What in tarnation is this?

[TreeMan]

A friend of mine asked me to help identify this pistol for him. Its way above my pay grade of knowledge. Smoothbore. Any ideas?

 

[user 48679]

I can't turn my computer upside-down to read the name on the rear of the lockplate….

 

[Eterry]

Im guessing it's French.
Others more knowledgeable will chime in.

 

[Justin.44]

I can't turn my computer upside-down to read the name on the rear of the lockplate….

I think it says Andre Grottsen or Groptsen? Not sure...

 

[TreeMan]

I can't turn my computer upside-down to read the name on the rear of the lockplate….

Look at the pic of the lock that isn’t upside down.

 

[TreeMan]

I think it says Andre Grottsen or Groptsen? Not sure...

I’ve googled every spelling of the name on the lockplate with zero results. The lock and trigger still works as it should. Full and half cock catches and trigger releases it. If it’s not worth anything I’d like to repurpose that lock. I haven’t actually seen or held the gun. My friend texted the pics to me.

 

[TFoley]

Late-18th/early-19th C horse pistol of European manufacture. I'd go along with French, but the name [I see Andre Gropison on the lock] eludes me completely.

I'm not sure why it should be that many folks taking pictures of guns do so from the strangest angles, from over the top and looking backwards [that makes me puke] to distant verticals with over-emphasized perspective that gives a totally incorrect impression of the thing

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
It is made from French parts. The lock was made at the St. Etienne arsenal during the first decade of the 1700s. The stock and hardware are also French in styling and date from that period as well. The maker likely salvaged some government parts and used them to make this pistol.

dave

 

[Phil Coffins]

I’ve googled every spelling of the name on the lockplate with zero results. The lock and trigger still works as it should. Full and half cock catches and trigger releases it. If it’s not worth anything I’d like to repurpose that lock. I haven’t actually seen or held the gun. My friend texted the pics to me.

Locks are easy to come by but complete antique pistols are limited, buy a lock rather then destroy the pistol.

 

[coloradoclyde]

It's beautiful.

 

[TreeMan]

Locks are easy to come by but complete antique pistols are limited, buy a lock rather then destroy the pistol.

Well until I heard from the experts what it was that was an idea I had. It’s not mine but it will be put up for auction locally. If it was determined it was a junk decoration built in the 1920s from an erector set and an original lock then yeah I might repurpose it. Now it appears to be a nice collections piece.

 

[rickystl]

Agree with Dave's post above.

Rick

 

[tenngun]

I don’t know enough to venture an opinion except looks early eighteenth century French. Others have chimed in assembled parts. I would point out that by the middle of the nineteenth century on until the early twentieth that there was an industry in Spain, France and North Africa of making fake antique arms from parts

 

[Eric Bye]

This appears to be a handsome, early piece. I would not hold some honest age and damage against it. I strongly advise against breaking this pistol up - it deserves to be kept together. You can buy modern-made locks cheaply (from Chambers, L&R, Davis, and others) and they will function very well for a long, long time.

 

[Rudyard]

It looks right to me as it is I doubt its any' junk' anything. But if it is its a lot of work been done ..sounds like some mixed up accounts but looks fine to me .So I would say leave as it is.

I was once at a house being renovated I knew the stone waller. One re enactor working there tells me the house owners have an old musket he wanted to ask them if he could have it to cut it down to some 'Musketoon.' idea . I looked at it for him ,It was a near mint Indian Pattern Bess with matching B net by Osbourne ! The reenactor thought it was some repo. ! Some cant tell from Shineola !.
Rudyard .

 

[Harquebus]

GRAND PISTOLET D’ARÇON À SILEX MARQUÉ Andre Cropison probably was brought to America during the French Colonization.
We are looking at some not Kings' Arms Maker from Paris, but to a not so famous French Artisan.. Still a Fantastic handmade piece...

 

[Flintlock1640]

Did this sell locally, like previously stated it was going to?