Balkan flintlocks

[AlexanderA]

I was recently in the town of Ioannina, in northwestern Greece near the Albanian border. I noticed an interesting display, in a shop window:





These are the real thing, and not cheap tourist copies. However, in common with almost all of these Balkan pistols, the ramrods are dummies, either carved out of the stock wood, or added separately. How, then, did they load their weapons? The answer is that they carried a separate implement, either hanging by a thong from the neck, or in a combination scabbard along with a yataghan sword. The next picture (pardon the reflections) shows a selection of these elusive implements hanging from the top of the display. These are actually harder to find than the pistols themselves.


For reference, here's a picture of the entire shop. The signs at the top say "Georgios M. Moschos -- Silver" and "Folk Art."

 

[Rustmangler]

WOW great toy store!!! Some large pistols in the first photo. Did they have power and caps?

 

[Mark_Mark]

Nice Exploring! was in the same area touring 2019. didn’t see any Greece Pirate shop like this! very COOL

 

[Speedo66]

@AlexanderA Did you happen to price any of them?

Are they readily for sale, or are permits required?

My wife once picked me up a small old single shot cap and ball handgun in Copenhagen. Not regulated at the time, don't know about now.

 

[AlexanderA]

Did you happen to price any of them?

Are they readily for sale, or are permits required?

I didn't bother to ask prices, because I was quite sure they were overpriced by American standards. I wasn't in the market, and my time was limited. That said, (1) places like this are usually open to negotiation, and (2) the recent parity of the dollar compared to the euro has made everything cheaper in Greece (and elsewhere in Europe).

No permits are required for antiques such as these. You pay your money and walk out with your purchase.

 

[4v50 Gary]

What are those white metal boxes with the knob on top?

 

[Mark_Mark]

I didn't bother to ask prices, because I was quite sure they were overpriced by American standards. I wasn't in the market, and my time was limited. That said, (1) places like this are usually open to negotiation, and (2) the recent parity of the dollar compared to the euro has made everything cheaper in Greece (and elsewhere in Europe).

No permits are required for antiques such as these. You pay your money and walk out with your purchase.

wonder what they were selling for. I remember euros were 1.5 to 1 when I visited Ireland 10 years ago. A pint was $8-$10 American dollars. Expensive! 2019 Euros was not that much better in exchange, about 1.25-1.3 to $1

 

[Mizar]

What are those white metal boxes with the knob on top?

Cartridge boxes for paper cartridges of the same era.

 

[AlexanderA]

By comparison, these are fake tourist guns in another part of the same town:

 

[Patocazador]

I'm sure that some overzealous US customs agent would give you all kinds of grief if you brought one back.

 

[AlexanderA]

I'm sure that some overzealous US customs agent would give you all kinds of grief if you brought one back.

A flintlock? I doubt it. I would put it in checked baggage, though.