Flint Pistol?

[Berks Liberty]

Hopefully the photos attach themselves.  Over this last weekend I was able to take a look at a flint pistol my friend has in his gun collection.  He is hopeing to identify who the maker is and if it is an America maker or Italian.  Any one have any ideas or suggestions.  I am leaning towards Italian made.  I have a close up of some hard to read writing on the lock.  The sad thing is the lock is not fully together. 

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

Know very little of pistols, but this one not likely American

[JCKelly]

The name on the barrel appears to be Italian.

There was a Cominazo family, fine gun makers about 1600 A.D. The best known was Lazarino Cominazo. Other makers engraved some variation of his name on their barrels, to imply they were made by THE  Cominazo.

[Berks Liberty]

I was pretty much set on Italian but I wasn't familiar with the name on the barrel.  I am still trying to piece together the words on the lock.  Thanks for the feed back.

[keweenaw]

Sometimes it's easier to see what the writing on a lock or other part says if you take a rubbing of it.  Put a piece of plain paper over the writing on that lock and rub over it with the side of a soft pencil tip. 

[smart dog]

Hi Jason,
The hardware on the pistol is definitely European and probably from the 17th century.  The name "tunato lazarino" could be Fortunato Lazarino Cominazzo who was a famous barrel maker in Brescia, Italy during the 17th century. Many in his family were imprisoned or executed after an uprising against the government of Venice in 1696.  Unfortunately there are many fake Cominazzo barrels out there and I am suspicious because the barrel doesn't say Cominazzo.  The was also a Lazarino family of Italian gunmakers during the same time, but I have never seen a reference to a Tunato or Fortunato Lazarino. I can't make out any complete words from the engraving on the lock plate.  However, it is definitely from the 17th or very early 18th century.  I'll bet it has no internal bridle for the tumbler.  The stock is very ungainly and not typical of the slim and elegant Italian pistols I have seen.  Most of those pistols also did not have nose caps. I wonder if some colonial or provincial maker (maybe in America) assembled a crude gun from the old parts.

dave

[Berks Liberty]

Hi Jason,
The hardware on the pistol is definitely European and probably from the 17th century.  The name "tunato lazarino" could be Fortunato Lazarino Cominazzo who was a famous barrel maker in Brescia, Italy during the 17th century. Many in his family were imprisoned or executed after an uprising against the government of Venice in 1696.  Unfortunately there are many fake Cominazzo barrels out there and I am suspicious because the barrel doesn't say Cominazzo.  The was also a Lazarino family of Italian gunmakers during the same time, but I have never seen a reference to a Tunato or Fortunato Lazarino. I can't make out any complete words from the engraving on the lock plate.  However, it is definitely from the 17th or very early 18th century.  I'll bet it has no internal bridle for the tumbler.  The stock is very ungainly and not typical of the slim and elegant Italian pistols I have seen.  Most of those pistols also did not have nose caps. I wonder if some colonial or provincial maker (maybe in America) assembled a crude gun from the old parts.

dave

Thanks for the getting back to me. We figured it was Italian made.  I have to get my buddy to do a transfer of the engraving on the lock to see what it looks like or rather what it says.  Thanks again. 

Jason

[keweenaw]

I should have mentioned that another good way to visualize what's on the lock, besides doing a rubbing, would be to do a smoke print.  If you can remove the lock, smoke the area with the writing evenly by holding it in a candle flame.  This won't hurt the lock in any way.  After it's smoked put a piece of scotch tape over the writing and wipe across it with a finger.  Peel off the tape and stick it on a sheet of white paper.  You'll be amazed at the detail that can be read after it's reduced to a black and white image.  Once you're done the soot can easily be wiped off the lock and a light coat of oil applied.  You can also do this with the lock in the pistol if you're careful to keep the flame and heat off the wood.

Tom