Lacaille Pistol

[CutlassCollector]

Originally Posted by corrado26

The complete signature on the barrel reads "Fourni par Lacaille......" It follows that Lacaille was not the manufacturer, but probably just the dealer who sold the pistol. As a gunsmith, he would most likely have inscribed his name on the lock plate - as was common practice.
One more word about hair pulls: They are by no means an invention of Boutet or only appeared towards the end of the 18th century. As early as 1550, the Augsburg gunsmith Augustin Kutter was cutting hairlines into barrels.

Hello corrado and thanks for that - I was hoping that someone would have seen that inscription before. So now it reads.

'Provided by Lacaille the elder of Blois'

Fernando, I did not know that about the fourbisseurs and you were right. It makes me think that the first word has been intentionally removed to imply the more famous Lacaille gunmaker.
Which would be a strange sort of vandalism as it does seem like a quality pistol.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by CutlassCollector

...'Provided by Lacaille the elder of Blois'...

... And what French letters are written that brought to the 'elder' conclusion ?

[CutlassCollector]

Originally Posted by fernando

... And what French letters are written that brought to the 'elder' conclusion ?

Hi Fernando,

I'm just going on google translate for Ainé - but correct me if that is wrong!

[fernando]

Originally Posted by CutlassCollector

Hi Fernando,

I'm just going on google translate for Ainé - but correct me if that is wrong!

Correct .
So, the 'younger' (son ?) was already operating at the time. Interesting.

[corrado26]

Lacaille l'ainé was Lacaille, Michel Charles *1799 and working at Blois in 1847; he was the son of Lacaille, Michel-Leclerc. (l'ainé is the French word for "the first born").

[fernando]

A prize for Udo, the best .

[CutlassCollector]

Originally Posted by corrado26

Lacaille l'ainé was Lacaille, Michel Charles *1799 and working at Blois in 1847; he was the son of Lacaille, Michel-Leclerc. (l'ainé is the French word for "the first born").

Thank you, Udo, such good information!

But that seems to indicate a connection with Lacaille as gunmakers rather than suppliers. Perhaps they were both?

I am wondering if the lack of a makers name on the lock plate is an indication that it has been converted from flintlock to percussion. I don't know how to tell. Does the plate get replaced? The wood to metal fit around the lock is certainly not as good as the other side.

[corrado26]

The arrow marks a place on the lock plate that looks as if the screw hole for the screw of the former battery spring was located there. This would prove that this is a former flintlock pistol that was converted to the percussion system. It would be conceivable that in this case the signature of the lock plate was removed after it had been softened.