ones also be made of bone?
thanks

I can’t confirm concerning this rifle: I need to see and feel it to be sure. But it does look very much like it
But talking bichaqs, they are indeed all bone dyed green: this is the case with all of my green ones. You can check the pictures

And also cutlery

[bobi13]

Thank you for your feedback,
the white inlays are made of bone, can the green ones also be made of bone?
thanks


The green ones are camel bone, I make them for my restorations.

[rickystl]

Hi Galvano

It appears you indeed have a very nice example of one of the few "Ottoman" matchlocks. Congratulations. Would be well worth cleaning the loose, red rust from the iron parts. You can use simple old style gun oil and 0000 steel wool. Taking the barrel off will make cleaning much easier.

The Ottomans must have used thousands of matchlocks during the period. But generally speaking, there are very few examples remaining today. While, as mentioned above, there are many remaining flintlock/miquelet lock examples available today. The reason for the lack of matchlock examples remains a mystery. Some believe that large arsenals in the Region were destroyed at some early point, with the matchlocks included. Perhaps.

Hope you decide to do a little cleaning/restoration for this gun. Would be well worth it. It's a very high quality piece.

Rick

I believe the green is the Muslim religious color.

[galvano]

Thank you for your very interesting feedback.
Of course I'm going to restore it, taking care not to damage anything
galvano

[galvano]

Hello,
what can be this green material embedded in the wood of the stock?
thanks
galvano

it is green throughout the thickness

[David R]

The Ottomans must have used thousands of matchlocks during the period. But generally speaking, there are very few examples remaining today....

Probably upgraded to later style locks. as was common throughout the world. Match to wheel, wheel to miquelet, to percussion... and in Japan, matchlock to bolt action!