OK, that was bad.
Now THIS piece could have been a pirate pistol. For real (although it probably wasn't). It's original flintlock (not reconverted from percussion). As far as I can see, it's completely unmarked. It's probably a European martial contract pistol, perhaps French or Belgian. The ring on the buttcap suggests that this may have been made for sea service - a sailor would have tied it to his person with rope or a sash. The caliber is about .75, so it's a biggie.
Stylistically, this piece is probably from the early to mid 1800's, and would have been made around the transition period from flintlock to percussion - a major technological leap that was made around 1830 or so. I have this pistol's sister in percussion - I'll post it soon so that they may be compared and contrasted...
Given it's date, it was made and used after the golden age of Caribbean piracy, but it may have nevertheless been used as shipboard defense in places where piracy was still (and is still) common - Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean.
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