Item Description
Original Items: Only One Set Available. History tells us that in 1801 Captain William Bainbridge while chasing Barbary pirates outside the Harbor of Tripoli in a 44-gun frigate U.S.S. Philadelphia became embedded on a sandbank and his vessel was ultimately captured. He and his crew languished in a Tripoli dungeon for 19 months until a Treaty was signed on the 3rd of June 1805. The Barbary Pirates, dating back to very early times, were a very severe threat to international shipping right up until the French occupation of Algiers in 1830.
This brace of flintlock pistols are of Moroccan/Algerian origin and although every North African Bazaar has offered tourist copies for the last 200 years we feel there is reason to believe that this brace may have started life in the age of Piracy and were manufactured as weapons not souvenirs.
Once they were a true pair but at some stage no doubt during their working life one lock was lost and replaced by a locally made "flintlock" the original being the classic North African Miguelet lock of the era. At that time the ball trigger was replaced also on that single pistol.
The entire wood stocks are covered in ornately embossed brass sheeting and each pistol has a substantial skull crusher brass butt cap each inlaid with a single coral stone. The pistols appear to have had European style under the barrel ramrods, which are not present but these channels are not cut for full-length ramrods to be installed.
This form of non-functioning ramrods was only decorative to give the impression that these pistols were of European origin, thereby enhancing their value at the time. Ottoman fashion required ramrods to be carried separately usually on a neck strap.
The 12.25-inch barrels are heavily decorated with silver and each pistol has a silver nose cap. Various repairs are apparent especially on one trigger guard.
The best feature of this brace is the heavily decorated North African Miguelet lock on the unaltered pistol which even has a "dog catch" safety that is most unusual and would never be included on Bazaar grade souvenir.
These are an impressive size being 19-inches in overall length and represent an era of history which has become very close to many a school boy's heart, the Age of the Barbary Pirates.
- This product is not available for shipping in US state(s): New Jersey
This product is available for international shipping.
- IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to posses, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.
These antique guns are not sold in live condition. They are sold as collector’s items or as wall hangers. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.
- Not eligible for payment with Paypal or Amazon
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
