'Kubura' Flintlock Pistols of The Ottoman Empire:

Please NEVER forget 6 y.o. Hind Rajab ..

Can you hear her pleas to be rescued without crying?

- For starters - despite my pommie Grammar school education - I didn't have a clue as to what exactly 'The Ottoman Empire' was .. Turkish perhaps?

Describe the 600 year history of The Ottoman empire in 200 words or less ...

- The Ottomans fought us Brits & Kiwis in the desert around GAZA & RAFA in the First World War .. as well as at Gallipoli.

- Well I've started taking a look at it and there's a lot of ground to cover, firstly why were they known as the "Gunpowder Empire"? Very Interesting, - if you're interested eh.

The Gunpowder Empire Link:

https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1088&context=ghj#:~:text=Nathan%20Lanan-,The%20Ottoman%20Empire%20is%20known%20today%20as%20a%20major%20Gunpowder,early%20as%20the%20sixteenth%20century.&text=used%20massive%20cannons%20to%20batter,beginning%20to%20gain%20their%20potency.

Wikipedia OTTOMAN WEAPONS Link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_weapons

Anyway - Many Ottoman Empire 'KUBURA'  FLINTLOCKS were seemingly made not only in TURKEY but in the Southern part of Europe we refer to as THE BALKANS - Serbia even - where there is & was a long tradition of GUN making. - Who knew? - Belgium, Italy and Spain also supplied 'The Empire' with parts such as locks & barrels including complete guns too. -The "Ottomans" were around as a power for some 600 years .. so the situation varied over time.

Check-out ZASTAVA ARMS - if you're looking for a diversion ..

These old guns are often found with carved 'FALSE RAMRODS' in the forend wood - leading to some know-all Fuds declaring them to be reproduction, copy "wallhangers". - The fighting guys actually preferred and used separate metal ram-rods . - BUT naturally there are fake modern pieces being made & bought.

It is possible - even likely - that  the British deprication of "Ottoman Empire Guns" has something to do with their English armies never managing to defeat or enslave these guys .. even getting our 'British' ANZAC arses kicked in 1915 by the Turks at Gallipoli in WWI.

These two recently acquired FLINTLOCK pistols are large smoothbore guns - decoratively carved and engraved, in "rough enough" used but fully working condition - that are not highly appreciated by British type military collectors. - These working guns are very good looking and decorative "pirate guns".

It seems these old gunmakers liked to engrave 'spurious signatures' onto the locks - so this name below likely has no particular meaning or significance ..

See the flint scratches above the vent.

There used to be a British smoking tobacco branded 'Players No Name'

Right now - no 'expert' can certify differences to say one gun is Ottoman Balkan while another is Ottoman Turkish .. but there are plenty of these surviving because they LIKED and relied on their Flintlocks and kept them in use and manufacture until late in the 19th Century. - No doubt there are existing records of historic firearms procurements in the Turkic languages in their archives - but we Brits are not well known for learning foreign stuff eh ..

I'm learning ..

Marty K.