Posted on 12/25/2022 11:31:45 AM PST by nwrep
Merry Christmas all.
I am interested in the make/model of the firearms borne by the 2 Bedouin warriors (the one in the middle and the one on the far right) in this 1876 photograph from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam:
High resolution image here: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Three_bedouins_sheikhs%2C_c_1867-1876.jpg
I am curious as to the type of firearms in the possession of these Bedouin Sheikhs at that time. Location: Syria, approx. dates - between 1867 and 1876. Any insights appreciated.
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Most likely a flintlock blunderbuss of some type.
Some are highly decorated. Something like this.
https://historical.ha.com/itm/long-guns/muzzle-loading/19th-century-turkish-flintlock-blunderbuss-pistol-carbine/a/6143-40911.s
Could have been made anywhere.
The one in the middle seems to be bearing an antique, custom made miniature blunderbuss.
good luck, fair chance they were locally made...
Cant see enough of the one on the right but
The one in the middle appears to be a blunderbuss
On the right, the action looks like a revolver.
IMHO this sources the original hardware for the one well-imaged, heavily customized by locals with bone or ivory furniture (and what looks like animal skin around the barrel)
iow, Dutch in manufacture.
I’d have to throw darts as to the other.
The one on the right has a cylinder, but it appears only on the right side.
I don’t think it’s a Colt. Maybe a European like LeMat?
Those look like serious miniature cannons. The ball would likely blow your head clean off your shoulders.
A Blunderbus is the first thing I thought of too.
AR-15
My Uncle when he was alive had a large collection of antique firearms from the revolutionary and civil war. He would shoot his cap and ball guns for fun. He had a few of these antique blunderbus he would fire too.
Dangerous but fun.
Them desert fighters is holdin` three assault swords, an assault pistol and a sawed-off -assault rifle with a 15-round magazine of round rounds, and 15 assault knives, 10 assault grenades, 17 assault cruise missiles, 14 GRAD`s, 3 Daisy assault BB guns, 4 butter knives, 60 box cutters, 2 machetes, 72 armed virgins under their sheikh sheets and 3 T-90 tanks, 5 BMP`s, 6 technicals, 3 Mig 29`s under their turbans and 3 flamethrowers under their beards.
LOL.
According to Mark Twain the weapons they carried were ancient and probably non functional even back then.
Look home-brew to me.
The one on the right is a flintlock pistol. Both are probably locally made.
Both appear to be single-shot muzzle-loaders with miquelet type locks.
The miquelet lock is functionally similar to the flintlock, but the mainspring is mounted externally.
Guns with miquelet locks have been commonly found in northern Africa and the Middle East. Many remained in use long after percussion locks were introduced, on through the arrival of the metallic cartridge, and into the early 20th century. Some may still be found among nomadic groups.
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