Khyber Pass black powder pistols 1960's

rfanuke

A friend got these pistols in the Khyber Pass area in 1964, and asked me to sell them for him. I'm going to offer them for sale on GunBroker if I can find any info on them and if they are worth selling. Check out the pic's and let me know your thoughts.

Grasshopper

IMO, D?cor firearms only. Not worth a lot but someone will buy them to finish off their gunroom, den or mancave.

rufe-snow

quote:Originally posted by Grasshopper
IMO, D?cor firearms only. Not worth a lot but someone will buy them to finish off their gunroom, den or mancave.



+1,

Made specifically for sale, to tourists in the bazaar's. No collectors value, other than as wall hangers/conversation pieces in the man cave.

charliemeyer007

I think they were working guns at that time frame, made for tourist trade came later.

Agree likely not worth a lot.

mmppres

They do have a following as not alot of money to buy. Sell as a lot might be best as then you wouldnt be stuck with the odd one out.

beantownshootah

There isn't much to say. Guns are obviously hand made and the person who made them probably isn't around any more.

Unless you can see markings on there somewhere, you're never going to be able to identify the maker or true provenance of the guns.

These types of guns are called "tourist" guns for obvious reason. Whether your particular ones were made specifically for tourists in the 20th century or made earlier, but sold to tourists as "antiques" may not be answerable. And I don't think it much matters because they're probably not going to be worth all that much either way.

I think you'd be lucky to get $150 for the both of them, but who knows.

This isn't the same thing, but I think the commentary here is good:

https://www.GunBroker.com/item/765353315

Elaborately decorated, early 19th century Afghan rifled musket. Caliber: 14 mm. This pattern is less common than Jezail. With a straight buttstock, the musket was mot likely influenced by Persian guns. This gun has a nice octagonal barrel with mechanical "Damascus" pattern.

The stock is elaborately decorated with mother of pearl inserts. English style flintlock, most likely supplied by English traders, or manufactured locally in English style (the more complex parts of Afghan guns were often taken from damaged foreign muskets, most notably the British Brown Bess). Lockplate displays some Arabic markings, that could be maker's, or arsenal's stamps. The fading word, "London" is partially visible on the lockplate. Some Arabic markings are painted on the horn buttplate. (etc)


In general, Kyber pass region has a long history of cloning Western arms by gunsmiths there. See here:

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

gunnut505

It might just be the lighting in the pic, but it appears that the hammer on the fancy, inlaid gun would never strike that upright nipple.
Keep the fancy stock & turn the rest of it into a nice bottle rocket launcher.