Original Item: One of a Kind. Belgium as we know it today was only established in 1830, when the population rebelled against Dutch rule. Prior to that, most of the country had been known as Flanders and other local areas, which were possessions of Spain, France and Holland over the prior several hundreds of years. Belgium would become an Industrial powerhouse, with its great capacity coming from the City of Liège, where gun making was a key industry. They would end up supplying Military Weapons all over Europe, especially after 1832 once it had established its own government.

This specific type of Naval or Sea Service Flintlock Pistol was manufactured in Belgium, which was under Napoleon Bonaparte's control until 1814. Most that we have seen were issued to the Dutch / Batavian Navy, which was part of Napoleon's forces, however production continued after the battle of Waterloo in 1815 and into the 1830's.

We often see these with various different markings on the lock plate or barrel, indicating where they were used. One of these would be "CROWN over DN", indicating "Delft Nederlandse", indicating it was processed at arsenal in the Netherlands before being dispersed into service. We did not see that marking on this example, however we did notice the remains of a long script marking on the top of the barrel, which was originally almost certainly the name of a ship in the Batavian / Dutch navy during the Napoleonic wars. As these continued in service after the end of Napoleon and the Batavian navy, the marking was most likely removed. We can see some partial proof marks on the left side of the barrel breech, and it is also marked on the top with an E / L G / * in an Oval proof, indicating manufacture in Liège, Belgium. This marking was introduced in 1810 to satisfy French requirements.

There is no provision for ramrod, the mounts are all of brass and the grade of manufacture is really quite high. Probably one of the most encountered original flintlock martial pistols from Europe encountered to day. The pistol is fitted with a 9" barrel that has a bore of about 0.69", bearing the correct proofs of the era. Its overall length is about 15 1/2" and it has a large lanyard ring on the bottom of the brass mounted butt cap. Overall condition is really quite nice, and the brass fittings have a lovely mellow patina. We checked the lock, and it is fully functional, holding at half cock and firing at full.

The stock does show wear overall from service, with small scratches and dents, but there are no structural cracks or other damage that we can see. There is staining on the wood around the barrel and lock from the iron / steel oxidizing and dripping down onto the wood, very common at sea. There is also a bit of wood missing near the nose cap on the right side.

A Lovely Dutch Napoleonic Naval flintlock pistol, ready to research and display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: circa 1815
Caliber: .69" Pistol
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 9 Inches
Overall Length: 15 1/2 Inches
Action: Flintlock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

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IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.