Original 17th Century Italian Engraved Snaphaunce Musket Lock - Fully Functional

Original Item: One of a Kind. This is an amazing 17th Century Italian snaphaunce lock, unsigned but beautifully made and fully functional! The lock plate measures 6 1/4" by 1 3/4", which would definitely indicate it is for a sizeable gun, most likely a musket or carbine of some sort. There are holes for two lock screws, which both still show faint threads, but would almost certainly need to be re-threaded if this was to be fitted to a stock and barrel. It is a beautiful multi-piece construction design, and even features a sliding cover for the flash pan, definitely an advanced design. The lock cocks and dry fires, and there is no provision for a half cock position.

A great Italian snaphaunce lock, probably around 350 years old. Ready to research and display!

History of the Snaphaunce Lock:

A snaphance or snaphaunce is a type of lock for firing a gun or is a gun using that mechanism. The name is Dutch in origin but the mechanism can not be attributed to the Netherlands with certainty. It is the mechanical progression of the wheellock firing mechanism, and along with the miquelet lock and doglock are predecessors of the flintlock mechanism. It fires from a flint struck against a striker plate above a steel pan to ignite the priming powder which fires the gun. Examples of this firearm can be found through Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

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