help identifying writing system

TVV · 28th September 2005, 08:42 PM

Wow, this pistol is indeed most interesting. The brass plating is most deffinitely Balkan, as brass fastening plates were widely used on firarms, produced there. The lock is not the typical muquelet lock one expects to find on early specimens form the Balkans, however, but one needs to keep in mind that local craftsmen began producing French type locks, as the French lock mechanism was superior to the miquelet one. So far everything is somewhat consistent, but the trigger guard, the crest and the butt cap are Western. It could have been a Western pistol, which was exported to the Balkan provinces of the Ottoman empire, where it was redecorated according to its owner's preferences, However, I personally think that it is most likely a Frankenstein of sorts: the stock was taken from one pistol, the lock from aanother and the brass plates were added in the final assembly. This could have been done long time ago, and it would not be a surprise, as it was a common practice for gunsmiths in the Balkans to reuse every possible part, but it also could have been done quite recently by a collector, which for your benefit I hope is not the case. One just needs to consider all options. With flintlock pistols being quite expensive, many collectors are compelled to buy different parts and put them together. Just my two cents.
Best regards,
Teodor

28th September 2005, 08:42 PM	#13
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,664	Wow, this pistol is indeed most interesting. The brass plating is most deffinitely Balkan, as brass fastening plates were widely used on firarms, produced there. The lock is not the typical muquelet lock one expects to find on early specimens form the Balkans, however, but one needs to keep in mind that local craftsmen began producing French type locks, as the French lock mechanism was superior to the miquelet one. So far everything is somewhat consistent, but the trigger guard, the crest and the butt cap are Western. It could have been a Western pistol, which was exported to the Balkan provinces of the Ottoman empire, where it was redecorated according to its owner's preferences, However, I personally think that it is most likely a Frankenstein of sorts: the stock was taken from one pistol, the lock from aanother and the brass plates were added in the final assembly. This could have been done long time ago, and it would not be a surprise, as it was a common practice for gunsmiths in the Balkans to reuse every possible part, but it also could have been done quite recently by a collector, which for your benefit I hope is not the case. One just needs to consider all options. With flintlock pistols being quite expensive, many collectors are compelled to buy different parts and put them together. Just my two cents. Best regards, Teodor