Barbossa's Pistol

[LadyBarbossa]

I noticed that the pistol that Barbossa used in Pirates of the Caribbean appears to be the same type of pistol that was used by Dawg in Cutthroat Island.

I've been searching all over the web for the maker of this particular pistol. But to no avail.

I have found a couple pictures online of the pistol... & have a couple more of Barbossa with the pistol.

Anyway point me in the right direction to get ahold of a replica, working or non firing, of this special pistol?

Otherwise.. does anyone know of a good pistol maker who would be more than willing to make a few of them? I know that there would be a few others wanting this pistol besides myself.

Thank ye much, mates!

Huzzah!

[El Pirata]

Might be easier if'n ye be includin' a pic.

[LadyBarbossa]

I would if I could. All I have are the pix I found, but no way or means to post them here.

Huzzah!

[Deacon Frye]

Where did you find the pics?

You could just post the urls for the sites.

[LadyBarbossa]

Unfortunately... the sites I found them on.. no longer exist or have been changed to something else. Sad to say. So... no.. no sites to link to. Which.. is not entirely fair. ::le sigh::

I may... try to put it on a geocities page :: groans:: IF the silly thing cooperates with me.

Huzzah!

[LadyBarbossa]

Well.. I did try to link it.. using my free site.. but alas.. did not work. I have worse luck than Jack Sparrow.

Huzzah!

[Viperpirate]

http://store.yahoo.com/eclecticgifts/repli...ca-weapons.html

[LadyBarbossa]

Aye. I searched a variety of replica places.. but not one is relatively Barbossa's pistol.

I truly wish I could at least post the image here to show ya. It's a VERY nice pistol.

Huzzah!

[Capn_Enigma]

Avast there!

Here's the best I can come up with:

Hope this helps

[redhand]

I would guess that his pistol is some

type of military pistol, English, dutch

or German. Looks from the picture that

it might be a sea service type (looks like

it has a ring on the butt for a lanyard)

or even a cavalry piece. It also it has a

belt hook attached to the backside and

what appears to possibly be some silver inlay

work on it. Sooooo there's a good possibility

that it's a reworked existin piece, which means

there's probably not any more like it...except

what they made for the picture. You're best bet

would be to buy a piece you like and have a gunsmith

rework it to resemble the piece if you're that interested

in owning it. Hope that helped.

Cheers

Redhand

[LadyBarbossa]

I do have a better pic or 2.. but like I said, no way of posting them.

However.. I did speak with Track of the Wolf, inc... they mentioned that it was some early 18th c or 1715(?) type model... I'm trying to remember what all they told me. However... it's the engraving & the metal work that will be the harder part.

Now.. in the special features, it was mentioned that someone out of LA did the weapons.. besides Jack's pistol which is a real pistol (lucky gent). I don't know if there was another person that had a real pistol. I know Jack's sword was real.. well, one of them was... & I think that Barbossa had a real one as well, besides a couple replica/copies as well.

The hammer/cock/ etc.. it looks to be a virginia type (forgive me if it's rather vague)... the barrel is smoothbore, obviously... but the most visable of all, is the silver metal work that is rather elaborate.. as well as the butt of the pistol has a skull, double-sided.... It's almost easier to just watch the movie to see it.. or even the special features of PotC, since there are a couple or few places you can get a close up of the pistol.

Huzzah!

[BILLY BONES]

BARBOSSA'S PISTOL WAS OF MIDDLE-EASTERN MANUFACTURE, JUDGING FROM THE INLAY WORK AND STYLE-PROBABLY AFGHANI OR ARABIAN. IT'S A HIGH QUALITY PISTOL FOR USE, AS OPPOSED TO A WALL-HANGER. I'M SURE EVERY PISTOL WAS REAL IN THE FILM, IF YOU MEAN THAT THEY COULD FIRE A ROUNDBALL IF IT WAS LOADED. I HAVE BEEN A PROPERTY MASTER IN FILMS FOR 25 YEARS, AND EVERY GUN I'VE EVER USED IN A FILM WAS A FULLY FUNCTIONAL WEAPON. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT EVERY PISTOL USED IN POTC WAS AN ORIGINAL, OR AT LEAST THOSE USED BY FEATURED PERFORMERS.

[the Royaliste]

BARBOSSA'S PISTOL WAS OF MIDDLE-EASTERN MANUFACTURE, JUDGING FROM THE INLAY WORK AND STYLE-PROBABLY AFGHANI OR ARABIAN. IT'S A HIGH QUALITY PISTOL FOR USE, AS OPPOSED TO A WALL-HANGER. I'M SURE EVERY PISTOL WAS REAL IN THE FILM, IF YOU MEAN THAT THEY COULD FIRE A ROUNDBALL IF IT WAS LOADED. I HAVE BEEN A PROPERTY MASTER IN FILMS FOR 25 YEARS, AND EVERY GUN I'VE EVER USED IN A FILM WAS A FULLY FUNCTIONAL WEAPON. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT EVERY PISTOL USED IN POTC WAS AN ORIGINAL, OR AT LEAST THOSE USED BY FEATURED PERFORMERS.

Hmm, mebbee that's why you are always yelling.

[BILLY BONES]

I'M ALWAYS YELLIN CUZ I CAN ONLY TYPE WITH ONE HAND. I'D RATHER HAVE IT ALL CAPITALIZED THAN ALL LOWER CASE. PLUG YER EARS!

[LadyBarbossa]

The pistol, I believe, is a firing, working pistol.

The one for Jack Sparrow is a real pistol of the era. It was stated in An Epic as Sea documentary on the Special Features disc #2.

As to what kind of the era... I don't know. However... I am looking at who was the maker of this pistol. As this pistol is more a working prop for the movie.. & not an authentic antique of the era. Like I said, it's the same exact type of pistol used in "Cutthroat Island".

In the PotC documentary... they mentioned that all but Jack's pistol were replicas made by someone out of LA.

It's trying to find someone willing to make a replica of that Barbossa pistol. I want one.. as well as perhaps a dozen other people.. maybe more.. I know. They can make a firing-full functional &/or a replica non-firing pistol (which is cheaper for some & safer in some cases).

Huzzah!

[BILLY BONES]

LADY BARBOSSA,

If you don't find anything out about who manufactured these pistols by February, I'll be in L.A. hitting the prophouses about then. Maybe I can find out something. Also,I'll check out who the propmaster or armorer was for the film on the DVD. Maybe I know him. If so, I'll give him a call and see what I can find out there. Hope this will help in your quest. BB

[John Maddox Roberts]

Mate Billy:

Ye sound like a real treasure as a shipmate!

[LadyBarbossa]

Why, Thank ye, Billy Bones. Ye are a true gent to be a helpin' out.

The Propmaster for PotC was Chuck Stuart(?).

A little extra here... the 2 gents portraying Murtogg & Mulroy... Those 2 would be SOOOO much fun at a re-enactment! :)

Plus.. Lee's little statement in Diary of a Pirate... love it with Johnny Depp there... comedy night being more fun with Sparrow than Barbossa. LOL.. he hasn't heard the Barbossa I know.

Again, thank ya Billy .... I truly appreciate it.

Huzzah!

['Salem Bob']

I noticed that the pistol that Barbossa used in Pirates of the Caribbean appears to be the same type of pistol that was used by Dawg in Cutthroat Island.

I've been searching all over the web for the maker of this particular pistol. But to no avail.

I have found a couple pictures online of the pistol... & have a couple more of Barbossa with the pistol.

Anyway point me in the right direction to get ahold of a replica, working or non firing, of this special pistol?

Otherwise.. does anyone know of a good pistol maker who would be more than willing to make a few of them? I know that there would be a few others wanting this pistol besides myself.

Thank ye much, mates!

Huzzah!

Ahoy Aloft and Alow,

Lady Barbossa, I am almost dead certain that the pistol in question is of Greek or Albainian (or similar South Centeral European) origin. Were it a minquelet lock, then I would concur it would likely be Arabic in origin, but from the pictures I have seen of it, in the few shots where it can be properly seen from the front, it is clearly a flintlock proper, rather than a minquelet or a doglock.

The overal form of the pistol indicates the origin I have suggested - I cannot speak to whether it is or is not original (and more than one weapon in the movie was purchased at auction, to my understanding), but this form of pistol was produced in those parts of Europe well into the 1830's, and they characteristically are highly ornate (but comparitively crude in execution to Western European arms of quality). It probably has silver wire inlet into the wood of the stock, giving a pleasing look, but not being as difficult or expensive a form of decoration as chasing would entail to the metal of the lock or barel, as was commonly done on the higher quality Western European firearms.

The pistols of this origin are not considered as desireable or collectable to the average firearms collector, and so originals can be gotten within a reasonable range (on the order of a thousand dollars for a working arm in decent shape, or much less for one with a broken lock). I would suggest that a modern replication of such a pistol, to be made as a 'hero' weapon would be cost prohibitive compared to simply buying an antique. Quite possibly, they could have bought an antique in indifferent condition, merely for the stock, and put a new lock or barrel to it.

It is certainly not a Sea Service arm as prudiced by any European power in the Age of Fighting Sail - a quick perusal of Gilkersons 'Boarders Away', Vol II will dispell that notion. Sea service arms were invariably simple, rugged arms, as they took (and were intended to take) far more abuse than their land-service cousins.

As to who made what for the movie, indeed, most of the 'hero' weapons were made by the usual suspects in the indistry - but the bulk of the firearms and cutlasses to my understanding were bought or rented from 'Loyalist Arms', in Nova Scotia - certainly the blunderbuss seen in several scenes was from this source (I own the prototype for the production run)

Loyalist can be perused at

Loyalist Arms

A very nice Sea Service pistol can be gotten there, as well as a typical English or Dutch doglock, circa 1660-1720.

[Nigel]

I've been searching all over the web for the maker of this particular pistol. But to no avail.

I think this "Noah Vale" character has made a LOT of things I have been looking fer....I often wind up at his doorstep when searching fer things.

[LadyBarbossa]

The type of pistol, as I have spoken with Track of the Wolf, Inc & Dixie Gunworks. The only closest that Track of the Wolf got was a flintlock pistol kit, circa 1740 - 1770.

The hammer/cock/ flintlock portion of it appeared to look more like the Virginia model.

The inlaid detail... rather difficult to say, really. All I know is that the butt end of it has a skull, rather different than the skull on the butt end of Jack's pistol.

Huzzah!

Anastazia

~Master & Commander of the Resurrection

[Col. Hawkyns]

ahoy there! Just found a good pic of Barbossa's and Sparrows pistols. Heres the link:

http://pub86.ezboard.com/ftellnotalesfrm2....opicID=36.topic

hope it works. and helps.

[Deacon Frye]

Thanks, Col., that does help a bit.

The pistol has an Italianate feel to me.

In particular, it reminds me of some of the Brescian pistols I've seen for sale at various internet sites.

If this is based on an original, I wouldn't be surprised if it came from that neck of the woods.

['Salem Bob']

Thanks, Col., that does help a bit.

The pistol has an Italianate feel to me.

In particular, it reminds me of some of the Brescian pistols I've seen for sale at various internet sites.

If this is based on an original, I wouldn't be surprised if it came from that neck of the woods.

Aye Deacon Fry,

I'd say you have the right of it seeing the pistol up close - it looks like a fairly typical Brescian pistol, down to the chasework plates on the sides of the stock, save for the unfortunate, awkward, non-18th century appearing skull on the side of the butt of the pistol. Had they put some real thought into it, they would have been better off making a buttcap proper, with the motif of a skull, following the 18th century fashion for grotesqes as buttcaps on high quality pistols. This placement on the side of the cap unfortuneatly is hoakey, and looks as screwed up as a soup-sandwich when comparing to original pistols.

I knew positive it had to be Med. basin, but Italian it is rather than Greek. It's not a reworked original for certes.

[Deacon Frye]

Thanks, Col., that does help a bit.

The pistol has an Italianate feel to me.

In particular, it reminds me of some of the Brescian pistols I've seen for sale at various internet sites.

If this is based on an original, I wouldn't be surprised if it came from that neck of the woods.

Aye Deacon Fry,

I'd say you have the right of it seeing the pistol up close - it looks like a fairly typical Brescian pistol, down to the chasework plates on the sides of the stock, save for the unfortunate, awkward, non-18th century appearing skull on the side of the butt of the pistol. Had they put some real thought into it, they would have been better off making a buttcap proper, with the motif of a skull, following the 18th century fashion for grotesqes as buttcaps on high quality pistols. This placement on the side of the cap unfortuneatly is hoakey, and looks as screwed up as a soup-sandwich when comparing to original pistols.

I knew positive it had to be Med. basin, but Italian it is rather than Greek. It's not a reworked original for certes.

You know what, Bob? I took a second look at that picture today.

With indistinct pictures like this, I know it's often best to stay with your first impression--the more you look, the more your imagination goes to work.

But having said this, the pistol is starting to look to me like a tarted-up version of your basic georgian-era english "heavy" dragoon pistol.

Strip the froufrou from it and see what you think.

Speaking of the froufrou, it appears from the picture that it is affixed to the surface of the stock, rather than being inlaid or inletted. And the bit at the muzzle appears to be a sleeve.

The cock is all wrong (and part of it appears too slender to survive in the real world), but it may simply have been whittled down or substituted by the prop maker.