Original Item: Only One Available. Probably dating to 1760-1800, this is a drop dead gorgeous ball butted MIQUELET lock pistol fitted with a "ball" trigger. It measures a substantial 18 1/2" in overall length with an 13" barrel, so it definitely is a bit larger than a typical "holster" pistol. This is a truly magnificent example. featuring a figure flamed wood stock and fittings that are all of Niello decorated sheet silver, held in place in some areas with small brass stud adornments. The barrel bands are all Niello, and there are decorative panels surrounding the lock and trigger. Additionally, the miquelet lock is COVERED in gold inlay work, and there is a fair amount of the Damascus laminated steel barrel as well! Truly amazing and very attractive!

Niello is a black mixture, usually of sulfur, copper, silver, and lead, used as an inlay on engraved or etched metal, especially silver. It is added as a powder or paste, then fired until it melts or at least softens, and flows or is pushed into the engraved lines in the metal. It hardens and blackens when cool, and the niello on the flat surface is polished off to show the filled lines in black, contrasting with the polished metal around it. It may also be used with other metalworking techniques to cover larger areas, as seen in the sky in the diptych illustrated here. The metal where niello is to be placed is often roughened to provide a key.

Never fitted with a trigger guard these pistols were designed to be worn thrust in a sash around the waist of the mounted Cossack. This is definitely a very upmarket example, most likely owned by someone of great importance. Condition is overall very good, though due to the delicate nature of the thin figured wood stock and the Niello, it has suffered some damage over the years. There are some areas of the Niello sheets that have torn away, and what remains is somewhat delicate. The stock also has some cracks, and shows damage on the right side along the ramrod channel, where it is VERY thin. It does have a brass fitted wooden ramrod under the barrel, which could be original. We checked the lock action, and unlike most miquelets we see, this one is still fully functional, though we do not recommend freely dry firing it, as the mechanism is delicate.

A fantastic high end Cossack Miquelet pistol with beautiful appointments, ready to add to your collection and display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: c.1760-1800
Caliber: .51" Pistol
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 13 inches
Overall Length: 18 1/2 Inches
Action: Miquelet Lock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

History of the Miquelet Lock:
Miquelet lock is a modern term used by collectors and curators, largely in the English-speaking world, for a type of firing mechanism used in muskets
and pistols. It is a distinctive form of snaplock, originally as a flint-against-steel ignition form, once prevalent in Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Balkans, North Africa, Ottoman Empire and throughout Spain's colonies from the late 16th to the mid 19th centuries.

The term miquelet lock was not recorded until the 19th century, long after the appearance of the mechanism in the 16th century, and is of uncertain origin. One commonly held view is that it was coined by British troops in the Peninsular War to describe the style of musket used by the Miquelet (militia) that had been assigned to the Peninsular Army of the Duke of Wellington.

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.