percussion pistol

[bleiburg1945]

Percussion pistol -
military or civilian? German states or Austria?
Thanks

[Kilian]

I believe this to be an 18th century flintlock pistol, converted to percussion in the mid 19th century. With the option to fit a detachable rifle butt.

In my view the decorations are too ornate for it to be a military issue pistol, although it could have been a privately purchased gun by an officer.

The brass plate on the back of the grip may have a family crest or so engraved, but I don’t know what it is. There seems to be something like a two letters monogram engraved on top of the barrel, but the picture is too unsharp for me. Then there is an engraving on the top of the barrel, which I also cannot make out. It appears to say ….. Mehlis, or perhaps even Meklis. Zella Mehlis was a town of gunmakers in Germany, but I don’t believe the first word on the barrel says, or said, Zella. I would expect the name of the gunmaker on that spot. Again the picture could be sharper.

[bleiburg1945]

Thank you for the info.
The inscription reads: IN MEHLIS

[Gwar]

Anschutz family- Suhl & Zella Mehlis – German Hunting Guns

[Kilian]

Anschütz was only one of many gunmakers in that town. Zella-Mehlis exists since 1919 when the towns of Zella en Mehlis merged. This gun was made well over a century before that merger, when Mehlis still was an independent town.

The issue I have is that just “in Mehlis” does not make any sense to me. There needs to be a name in front of that, but there is not much space there for a long name, such as … Anschütz and precisely that part of the barrel is pitted by corrosion and unsharp in the picture.

[AndyB]

Similar opinion on it as Kilian, the no.3 speaks for large owners collection, nobility, he numbered his pistols in collection, this was developed with attachable extra buttstock probably, conversion from flint to percussion lock. there was probably name as Mehlis is location, question remains too the sideplate should be maker marked too. The extra engraving speaks for extra weapon, the crest of owner should be found, the crown speaks for range of nobility.