Hey Folks - Yep it's been a while, I still check in on the forum once a week, but have been swamped with projects (including a house renovation... the previous owner fancied himself a carpenter, but I wouldn't have given him a set of Legos to play with...).
I've been spending a lot more time doing restoration work for customers, including the owner of this pistol. As it arrived from the auction house, it had a small broken piece from the side of the muzzle, as shown in the Contemporary Makers Blog. I had the lock out for repairs, though the barrel stayed in the stock, as it would have caused damage to try to remove it. The barrel was probably between .5 and .6 cal, smoothbore of course, though I didn't measure it except to confirm it wasn't loaded. The barrel was about 6" long or so. There was some discussion as to whether it was a composite gun made with an earlier lock and barrel.
I've no doubt that the lock and barrel were made at the same time, and the guard and buttcap likely were the same age. The sideplate is a bit of an anomaly, as is the carving, which has the appearance of later French styling. Hard to say exactly, but my thoughts as I had it in hand were that it was all original, late 17th or early 18th century.
It's definitely a civilian piece, following the general style of the period, though with a shorter barrel than was typical at the time.
-Eric
