Barbary Coast Precious Red Coral, Gold and Silver

An authentic and magnificent presentation flintlock pistol made of precious red coral, gold and silver dating from the violent and blood thirsty times of piracy, slavery and plunder along the Barbary Coast.
The term Barbary Coast, synonymous with piracy and its associated ills, refers to the North African lands occupied by the Berber people, covering the modern nations of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. From around the 16th century this area was divided into separate political entities and regencies of Algiers, Tunis and Tripolitania which had rulers and petty monarchs such as the Pasha or Bey of Algiers. Traditionally ‘Bey’ is a term applied to leaders and rulers of areas within the Ottoman Empire.
Hammuda ibn Ali the Bey of Tunis (1759 – 1814) was responsible for a small but well know group of magnificent firearms made to be presented as diplomatic gifts to various emissaries and heads of state such as Prince Regent, George VI of Great Britain.
This is a typically long Ottoman smooth bore pistol. The .52 calibre two stage octagonal to round barrel measures 16 inches and is secured with two decorated silver bands. Overall the pistol measures 22 inches in length.
The steel lock, swan necked cock and screw, pan and frizzen have patterned gold embellishments. The action is in good working order.
The full-length hardwood stock is embellished with silver wire and flat silver panels embedded with red coral as is the faceted silver butt. What appears to be the original steel ram rod is encased in a long silver rammer pipe. Over all there are over 60 pieces of the precious red coal in varying sizes mounted on this very rare flintlock. Although with the passage of time some have sight damage.
Examples of these precious red coral arms can be found in the Royal Collection Trust at Windsor Castle, the Royal Armouries, Leeds, the La Real Armeria de Madrid (Royal Armouries of Madrid) and the Livrustkammaren, the Royal Armoury Stockholm.
These precious red coral Barbary Coast pistols very rarely become available and with HRH Elizabeth II having some you can bet they don’t come cheap, the last one sold at Bonhams Auctions in 2017 for £13,750.
Sold as a collector item only.