Original 18th Century Swedish Embossed Silver Mounted Flintlock Horse Pistol with Grotesque Mask Butt Cap - circa 1760
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Original Item: One of a Kind. Here we have a fantastic 17th Century Swedish Flintlock Horse pistol, which looks to be almost entirely silver mounted. Due to the color we believe this is probably "German Silver", a cupronickel alloy not often seen used as mountings on a pistol. It is really a work of art, with the mountings covered with embossed designs, particularly the long-eared butt cap, which terminates in a lovely "Grotesque Mask". This is also covered with embossed designs on the sides, and the lock side plate is equally breathtaking, with a perforated design showing foliate designs with a shield in the center surrounded by two griffins.
The stock is also quite ornate, showing carved floral shell type designs around the barrel tang and ramrod pipe, as well as outlines surrounding many of the fittings. This has all the appointments we would expect on a high end bespoke pistol! The lock plate is an old style, with only one screw behind the hammer and an unbridled frizzen support, and it does have what looks to be a maker mark, though we cannot quite make out what it says. It looks to read "N. TROTVAIT", however the fourth letter of the surname looks to be some type of ligatured letter that we do not recognize. There are also two proof / touch marks on the breech end of the barrel that show a Swedish style CROWN / NT, which we also have not been able to identify.
The horse pistol measures a long 21 1/2 inches in overall length, with a 14 3/4 inch .57" caliber smoothbore three stage barrel, which has a faceted portion near the breech. Overall the lock and barrel show a lovely oxidized patina, while the silver fittings have matured to a lovely light tarnished patina. The stock is in very good shape, showing a lovely dark brown color, and there is no major damage we can see such as cracks or major repairs. There does look to be some past minor woodworm damage on the left wrist area, and also on the back of the stock near the barrel tang, but it still looks to be solid. The lock is fully functional, holding at half cock and firing at full, though the trigger must be pulled quickly or the hammer can stick at half cock. There is a wooden ramrod under the barrel, but we do not know if is original to the pistol.
A fantastic ornate mid 18th Century Swedish Flintlock Horse Pistol, ready to research and display!
Specifications:
Year of Manufacture: Circa 1760
Caliber: .57" Pistol
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 14 3/4 inches
Overall Length: 21 1/2 inches
Action: Side Action Flintlock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded
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- This product is not available for shipping in US state(s): New Jersey
This product is available for international shipping.
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Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.
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