[Drabant1701]

I do not post very often, but I read the forum every day. As I am fairly new to collecting ethnographic arms I post mostly when I have questions that I can not find answers to in my books or online. I will try to contribute with more knowledge as I become more experienced an learn more.

I have a flintlock pistol (see pictures) that I believe is made in the Balkans for the Ottoman market. As far as age go my guess is between 1800-1850. However the frizzen do not have the grooves that is common on Ottoman pistols. The frizzen spring screw and frizzen piviot screw is seen from the outside, the most common practice in Balkan was to mount from the inside so that the screw heads did not show. So I'm thinking that it may be an English lock that has been decorated somewhere in the Balkans.
There is some decoration on the lock that looks like Arabic letters but I have no knowledge in that area. What I do know is that I can not find any Arabic writing that looks like that. It may be nonsense, I read somewhere that many craftsmen in Balkan in that period was illiterate, so it may just be for show. Another thing is that the ramrod (later replacement I believe) is as long as the barrel, it actually sticks out a little bit when you put it all the way down. And from what I have learned Ottoman ramrods where often for show as they carried a separate ramrod. As seen under the pistol there is a crescent carved in the wood so, I'm pretty sure its was made for the Ottoman market.
I would appreciate any input on my thoughts regarding the pistol. Thank you for your time.