Exceptional Quality Moroccan Mukahla Long Gun, ca. 1800

Description

Moroccan long guns are called Mukahla; this example from Tetuan (North Coastal Morocco) with its exaggerated butt stock. It features a flintlock snaphaunce mechanism, with silver inlay and signed lock plate (Lock with corrosion, in need of cleaning and adjustment) . Trigger guard with long strap, decorated with damascened silver arabesques. The full dark wood stock is profusely inlaid with fine silver wire and features a bone butt plate with red and green circles and dots. There is a crack extending from the front of the lock plate about 4” to the rear barrel band. The two-piece butt stock is loose from the stock, with silver wire loss and the bone butt plate is warped and cracked. Signed octagonal to round 46 1/4” barrel of approx. .56 caliber, with silver damascened arabesques, attached to the stock with five engraved silver barrel bands. Incorrect ramrod. Metal parts with scattered patches of corrosion, but no heavy pitting. Overall length 60 1/4”. When given to us, this gun was nearly black with age and corrosion, with no indication of quality or decoration, and appeared to have not been touched in 200 years. It was likely a battlefield pickup, as there is still a broken flint in the hammer jaws. This gun shows exceptional workmanship and would be worth professional restoration. Similar example illustrated in “Islamic Weapons, Maghrib to Moghul”, by Anthony Tirri, Figure. 2, page 20.