Though unmarked, these remarkable pistols were most likely manufactured by Jan Cloeter in Grevenbroich near Dusseldorf in what is now the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, (see "Der Neue Stockel," page 225) and match the basic pattern of other Cloeter attributed pistols from c. 1655-1680. Cloeter is famous for all metal firearms and even manufactured turn-off barrel all metal rifles (see page 131 of "Firearms in Colonial America" by Brown). Other members of the family also manufactured these firearms into the late 17th century, but most of their firearms have more conventional lock arrangements. A Jan Cloeter signed pistol is in Plate 53.4 in Lenk's influential book "The Flintlock: Its Origins, Development, and Use." Two pairs are also illustrated on page 60 of Dexter's "Forty-Two Years' Scrapbook of Rare Ancient Firearms." Dexter calls the Cloeter/Clueter family "one of the great Gunsmith Families of Western Europe in the 17th Century." The long and slender three-stage barrels have round fore sections, sixteen-sided intersections, and octagonal breech sections that align beautifully with the steel stocks which have octagonal sections at the breech and flow into rounded grip sections terminating with fluted domed butt caps with screw finials. The pistols have non-conventional mechanisms: the right sides have forward mounted frizzen springs, trigger guards protecting side-mounted triggers and slender loading rods with turned finials.

Very fine with some light patina/staining on the otherwise bright steel. Mechanically excellent.

As described in "A".

Very fine with some faint patina forming on the otherwise bright steel. Mechanically excellent.