Miqelet musket for ID
 

hello! please help me to ID this musket. 75 cm length

My guess is a Spanish trabuco (blunderbuss) converted from flintlock (patilla system) to percussion. Probably made end 18th / beg. 19th and converted around 1830, like many others.
Catalan type buttstock.

thanks, fernando! what do you think about hook on the 3-d picture?

They often mount these belt hooks in blunderbusses; this one could be there since the beginning.

Hello:

In general, I agree with Fernando, I just think the lock is original, and not a conversion of a flint lock. Indeed, the area where the bread should be shown no drilling for bridge and insert the spring rake / frizzen). It would be nice photograph inside the lock.

Same for the barrel. The masacote where this fixed the fireplace is welded or bolted?

Affectionately Fernando K

(Sorry for the translation)

Fernando K is most certainly right. I didn't care for the missing hole of the pan & frizzen and only looked to the 'poor quality' of the percussion hammer.
Yes, it would be interesting to know whether the ignition plug is welded to barrel or screwed instead ... a sign of later addition for a conversion, right Fernando ?
In this case this trabuco would be of a more recent production, same as the percussion system was popularized ... around 1830 :o

Hello, Fernando

certainly

Fernando K

Hola, Fernandos
The "poor quality" hammer at least strikes the nipple and thus the cap squarely, not something many better (and modern) caplocks always get right. Given decent quality caps, I bet this beast never failed to fire. Nothing of great moment, it is just a quirk in my nature to notice hammer-to-nipple alignments. I get a little peeved when folks say the Spanish locks were "crude". Maybe so, but they worked reasonably well in "crude" places like the Americas and was adapted and adopted by that no small empire under the Ottomans thumb. Just saying...

Hi Miqueleter,
The poor quality connotation, besides being between ' ', went for its appeal ... not for its functionality.
I have found the decoration a bit legere... not work of an 'official' smith, as if it were a later local job. But then, it was only my eyes :shrug: .
However, once you (also) like cats, i am ready to withdraw my opinion :cool: .

Fernando, no need to withdraw your opinion because you are most certainly correct about the decorative crudeness of the hammer. You were talking aesthetics, I was talking functionality. My "crude" remarks were not intended for you and any regular on this forum. I was sounding off about how the uninitiated belittle the patilla functionality. So, in a way, I was off-topic in my zeal to champion the lowly utility grade miquelet.

I have seen a picture of your beautiful furry comrades-no wonder you talk aesthetics.

I actually like some of the 'cruder' pieces, as they have character...and I love cats as well- :p

I perfectly see your point :cool:
I am far from being an initiated one but, i have the greatest respect for the patilha system. Actually these locks also had their glorious evolution in Portugal, where some of our master smiths produced the finest examples.
I happen to have a few in my little collection ... not the finest, though :shrug:


Thanks from Adriano, Rita, Daniel & Sofia ;)