Miquelet Pistol, decoration and maker questions

dana_w · 3rd December 2012, 10:50 PM

This Miquelet Pistol is one of a pair. It has a patilla style lock, a gold touch hole, a two stage pinned barrel, a steel ramrod and a side plate with an attached belt hook. The stock is Catalan style. The furniture was once blued with gold leaf in the relief. Very little of the gold leaf remains. The floral decorations on top of the barrel look like they are silver. There is a makers mark on top of the barrel and on the front of the battery. Both marks have a little gold leaf remaining. I haven't been able to locate the marks in the books that I have.

Overall Length: 11 2/8 inches
Barrel Length: 5 15/16 inches
Barrel Diameter at Muzzle: .640 inches
Weight: 1 lb, 8 5/8 ox

The only other thing I know about these pistols is that they were purchased at one of the first MACA Baltimore gun shows.

Can anyone tell me something about the barrel decorations or the maker marks? Any other comments or corrections would be appreciated too.

FYI: images Copyright © 2010-2012 Dana Williams, All Rights Reserved

fernando · 4th December 2012, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dana_w

This Miquelet Pistol is one of a pair.

Do you still have the pair, Dana ?

dana_w · 4th December 2012, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernando

Do you still have the pair, Dana ?

Yes, I have the pair. It was just easier to put up detailed photos of one pistol.

fernando · 4th December 2012, 04:17 PM

At first reaction i realized these could be Portuguese; the tradional so called "egg butt" pistols. This eventuality brought me a significant enthusiasm

. But after consulting someone experienced in this area, who dealt with several egg butt pistols from both XVIII-XIX century, with the three different types of lock, i was told these could be indeed Spanish versions.
If you have James Lavin "A history of SPANISH FIREMARS", you may be interested in observing gunmaker's mark #96 (page 277) named Seria. Maybe this is your guy.

dana_w · 4th December 2012, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernando

If you have James Lavin "A history of SPANISH FIREMARS", you may be interested in observing gunmaker's mark #96 (page 277) named Seria. Maybe this is your guy.

I guess that could be a "Y", It looks like a "T" to me and the style seems 17th century. These marks can really be critic. Looks like the barrel mark says CERRA. Have you seen a place name in one of these marks?

Here is the mark from the other pistol in the set.

fernando · 4th December 2012, 06:02 PM

You are quite right in that these things are often a dilemma to solve.
Weapons smiths weren't necessarily fine writers; the are lots of their names wrongly spelled.
The barrel maker is often a person other than the lock maker; the similarity in both marks lettering would just be a coincidence.
Cerra doen'st sound spanish (Castillian); Cierra would sound better ... but Sierra would sound best.
Serrat is a Catalunian name and matches with the lock mark letters; who knows?
XVII century ? I would be deeply surprised

.

3rd December 2012, 10:50 PM	#1
dana_w Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Southeast Florida, USA Posts: 429	Miquelet Pistol, decoration and maker questions This Miquelet Pistol is one of a pair. It has a patilla style lock, a gold touch hole, a two stage pinned barrel, a steel ramrod and a side plate with an attached belt hook. The stock is Catalan style. The furniture was once blued with gold leaf in the relief. Very little of the gold leaf remains. The floral decorations on top of the barrel look like they are silver. There is a makers mark on top of the barrel and on the front of the battery. Both marks have a little gold leaf remaining. I haven't been able to locate the marks in the books that I have. Overall Length: 11 2/8 inches Barrel Length: 5 15/16 inches Barrel Diameter at Muzzle: .640 inches Weight: 1 lb, 8 5/8 ox The only other thing I know about these pistols is that they were purchased at one of the first MACA Baltimore gun shows. Can anyone tell me something about the barrel decorations or the maker marks? Any other comments or corrections would be appreciated too. FYI: images Copyright © 2010-2012 Dana Williams, All Rights Reserved Attached Images Last edited by dana_w; 3rd December 2012 at 10:56 PM. Reason: Spelling Error

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4th December 2012, 04:17 PM	#4
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,637	At first reaction i realized these could be Portuguese; the tradional so called "egg butt" pistols. This eventuality brought me a significant enthusiasm . But after consulting someone experienced in this area, who dealt with several egg butt pistols from both XVIII-XIX century, with the three different types of lock, i was told these could be indeed Spanish versions. If you have James Lavin "A history of SPANISH FIREMARS", you may be interested in observing gunmaker's mark #96 (page 277) named Seria. Maybe this is your guy.

4th December 2012, 06:02 PM	#6
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,637	You are quite right in that these things are often a dilemma to solve. Weapons smiths weren't necessarily fine writers; the are lots of their names wrongly spelled. The barrel maker is often a person other than the lock maker; the similarity in both marks lettering would just be a coincidence. Cerra doen'st sound spanish (Castillian); Cierra would sound better ... but Sierra would sound best. Serrat is a Catalunian name and matches with the lock mark letters; who knows? XVII century ? I would be deeply surprised .