Original item. Only One Available. Well this is something that we have not had before! At first glance it looks like a Napoleonic Era French Modèle An XIII Cavalry Pistol, which was later converted to percussion like many other arms in the 1840s. However, closer inspection shows that it is actually a period Italian made copy, which matches the French pattern almost exactly. You can see a very similar example here at the Antique Pistols website: 18th Century Bresciani AN XIII Model Pistol, though unlike our example it was not converted to percussion.

Like most flintlocks still in service, it was later converted to utilize the new percussion cap system. This involved replacing the original flintlock hammer with a percussion one, and also removal of the pan, frizzen, and frizzen spring. We can clearly see on the lock plate where these removed items used to be, and noted that while the cap bolster is not mounted where the French arsenals would, the bolster is still very much in the French style.

The pistol is marked on the lock plate with M'ra R'le / di Napoli, or the Manifattura Reale di Napoli (Royal Manufactory of Naples), which very much copies the French style of arsenal markings. We checked the lock, and it is still fully functional, holding at half cock and firing at full. It features all brass mounts on walnut wood stock fitted with large skull crusher butt cap, and is marked with date 1827 on the left side of the barrel nocks form. The tang of the barrel is marked 3' S' / N' / 41., which is not a marking that we understand.

Overall condition is very good considering the age and amount of service it must have seen. The metalwork has a pleasing peppery patina, showing great age and repeated past cleaning to remove oxidation. The stock is in good shape, showing moderate wear, though there is a chunk missing on the left side next to the nose band. The loading rammer is still present, though we were not able to get it to come all the way out of the channel, probably due to past oxidation.

A very interesting Italian made copy of a French Napoleonic pistol, ready for further research and display!

Specifications:-

Year of Manufacture: circa 1827
Caliber: .69" Pistol
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 7 3/4 inches
Overall Length: 14 1/4 inches
Action: Flintlock Side Action
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

The Pistolet modèle An XIII was a flintlock cavalry pistol, in service in French units from 1806 until 1812. It was mostly inspired by the Pistolet modèle An IX, which it succeeded, but also incorporated elements of the Navy pistolet modèle 1786, notably the barrel mountings. Over 300 000 pistols were made, mostly between 1806 and 1814 in Charleville, Maubeuge and St-Etienne. The Americans copied the design as the Harpers Ferry Pistol, and used it against the British during the War of 1812.

The Pistolet modèle An XIII was designed to equip mounted units, each horseman using two pistols. It was also used by the Navy. An improved version, known as the M1822, was produced after the Napoleonic Wars. They were kept in service well into the 1840s, at which date the pistols still in usage were converted to use percussion caps.

The model number for these is derived from the French Republican calendar, which counts 1792 as Année I (An I), with the year starting in late September. An IX began 23 September 1800, and An XIII began 23 September 1804

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