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Unusual Over & Under Belt Pistol with Patilla Style Miquelet Lock, c1690

Belt pistols have a large hook attached to their side or screw plate. They could be easily hung from a belt, saddle or sash. One contemporary illustration shows several belt pistols being carried at once on a type of shoulder belt called a baldric (Spanish: Xarpa) (1) (2).

Patilla style miquelet locks have a large external main spring. The spring exerts an upward force on the hammer`s heel. Two horizontal sears pass through the lock plate in front of the hammer. The lower one is the half cock sear. It locks the hammer`s toe in a safe position for loading and carrying the weapon. The upper one is the full cock sear. It prevents the hammer from falling until the trigger is pulled. The earliest known examples of this style are Spanish and date from the late 16th century (3).

Overview
Type: Over & Under Belt Pistol
Style: Miquelet, Patilla
Country: Spain, Ripoll
Overall Length: 8 3/4 inches
Barrel Length: 4 11/16 inches
Weight: 1 lb, 1 oz
Bore Diameter: .5 inches, Smooth
Stock: Walnut, Oblong Rounded Butt
Detailed Description
Multi-barrel firearms were extremely rare in the Iberian Peninsula. The style of this one suggest that it was made in Ripoll during the late 17th century. The the traditional patilla style miquelet lock has a minimal narrow waisted lock-plate without beveled edges. The hammer`s arm is crescent shaped. The spring bridles are engraved with floral patterns and have a rounded shape. The battery has a replaceable face (3). The pan is divided in two, with one chamber for each barrel. A removable plate isolates ignition to the top chamber and top barrel. This plate is locked in place when the frizzen is closed. The barrels are octagonal at the breech with floral engraving on the top barrel. The waist sections have three rings before the barrels transition to round. The top tang is engraved with a floral pattern and has a round gold-lined makers mark (punzon). The mark is indecipherable. The barrels are retained by two steel rings at the muzzle. These rings are fastened to a "U" shaped strap, which wraps around and attaches to the stock between the barrels. There is a steel ramrod thimble and ebony ramrod located forward of the lock between the barrels. The stock has a ringed oblong and rounded butt, with a floral engraved, inlaid and pierced, steel butt plate. There are similar pierced steel plates inlaid behind the top barrel tang and on the cheeks of the stock (4). The floral engraved trigger guard is attached to the bottom barrel tang on one end and pinned to the stock on the other. The simple side-plate has a serpentine belt hook.

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References
(1) Pistol Baldric / Xarpa, late 18th to early 19th century, Spain, Catalonia
The Metropolitan Museum of Art

(2) Tapestry by Francisco Goya, c1780
El resguardo de tabacos, Madrid, Museo del Prado

(3) The Spanish Lock, Page 157, 158, 166 and 184
A History of Spanish Firearms by Dr. James D. Lavin (1965)

(4) Inlaid or Overlaid Steel / Iron Plates, Page 190, 229, 232 and 233
A History of Spanish Firearms by Dr. James D. Lavin (1965)

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