Mystery Gun

[Evan Hill]

Can anyone help me identify this gun. My dad lives on this website and said there are many gun enthusiasts that might be able help me solve this mystery. I inherited this blunderbuss at young age from my grandfather when he passed away, so I never was able to hear the history of where it came from. My dad has shown me the wealth of knowledge on here from guys like @Red Leg and @rookhawk. Hopefully this mystery can be solved once and for all.

There are no other markings besides “Rossi”

 

[rookhawk]

Can anyone help me identify this gun. My dad lives on this website and said there are many gun enthusiasts that might be able help me solve this mystery. I inherited this blunderbuss at young age from my grandfather when he passed away, so I never was able to hear the history of where it came from. My dad has shown me the wealth of knowledge on here from guys like @Red Leg and @rookhawk. Hopefully this mystery can be solved once and for all.

There are no other markings besides “Rossi”

I’m out of my league on this one. It looks like a replica to my eyes. Flintlock blunderbus. Very “pirates of the Caribbean”. It appears artificially worn. I’ll let someone with more primitive arm knowledge speak up.

 

[Red Leg]

These are actually a form of handgun.

Rossi was an Italian maker who built fairly crude blunderbuss guns of this design for the Ottoman and North African market in the eastern Mediterranean in the first half of the 19th century. They often used hardwoods rather than walnut.

You will find them or locally produced fakes for the tourist trade in many antique shops in the Middle East. I would have to physically look at yours to see if it is artificially aged or a true stub twist or iron barreled period weapon or as @rookhawk suggests, a fantasy piece or even deliberate fake of a Rossi. But yes, there is a chance it is a real period piece.

This is an actual one that sold at auction with an estimate of $800-1400. Note it is of finer quality with brass barrel (though still fairly crude overall) and expected aging of the stock.

 

[rookhawk]

These are actually a form of handgun.

Rossi was an Italian maker who built fairly crude blunderbuss guns of this design for the Ottoman and North African market in the eastern Mediterranean in the first half of the 19th century. They often used hardwoods rather than walnut.

You will find them or locally produced fakes for the tourist trade in many antique shops in the Middle East. I would have to physically look at yours to see if it is artificially aged or a true stub twist or iron barreled period weapon or as @rookhawk suggests, a fantasy piece or even deliberate fake of a Rossi. But yes, there is a chance it is a real period piece.

This is an actual one that sold at auction with an estimate of $800-1400. Note it is of finer quality with brass barrel (though still fairly crude overall) and expected aging of the stock.

View attachment 548530

Thanks for your expertise, @Red Leg

The things that rubbed me wrong were the iron or rough steel barrel, and the very crude side plate on the opposing side of the lock. Last thing that looked all wrong was the wood, clearly not the grain structure of the walnut you’d usually see.

Your explanation of the Ottoman connection provides a reasonable explanation of originality and oddity to my concerns above.

 

[Mort Hill]

This pistol was included with a number of other weapons upon the passing of my youngest son’s birth-grandfather. The reason I advised him to put on the site is that the other guns he received were of special note or higher quality including his military side piece, a Colt 1911 45 cal, two Browning A5 Belgium in 12 and 16 gauge, and a pre-64 Model 70 30-06. Since Don is not here to tell us the significance of the pistol, it was curious why he would have this pistol with these other fine weapons. Thanks for the input and info so far as we continue to research.