Ends October 27, 2022
19th Century Victorian Historismus Wheelock Sword-Pistol
40" blade length. 28.5" barrel length. 57.5" overall with hilt. SN: NSN. A composite wheelock sword-pistol likely dating to the Victorian period and consisting of a single edged sword blade with sickle shaped tip curving down from muzzle. Item features a bare metal finish overall with barrel and grips showing vignettes of armor-clad knights battling a dragon. Cruciform guard's quillons terminate in a pair of grotesque devil masks with elongated chins. Quillons show two knights battling with spears on opposite sides of grip. Steel grip continues the knightly motif from barrel and terminates in a round pommel retained by peened tang. Blade is attached to the barrel with two rivets on socket mount near muzzle and with a screw to left side. Back of blade shows dragon designs within stippling. To one side of the piece is attached a retaining plate again mounted with screws to which is attached a wheel-lock mechanism. Wheel-lock is engraved with dragon motif to cock and a grotesque mask to spring mount. Crank is flanked by two more armored figures carrying shields embellished with grinning faces. No winding key is present. Trigger protrudes beneath mounting plate near quillon. Jaws of cock contain a leather-wrapped flint rather than the more appropriate pyrite. Item does show a touch hole through barrel at cock, but as a curio fake it is unlikely to be functional and could not be manipulated safely even if functional due to the blade running along the entire barrel. Cock can be manipulated and lowered while cover plate for wheel is spring loaded and works correctly.
Condition:
Good. Bore is dark with some oxidation and patina throughout. Patches of oxidation visible on both sides of blade and in places along barrel. Pommel shows oxidation around iron mounting rivet. Cock can be manipulated and lowered while cover plate for wheel is spring loaded and works correctly but item cannot be considered safe to shoot as it was built as a humorous curio.
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