French pair of flintlockpistols of unknown origine
 

I have in my collection a nice pair of French flintlock pistols from ca 1750 to 1775, whose lockplates are marked with a "JF" under a exploding granade. My hope is that someone here is able to identify this mark.
Thanks a lot
corrado26

Very nice pistols, corrado.
Maybe a little later ... like beg. 18th century ... Napoleonic ?
No arsenal (manufacure) markins ... a private production ?

Yes, these are no arsenal products but privatly made pistols. You might be right that they are a little later, around the time of the Revolution, what could be the reason why there is no namely signature on the lockplates.
corrado26

I agree on a later dating, most likely final third of the 18th cent., and possibly a few years into the 19th. The shape of the butts on this pair is very similar to that of the regulation-pattern Modele 1763 cavalry pistol, as is the presence of a double-throated cock (an example of this gun can be seen in POLLARD'S HISTORY OF FIREARMS, line drawing p 119). You can contrast the butt with the earlier, brass-shod bulbous shape that preceded it (a French example from the first half of the 18th cent. can be seen in POLLARD'S , no. 79 second from top on photoplate, p 109).

Not only the cock, but the lockplate configuration (rounded tail, flat ahead of the cock), and the shape of the priming-pan, are also seen on larger locks attached to regulation-pattern French muskets of the late 18th cent. into the Napoleonic era. Interestingly enough, the overall lock style also appears on US martial long guns and pistols into the 1830s, by virtue of France's role in arming the rebellious colonies and providing material assistance (such as factory tooling) after the Revolution.

So it is plausible that these pistols are labeled as being from the PREMIER EMPIRE in some website out there :o .

Sorry, I cannot understand: Where did you see this pair of French pistols?
corrado26

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