Double Barrel Cap and Ball Pistol
Nice little percussion double barrel. My eyes are getting better at spotting the markings mixed in with 160 years of wear and tear. On this gun, on the side of the right barrel is a small crown over the letter U. I read this was an inspector's mark but I don't know if there is any way of connecting it with a particular name. On the left barrel is the Liege oval with the interior of E/LG/star. From looking at similar guns in some antique gun books I estimate the DOM as 1846-1860. (Based on one source that said this ELGstar mark started being used on handguns in 1846) It looks to be of average quality, not of any high value. Any info narrowing down the make, model, and true DOM would be appreciated.
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The barrels appear to be of the turn off type, i.e. they are internally threaded and unscrew. The mechanism with internal hammers is known as a box lock. The model would be known as a generic pocket pistol, similar to the one in your previous photo. Although the double barrels make it less common, and more valuable.
The "Crown U" is normally found on firearms proved in Germany. It's extremely odd to find this proof on a mid 19th Century Belgian made pistol, as the German proofs weren't legally instituted until the 1890's. My WAG is that it was probably sold as a used pistol in German, during the late 19th Century.0 -
Andy yours is about as typical as it gets for a simple mid 19th century pocket pistol - other than its double barrel. I doubt it will be possible to ID it much further than the info you already had and rufe offered. Probably too cheap to be a turn-off type but you should be able to ascertain whether or not.
Re turn-off pistols--without exception in my half cenury of experience, either have a projecting lug on the exterior near the breech to engage a ring spanner or they have what looks like square rifling in the muzzle that engages with a squared end of its bullet mold acting as its turn-off wrench. Always present if not obliterated are found alignment marks barrel-to-breech. Never saw a turn-off with other than a round barrel.
Turn-off technology is rarely discussed. It appeared in general use around 1700 in the Queen Anne type flint pistols. The breech is bored with a cavity that serves as its powder measure, the ball is placed over it and the barrel is screwed on. The bore of the barrel is a little smaller than the ball which assures a good fit of ball to accurately bored barrel minimizing loss of pressure.
The design could maximize accuracy for a smooth bore. My failing memory seems to recall a 1600s story about Prince Rupert hitting the weather cock on top of a steeple twice with his pair of military turn-offs.0 -
Thanks guys. I'll be back over in the museum property room this afternoon. I'll take a look to see if they are turn off barrels. The Belgium/Germany conflict will make an interesting footnote on the gun's documentation. I thought maybe the crown/U was a specific inspector at Liege. But, it is quite possible the gun crossed the border into Germany and then came across the pond with a German immigrant. 0 -
(Crown)(letter) was the Belgian inspector's mark before 1877. After that it was a star over the letter. 0 -
Thanks Hawk. That makes sense. Of course, you just ruined the curator's day. I was going to tell her the two conflicting proofmarks meant she had a million dollar antigue. LOL [:D] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Hawk Carse
(Crown)(letter) was the Belgian inspector's mark before 1877. After that it was a star over the letter.
Just got home and reviewed my reference book on Proof Marks, ("The Standard Directory of Proof Marks") by Wirnsberger. According to him the Belgian Proof Marks in use from the mid 1850's had the standard inspectors marking of a Star over a Capitol Letter for a specific inspector. The only Proof Mark with a Crown is the one used with the Capitol Letter R, to be used as the standard proof for Black and Semi-Smokeless powders on various firearms. Nothing at all was mentioned regarding a Crown U marking in use, as any kind of proof or inspectors marking.0
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