Moroccan barrel inscription advice please

[Kubur]

I can read "anno dei"
the year of ...
then a number x32x ???
so it should be an Italian barrel or an African copy

[Mel H]

Thank you, I was thinking that the script had something of a European look, I've added another picture. The barrel flares slightly toward the muzzle it is round with a flat portion on the top running the full length.
Due to tightness of the brass bands and the fragility of the wood I've decided That I will carry out some sympathetic restoration without the need to separate it.
Mel.

[Battara]

I was thinking that the inscription looks French to me.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Mel H

Thank you, I was thinking that the script had something of a European look, I've added another picture. The barrel flares slightly toward the muzzle it is round with a flat portion on the top running the full length.
Due to tightness of the brass bands and the fragility of the wood I've decided That I will carry out some sympathetic restoration without the need to separate it.
Mel.

Hi Mel,
Nice looking gun and in good condition too! What you have is called a Mukahla and is from the Tetuan North Coastal region of Morocco.
IF you do want to remove the barrel, you may find it is not as hard as you think. Possibly you can get the bands on the move (gently tap towards the muzzle using a wooden wedge). Make sure you mark each band as to where it came from and the DIRECTION it came off the barrel. It is quite possible that one of the bands is hiding a join in the wood, which is quite common with these long barrels. Anyway you would be a better judge as to the necessity of removing the bands. Certainly a light rub over with very fine steel wool would bring up the brass bands and the barrel, without removing the patina.
Also what are those white spots along the top of the barrel?
Awaiting the final result.
Stu

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Also what are those white spots along the top of the barrel?

Hi Stu
I'm not the photographer but i can answer this one:
they are spotlights thought the fence...

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Hi Stu
I'm not the photographer but i can answer this one:
they are spotlights thought the fence...

????????????????

[Mel H]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

????????????????

Yes, the sun was shining brightly on the other side of the fence when the photograph was taken

[Mel H]

As most collectors would agree, these things tend to come into our possession with little in the way of provenance. It may interest some here to know that the above Mukahla was till recently, along with several others, owned by the family of a well documented 19th C. woman missionary, who in 1888 opened, along with two other brave women, a medical Station in Fez. Her name was Emma Herdman, she died in Morocco in 1899.

I have another from the same source, it has silver mounts. I've spent some time working on it and have included a couple of photo's, some here may recognise the lock from a photo that I included in a previous post a couple of months since.