Holster pistols are also known as horse pistols. These long and heavy weapons were made for use on horseback. They usually came in pairs along with connected holsters designed to be draped over the pommel of a saddle. The style originated in France during the latter half of the 17th century. By the early 18th century holster pistols were in wide use throughout Continental Europe and in England (1).

The Madrid style Miquelet lock began to appear in the late 17th century. The contemporary name for the style was "llave a la moda" (lock to fashion). The lock is French in appearance, but Spanish in operation. Unlike the traditional Miquelet lock known as the "patilla", the mainspring is mounted behind the lock-plate in the stock, but you can easily see where the horizontal sears engage the small projection on the breast and rear of the hammer (2).

The swamped barrel is octagonal at the breech with silver inlays consisting of flowers, crosses, and dots. It has well-worn, gold-lined makers marks (punzon) that appear to belong to Pedro Esteva (5). The counter-mark is the Barcelona coat-of-arms. Most of the gold lining on the marks has worn away and some of the silver inlays are missing. The barrel tang is engraved with a floral design. The waist section has one large ring with a border of two narrow rings followed by a chiseled design where the barrel transitions to round. The barrel is pinned to a full walnut stock with raised relief around the tang and a floral design behind it. The stock has some damage on one side near the muzzle and beside the tang. There are two brass ramrod pipes with chiseled rings and simple patterns. The ramrod is not the original. The barrel, lock-plate, side-plate, and brass ramrod pipes are all surrounded by raised relief on the stock. There is a empty brass escutcheon surrounded by scrolls and floral patterns. The stock has a ball & cheek style butt with long spurs. The butt is cast and chiseled in brass with scrolls, foliage, and simple patterns. Its pommel has a cherub style portrait. The Madrid style lock`s plate and cock are engraved with floral patterns. There is no makers mark on the lock, but the design is typical of the Deop family of makers. The side-plate and trigger guard are of cast brass, with foliage and simple patterns.