The gunsmith who made the flintlock rifle from the Gatchina Palace and Estate Museum collection is unknown. However, there is enough evidence confirming that it was made in Egypt in the early 18th century. All the stock is covered with plates of white bone. The largest plates are made of walrus tusk, a rather exotic material for the Ottoman Empire. The bone plates are richly inlaid with round inserts of various sizes. The inserts in their turn are filled with tiny pieces of white and green bone, horn and copper, which form flowers and stars. On the stock there are bazels with pink, green and blue pieces of cut glass. Such decorations are believed to be typical for the weapons of Sultan of Egypt’s guards in the first half of the 18th century. It should be mentioned that the use of bayonets was severely disapproved in the Ottoman Empire up to the 19th century, so even service guns had no mounts for bayonets. The forged barrel of the rifle is made of Damascus steel. It is round in section with a narrow flat plane along the top. By the muzzle the barrel is reinforced with a protruding band. At the breech end there is an arch-shaped sight with an aperture hole. The oblong front sight is made of brass. The bore has seven semi-circular grooves. The breech end of the barrel is decorated with an image of a flower vase inlaid with gold. Above it there is an undecipherable round golden mark. The vase is framed with stylised floral and geometric patterns. The muzzle end is decorated with images of an arch and a palmette inlaid with gold. The reinforcing band is adorned with gilded round motifs. A small part of the barrel next to the band is decorated with embossed parallel slanting lines. The stock along all its length is inlaid with brass inserts in the form of various arches, as well as with small brass circles filled with tiny pieces of white and green bone, horn and copper. These pieces form images of flowers and stars. The space between oblong bone plates is filled with silver chains. The ramrod is wooden with a brass tip. The barrel is fixed to the stock with a screw, which goes through the stock up to the tang of the breech, as well as with two barrel bands.
№31 Flintlock rifle
Время создания
early 18th century
Место создания
Egypt, Ottoman Empire
Размер
overall length — 157,5 cm; barrel length — 121 cm; calibre — 12,5 mm
Техника
forging, casting, wood and bone carving, painted bone, engraving, gilding, inlay with gold, inlay, glass cutting
Коллекция
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№31 Flintlock rifle
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Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation
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№31 Flintlock rifle
Время создания
early 18th century
Место создания
Egypt, Ottoman Empire
Размер
overall length — 157,5 cm; barrel length — 121 cm; calibre — 12,5 mm
Техника
forging, casting, wood and bone carving, painted bone, engraving, gilding, inlay with gold, inlay, glass cutting
Коллекция

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