Butt and ball reservoir Collection

Butt and ball reservoir Collection.

With thanks to James for supplying this pic and to the anonymous owner of this remarkable collection for permission to display it.

James says this about the second one down:

"Got some information on the antique air pistol in the picture. It is a butt reservoir airpistol made in the 1700s in the style of a horse pistol by Dachtine working in Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle). The .45" calibre smoothbore barrel is 12" long and the pistol has a full flintlock but no touch hole. It is 20" overall in length.The brass butt reservoirs unscrews to be charged with air by a simple pump. The original owner would have got his servant to perform that task lol.No rear sight was fitted and like a horse or saddle pistol it was impossible to raise to aim in the normal way due the angle of the grip. You did a John Wayne with it and fired from the hip or levelled it chest high at best."