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Originally Posted by Oliver Pinchot
Great find, Eftihis.
It retains most of the characteristics of the Catalonian guns from which it is derived.
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I disagree. The shoulder stocks on long guns characteristic of Cataluņa have a distinct "boot shaped" profile, with a prominent angular "toe". Very early ones were of elliptical section but soon the characteristic cross-section became flattened, with squared-off bottom contour. See this photoprint from W Keith Neal's
Spanish Guns and Pistols showing the progression over quite a long time, speaking to the longevity of this very conservative design in Spain.,
The stock of the gun under discussion here is a design originating in the gunmaking center of Brescia, in the Italian region of Lombardy. Compare the profile of the gun on this thread to these line drawings from Nolfo di Carpegna's
Brescian Firearms. Note that this style comes in both elliptical and polygonal cross-sections. The profiles are rather consistent, and are distinct from those of Catalan guns. Looking at these, it's not hard to see where the design of the
dzheferdar stock came from. Considering the role that the Republic of Venice played in the politics and economy of the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean for centuries, and the importance of the arms trade in its mercantile activities.