Original 19th Century Balkan Brass Clad Miquelet Lock Rat Tail “Pirate” Pistol – circa 1820 – 1850 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. These were often referred to as Miquelet “Rat Tail” Pistols because of the shape of the stock. These were the traditional muzzle loading pistol of the Balkans and Greece in the early to mid 1800s. Designed to be worn in a sash around one’s waist, the weapon is very streamlined in appearance. The stock on this example is almost entirely clad in lovely embossed and engraved sheet brass. The Miquelet ignition system is a hangover from High Quality Italian pistols of the 17th and early 18th centuries.

This is a particularly nice example retaining ALL its brass cladding, all complete and simply great. The engraved and embossed designs are lovely, and it has a nice faux ramrod under the barrel, as at sea the ramrod was usually carried on a strap around the neck. There are some small openings on the wrist, which is the only place where the wood under the brass can be seen. There are also some silver nail inlays next to these. The top of the barrel is decorated, though the design is now somewhat worn. Unlike most miquelets we see, the lock on this example is still fully functional! It even can be made to spark! 

These are just the weapons carried by Brigands and Pirates of the Mediterranean Sea that caused so much trouble to the Europeans in the early 1800s. Most decorative, with an intriguing ignition system, 20 1/2″ overall, this is one of the nicest examples of a Miquelet “Rat-Tail” pistol we have ever had.

Ready to Display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: Circa 1820 – 1850
Caliber: .65″ Pistol
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Overall Length: 20 1/2 inches
Barrel Length: 12 1/2 inches
Action: Miquelet Lock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

History of the Miquelet Lock:
Miquelet lock is a modern term used by collectors and curators, largely in the English-speaking world, for a type of firing mechanism used in muskets
and pistols. It is a distinctive form of snaplock, originally as a flint-against-steel ignition form, once prevalent in Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Balkans, North Africa, Ottoman Empire and throughout Spain’s colonies from the late 16th to the mid 19th centuries.

The term miquelet lock was not recorded until the 19th century, long after the appearance of the mechanism in the 16th century, and is of uncertain origin. One commonly held view is that it was coined by British troops in the Peninsular War to describe the style of musket used by the Miquelet (militia) that had been assigned to the Peninsular Army of the Duke of Wellington.

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