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 barrel is octagonal at the breech, has silver floral inlays, and the gold-lined makers marks (punzon) of Joan Peresteva. The counter-mark is the Barcelona coat-of-arms. Most of the gold lining has worn away and some of the silver inlays are missing. The barrel tang has a chiseled floral pattern. There is a multi-ringed waist section with chiseled designs before the barrel transitions to round. The barrel is pinned to a full walnut stock with floral patterns in raised relief around the tang. The barrel, lock-plate, side-plate, and brass ramrod pipes are all surrounded by raised relief on the stock and there is a raised relief floral pattern where an escutcheon would normally be placed. There are two brass ramrod pipes with chiseled rings and floral patterns. The ramrod is not the original. The stock has a ball & cheek style butt with long spurs. One of the spurs has been repaired. The butt is cast and chiseled in brass with masks, scrolls, foliage and trophies of arms. Its pommel has an applied silver portrait in profile. The Madrid style lock has a gold-lined makers mark. The mark probably belongs to a member of the Deop family of makers. Again, most of the gold lining has worn away. The lock-plate is also engraved with trophies of arms. The side-plate is of cast brass with chiseled scrolls, foliage and trophies of arms. It has an applied silver illustration of a stag being chased by a dog. The trigger guard is of cast brass with a chiseled mask, foliage and a applied silver portrait in profile.