Original French Flintlock Overcoat Pistol by Mollet of Brest with Relief Carved Stock and Gold Etched Barrel – Circa 1760 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Here we have a lovely mid 18th Century French flintlock overcoat pistol, all iron mounted with lovely etched gold embellishments on the top of the barrel. The fittings are all sculpted and decorated either engraving, and the wood stock has some beautiful relief-carved designs around the fittings. The lock is marked Mollet a Brest, indicating it was made or retailed by Mollet of Brest. We have researched this maker, and were not able to find any gunmakers by this name, but there are definitely other flintlock pistols with this lock marking. Brest is a port city in the far west of Brittany, France.

The pistol is small and easily concealable in an overcoat pocket, the design being essentially a scaled down flintlock officer’s pistol of the time, with a lovely long eared butt cap and decoratively shaped mountings. The pistol measures just 11 ½ inches overall with a 6 ⅜” smooth barrel of about 0.55″ in bore. It also features a ramrod under the barrel, which look to be original and still removes easily! It even has a loop on the smaller end for a cleaning mop. This definitely looks to have been a pistol made for a well-heeled customer.

Condition is very nice, showing wear from age and use, and shows a lovely aged patina on the metalwork, making the gold easier to see on the barrel. The wood stock is in very good shape, though there are some repaired splits on the fore stock near the muzzle, as we often see on these older pistols. The lock is fully functional, holding at half cock and firing at full.

A charming example with some beautiful gold etching, ready to research and display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: circa 1760
Caliber: about 0.55″
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Overall Length: 11 ½ inches
Barrel Length: 6 ⅜ inches
Action: Flintlock side action
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country’s antique gun laws prior to ordering.