Bazaar musket

eftihis · 31st December 2022, 08:29 PM

Hello and happy new year to all!
Somebody i know insists he had made a wonderful purchase, this flashy north African musket, thinking that is a genuine antique weapon. I am sure is a recent bazaar piece but i dont know how to convince him, can anyone help with a photo of this type of musket in a North African bazaar or shop?

corrado26 · 1st January 2023, 09:24 AM

I have no fotos of guns in a bazaar shop, but I think it depends on what you or your friend understand under "antique". The photo attached shows four guns of Morocco made in the traditional 19. century style which differs a lot from the gun of your friend. In my opinion his gun has been made in the 1950s and some people take this already as antique. Further photos of a similarly made gun I have attached

David R · 1st January 2023, 12:57 PM

Flashy, certainly... but more important does the lock work, is there a sound barrel? Daft as it seems check for a powder load still down the spout! Sometimes these are original pieces with later decoration.

thinreadline · 2nd January 2023, 09:57 AM

very often the tourist examples have no functioning touch hole .

AHite · 2nd January 2023, 03:15 PM

One thing that stands out to me that this is a modern piece, made to look aged is that the two round head slotted screws on the gun seem to be peened the same way. The peening has partially closed the screw slot. On my antique ethnographic guns, as well as my very old US made Kentucky and Pennsylvania long guns, screw slots tend to get widened and worn out by use of improper sized screwdrivers. The impact damage on these two screw heads seems inconsistent with the relative lack of damage to the rest of the gun. So I believe that this damage was done intentionally by the builder.

None the less, this is a cool, decorative piece.

Drabant1701 · 2nd January 2023, 11:04 PM

I agree with previous posters. Its a good chance they used an old lock and barrel and remade it in the 20th century. I like it its very decorative. I would not activly buy one but if some one gave it to me I would hang it on the wall.

rickystl · 8th January 2023, 08:27 PM

Agree with Corrado. It's one of the better made tourist items from the 1960's or earlier,which sometimes used a combination of original surplus and new parts. The lock is an original snaphaunce from a Moroccan musket. The barrel could be an original, shortened or just a piece of formed pipe. The length being shorter than normal to make it easier for the tourist to transport back home - during that time before all the anti-gun regulations started. Looks like there was quite a bit of work in it.

Rick

31st December 2022, 08:29 PM	#1
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 512	Bazaar musket Hello and happy new year to all! Somebody i know insists he had made a wonderful purchase, this flashy north African musket, thinking that is a genuine antique weapon. I am sure is a recent bazaar piece but i dont know how to convince him, can anyone help with a photo of this type of musket in a North African bazaar or shop? Attached Images

1st January 2023, 09:24 AM	#2
corrado26 Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Black Forest, Germany Posts: 1,241	I have no fotos of guns in a bazaar shop, but I think it depends on what you or your friend understand under "antique". The photo attached shows four guns of Morocco made in the traditional 19. century style which differs a lot from the gun of your friend. In my opinion his gun has been made in the 1950s and some people take this already as antique. Further photos of a similarly made gun I have attached Attached Images

1st January 2023, 12:57 PM	#3
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,135	Flashy, certainly... but more important does the lock work, is there a sound barrel? Daft as it seems check for a powder load still down the spout! Sometimes these are original pieces with later decoration.

2nd January 2023, 09:57 AM	#4
thinreadline Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Wirral Posts: 1,204	very often the tourist examples have no functioning touch hole .

2nd January 2023, 03:15 PM	#5
AHite Member Join Date: Dec 2022 Posts: 67	One thing that stands out to me that this is a modern piece, made to look aged is that the two round head slotted screws on the gun seem to be peened the same way. The peening has partially closed the screw slot. On my antique ethnographic guns, as well as my very old US made Kentucky and Pennsylvania long guns, screw slots tend to get widened and worn out by use of improper sized screwdrivers. The impact damage on these two screw heads seems inconsistent with the relative lack of damage to the rest of the gun. So I believe that this damage was done intentionally by the builder. None the less, this is a cool, decorative piece.

2nd January 2023, 11:04 PM	#6
Drabant1701 Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Sweden Posts: 181	I agree with previous posters. Its a good chance they used an old lock and barrel and remade it in the 20th century. I like it its very decorative. I would not activly buy one but if some one gave it to me I would hang it on the wall.

8th January 2023, 08:27 PM	#7
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,633	Agree with Corrado. It's one of the better made tourist items from the 1960's or earlier,which sometimes used a combination of original surplus and new parts. The lock is an original snaphaunce from a Moroccan musket. The barrel could be an original, shortened or just a piece of formed pipe. The length being shorter than normal to make it easier for the tourist to transport back home - during that time before all the anti-gun regulations started. Looks like there was quite a bit of work in it. Rick