What is this?

[Columbus]

From another forum I'm on - looking for info on what this might be.

 

[rich pierce]

Middle Eastern gun.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I agree with Rich. Maybe @rickystl will chime in.

 

[TFoley]

Middle Eastern gun.

Yup.

 

[rickystl]

Hi Columbus

The pistol is North Africa. From this single photo, it appears to be Moroccan or Algerian. And from this one photo, appears to be legit. Not a tourist copy. The lock looks like one of the many trade locks imported from Europe, or possibly a locally made copy of same. Some additional photos could probably pin down the location and legitimacy better. Hope you can provide more pics. Thanks for posting.

Rick

 

[Columbus]

These are all that are available.

 

[Sam squanch]

Didn’t Moroccan pistols have that style of butt? Or was it a wide encompassing North African thing?

 

[Buck Conner]

Hi Columbus

The pistol is North Africa. From this single photo, it appears to be Moroccan or Algerian. And from this one photo, appears to be legit. Not a tourist copy. The lock looks like one of the many trade locks imported from Europe, or possibly a locally made copy of same. Some additional photos could probably pin down the location and legitimacy better. Hope you can provide more pics. Thanks for posting.

Rick

Good call Rick,

,

 

[rickystl]

Hi Columbus

Thanks for the two additional photos. Hmmm. Still not 100% positive. During the first half of the 20th Century there were many tourist copies from the region built using original surplus/salvaged locks and barrels from different guns. Like the original guns, the quality of assembly varied. But the wood stock and inlays on this pistol do indeed look old. Pre-1900 anyway. The generic circle and dot decoration on the bone inlays is common from this region. It shows up on gun stocks, knife handles, powder flasks, etc. Even the somewhat crudely built guns such as this one were often decorated. So, at the moment, I going to stick with my original guess that this pistol was originally made to shoot. It's just seen a lot of hard use. I don't believe it's an Afghan/Kyber Pass item. Nice find.

Just for fun, here is a genuine Moroccan origin pistol from the period. Well made using a snaphaunce lock, which the locals continued to have a preference for, well through the later flintlock period. The somewhat rifle style grip copies some Spanish pistols from the period.

Rick

 

[TooTall]

I loves' me some good North African guns! You just don't see bone /ivory / coral inlay like that in other flintlocks.

 

[Bucky]

Hi Columbus

Thanks for the two additional photos. Hmmm. Still not 100% positive. During the first half of the 20th Century there were many tourist copies from the region built using original surplus/salvaged locks and barrels from different guns. Like the original guns, the quality of assembly varied. But the wood stock and inlays on this pistol do indeed look old. Pre-1900 anyway. The generic circle and dot decoration on the bone inlays is common from this region. It shows up on gun stocks, knife handles, powder flasks, etc. Even the somewhat crudely built guns such as this one were often decorated. So, at the moment, I going to stick with my original guess that this pistol was originally made to shoot. It's just seen a lot of hard use. I don't believe it's an Afghan/Kyber Pass item. Nice find.

Just for fun, here is a genuine Moroccan origin pistol from the period. Well made using a snaphaunce lock, which the locals continued to have a preference for, well through the later flintlock period. The somewhat rifle style grip copies some Spanish pistols from the period.

RickView attachment 59934

"The generic circle and dot decoration on the bone inlays".......... are known as " evil eyes" ....In Middle Eastern cultures, a malevolent glare from someone ( sometimes without your knowing) can bring you evil or jinx you. These " evil eye " symbols on the gun are meant to reflect that evil glare, and the resulting curse, back upon the sender.......or an opponent. So, in a confrontation where a gun is needed, these symbols add a supernatural power to the physical power of the gun. Middle Eastern cultures take -or at least took- this very seriously- they are powerful symbols.