Old fire arm of some sort...

[curious kat]

So...here's an old, some kind of gun, anyone know what, when or where about it? Thanks much!

 

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[Red James Cash]

Need markings or close ups if possible.All i can tell you now is its percussion,possibly converted from a flintlock.

 

[curious kat]

Sorry, forgot to say that it does have " Damas Fin" in gold letters on top of barrel and that's about it.

 

[Red James Cash]

All i found so far is Damas Fin means "fine damascus".Being damascus,dont fire it,the barrel could blow.There might be a name or marks if you took it apart.Look in the barrel,Is it a smooth bore or does it have rifling.

 

[curious kat]

It looks to old to fire, falling apart old! Looked inside the barrel....if anything it's not perfectly rounded, sort of octagon, like almost lines going down...but dirty, so hard to tell. When you look close it has pretty etching all over, I mean everywhere.... like it's for "show" more than shooting! Me, take it apart...lol....it would probably "fall" apart!

 

[DizzyDigger]

Definitely has a French look to it, especially with the engraving.
Wondering if this could have been one of a set of dueling pistols?

 

[Red James Cash]

Good guess DD.Thats why I wanted to know if it was rifled.Dueling pistols were always smoothbore.I also just noticed that it had sights,it could of been a target pistol.

 

[curious kat]

I'll just sit here while you guys talk about it since this "gun" stuff is over my head ......thanks guys for trying to figure it out!

 

[WolfmoonX]

Some close-up shots of any and all the markings will help.

 

[curious kat]

Hello WolfmoonX.....the only markings are the crisp gold words on top of barrel that say "Damas Fin", if you zoom in you can see a little. I can take a picture of it, should have before right? duh!

 

[yelnif]

I think you have a flint lock pistol that was converted to percussion. The side plate with the hammer/ nipple has extra screw holes which would have been used to mount the flintlock hammer mechanism. The flash pan was replaced with the nipple. It is my understanding that this conversion was quite common as this was more reliable than the flintlock.

 

[Tejaas]

I figured I'd pass some info along.

Definitely Belgian. The most widespread manufacturer of "Wall Hangers" and "Mantle Magnets" Haha!

The dead giveaway is the grip being capped and spired as it is. The floral script is an added confirmation. If I had to guess, based only on the pictures at hand...1825-1845.
.
"Damas Fin" is one of the "rarer" metallurgical proof inscriptions, but even it is still very common on examples.

("Damas Turc" or "Damas Turc Fin" being the most prevalent.)

The "Damas" markings were NOT strictly Belgian, so I will eliminate the other "Damas" proof users below with reasoning.

- If it was English, it would either be Tower-manufactured and have the royal crown, or it would have been privately commissioned by the individual/family/presenter and would VERY prominently display the smith's name, often with a city or even street name following.

- If it was German, 90% of the percussion pieces I have dealt with displayed hunting or wild game scenes/engraving. Very elegant, firearms and hunting were more of a "gentleman" associated sport/hobby. Also, German pieces always have stamped proofs.

- I've never seen an unmarked French percussion piece. I doubt they exist. You can also rule French manufacture out due to the economy at the time of this pistols' probable manufacture. France was the king of plain-jane walnut stocks, with lock plates blank except for proof stamps.

- Italian - you'd know it If it was. It'd have "Italia" stamped in probably two or three places, and/or identified by an arsenal property proof.

- Lastly, American.
American earlier-manufactured flintlock and percussion pieces are notorious for being unmarked. Think "garage gunsmith". HOWEVER, productions were often rude and crude, and didn't display a whole lot of ornate craftsmanship or fine detail. Also, the full length stock is not too consistent with American percussion pieces of the era.

I hope this provided some insight, and thank you for the opportunity to talk about firearms!

 

[curious kat]

Wow, thank you guys for all of the info! And fellow Texan Tejaas, my pleasure and thank you for talk'n !

 

[Tejaas]

Wow, thank you guys for all of the info! And fellow Texan Tejaas, my pleasure and thank you for talk'n !

Anytime!

¡Hasta Luego!

 

[texasred777]

I'm not very familiar with such; but wasn't the Damascus barrels always round? Probably not, but just a thought that struck me when I went back for a second look.

 

[Tejaas]

I'm not very familiar with such; but wasn't the Damascus barrels always round? Probably not, but just a thought that struck me when I went back for a second look.

Not at all, "Damascus" is use to describe either the iron/steel forging process, or the artistic pattern.

Between old guns and new, Ive seen round, hex, half round/half hex, fluted, and even some ridiculously stupid looking spiraled barrels!

 

[curious kat]

Just a few more pictures of the gun for you guys.....

 

[Archaic98]

I believe the distinction being made is between damascus twist -- a technique used in manufacture of shotgun barrels -- and Damascus steel -- a prized grade in its time.

 

[Tejaas]

I believe the distinction being made is between damascus twist -- a technique used in manufacture of shotgun barrels -- and Damascus steel -- a prized grade in its time.

Haha, any chance you are a bladesmith?

I was being rather vague, my apologies.

The "Damascus Twist" or "Damascus Method", extended beyond just scattergun barrels, as it only required the Skelp being wrapped around a mandrel.

A "Hex" (octagon) barrel is produced in the exact same method, with just a bit more hammering once the blank is off the mandrel.

 

[gunsil]

Good guess DD.Thats why I wanted to know if it was rifled.Dueling pistols were always smoothbore.I also just noticed that it had sights,it could of been a target pistol.

Dueling pistols most certainly were NOT always smoothbore!! Many fine rifled examples exist.