Original Belgian Boxlock Blunderbuss Pocket Percussion Pistol by Auguste Francotte of Liège – circa 1840 Original Items

Original Item. Only One Available. This is a lovely Belgian Blunderbuss Pocket Pistol, made very much in the design of typical Boxlock Percussion pistols. It does not have any maker marks on the sides of the boxlock, but on the underside of the breech it is marked with some faded numbers over a CROWN / AF marking for Auguste Francotte & Co. of Liège. This was a very well-known and prolific firearms manufacturer, who made many guns under contract to countries all over the world. They also made some improved versions of existing guns, such as the Martini-Henry. Founded in 1810, the company was still in operation until the WWII era.

This lovely pistol measures approximately 8 1/2 inches in length, with a 3 1/2 inch “swamped” blunderbuss barrel. We do see a joint at the breech area, so it may have been a “turn off” barrel, but it is now definitely solidly frozen. It may also just be a joint from the manufacture. The sides of the action have some lovely engraving on both sides, and the bottom of the trigger guard looks to have a “spider web” engraved on it. The metalwork shows a lovely aged patina. We tested the functionality, and the lock holds correctly at half cock, firing at full. It is a bit stiff, and the cap nipple cone under the hammer is partly broken away.

The grip is a lovely bird’s head shape, with some great carving near the lock, and great checkering on both sides. It shows light wear, with some dirt or wax residue in the checkering, which could probably be cleaned away. We do not see any cracks or other issues.

A lovely Belgian Blunderbuss Pistol made by a very well-known maker, ready to research and display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: circa 1840
Caliber: Blunderbuss
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball / Shot & Powder
Barrel Length: 3 1/2 inches
Overall Length: 8 1/2 inches
Action: Percussion Boxlock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

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