Original European Continental "Versailles" Style Officer's Percussion Converted Pistol - Circa 1830

Original Item. Only One Available. This is a lovely European Officer's Pistol, made very much in the high end French style of the day, known as the "Versailles" style. Designed by famed gunsmith Nicolas-Noël Boutet, this pattern pistols were very popular and extensively made for French Officers. This example was almost certainly made in Liège, Belgium, a gunmaking center even today, which had been under French and then Dutch control until the early 1830s. It has a 7 inch barrel which is partly angular near the breech end, and also features a lovely embossed decorative plate on top of the barrel that is continuous with the front sight. There is another brass fitting at the rear that also comprises the rear sight.

The overall length is 11 3/4 inches, and the pistol is all brass mounted, save for the nose cap and ramrod tip, which are both lovely brown horn. We were not able to locate markings of any type on the pistol, and the pinned barrel precludes easily removing the barrel to check on the underside. It does however show a very high level of manufacture, so we definitely feel that it is European in origin, originally made as a flintlock and then converted to percussion, as we can see some plugged holes in the lock plate.

The walnut stock is checkered around the wrist and terminates in a lovely wide ring of the Versailles style, which in this case is octagonal, with the "corner" sides quite short, just as on the butt plate. We can also see some lovely figuring to the wood, which shows some lovely chatoyancy in the light. We did not notice any structural damage or major repairs to the pistol, though there is a crack on the left side near the muzzle running through one of the barrel securing pin locations.

A very nice European 'Versailles' style percussion pistol, ready to research and display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: circa 1840
Caliber: about .45" pistol
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 7 inches
Overall Length: 11 3/4 inches
Action: Flintlock Side Action with Set Trigger
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

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