Help identifying flintlock pistol with odd safety mechanism

[Bishop54]

Greetings,
My father came across a flintlock pistol and he's looking to find some more about it. What we know so far is pretty little really. He's more of a shotgun guy but he saw this flintlock with what he and a lot of others think is some sort of crude safety mechanism and just had to have it. He's got a good eye for rare and odd things. He says there is a proof mark consisting of a triangle with a dot inside of it. Unfortunetly, I don't have pictures of the proof marks as of yet but I have others I will share. Any clue on the maker, year, model, or anything really will help a lot. No one online or anyone my Dad knows has ever seen anything with that mechanism on it.
Here's how it works, When the frizzen is closed and you push the button on top of the frizzen it allows a small plate to remain over the pan. When you re-close the frizzen it works like a normal frizzen where sparks get thrown in the pan the usual way.

 

[Bishop54]

Well a couple people on another forum thinks it's a French gun and by the sounds of it the safety device is a rare find. I'm still looking for more info if anyone can help.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I'm gonna say the frizzen modification is German, only because they have always liked over engineered stuff like that :shocked2: ..., not that over engineering is bad. :grin:


LD

 

[RADeO]

That is a very interesting pistol! Unfortunately I can't give you any clues as to its lineage, but I do thank you for posting the pictures.

One or more of the folks here will certainly help you out with additional information. Just sit tight. :thumbsup:

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
My first impression is that the pistol is a restock cobbled together using old parts. The only proof mark that is a triangle that I can find is a secondary proof used on Austrian guns after 1882. The lock might be Austrian from the 18th century, possibly military in origin. The trigger guard is from a late 1700s Austrian cavalry pistol. The separate pan cover and battery are occasionally found on continental European guns beginning in the mid 1700s. In his book "Great British Gunmakers 1740-1790", Keith Neal shows a very fine John Twigg dueling pistol with the same device that was made in the 1770's.

dave

 

[Bishop54]

Thanks a lot everyone for the help. There are more proof marks which I will take pictures of tomorrow and share them here. If it is indeed a "Frankenstein" gun then my Dad will be crushed. He thought he may have a gem here.

 

[Many Klatch]

He still has a gem, it is a composite gun instead of a new made original piece. It looks like a shooter.

Many Klatch

 

[Bishop54]

As promised here is the proof mark.

Here you'll see a little crescent which is located on the top of the barrel. My Dad seems to think it may be a very worn out makers mark. He thinks he sees bird feathers.

Dave, my Dad wanted me to tell you that he believes that grip end of the stock has been replaced.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
The triangular proof is not what I was envisioning. I have not seen that mark before. Of what I am pretty certain is that the trigger guard is from a model 1798 Austrian cavalry pistol. The lock could also be a special variant of an Austrian military lock from that time. The barrel is an odd ball. Is it possible that the mark on top is a crescent moon with a star?

dave

 

[Bishop54]

Dave, have you come across a moon and star proof mark before? I'm going to post other pictures of the entire gun either tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Bishop54]

More pictures as promised.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Thanks for the extra photos. I am virtually certain that the lock, sideplate, trigger, and trigger guard are from an Austrian model 1798 cavalry pistol. The muzzlecap looks like it is from a late 18th century Austrian military rifle, however it appears to be one piece with the front ramrod thimble. Austrian rifles generally did not have ramrods, which were carried separately by the soldiers. The stock has French styling. Perhaps, it is a gun made in France using parts from Austrian weapons captured during one of Napoleon's campaigns. I asked about a crescent moon and star because another possibility is it is Turkish made from captured Austrian parts. The stock does not have typical Turkish styling but the Ottomans were friendly with the French and perhaps French styles were a fashion. The turks warred with the Austrians for many centuries right up to the 19th. Keep in mind that I am guessing and speculating. I really don't know about any of those barrel markings. I am certain however, that the pistol was a restock by someone using parts salvaged from Austrian military guns.

dave

 

[Bishop54]

Thank you once again for passing on your vast knowledge to my father and I, we truly appreciate. Am I correct in thinking it is near impossible to place a value on this gun?

 

[Many Klatch]

You haven't said what caliber this pistol is or whether it is rifled or not. That will make a difference in the value.

Many Klatch

 

[Bishop54]

I talked to my Dad tonight and he said it's approximately a 60 caliber smooth bore.