Need help on an ID. Bayonet/Dagger - Pistol?

[Wakeman]

7/30/08 - UPDATED PICS!
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These new pics show the mechanism.

I've never seen anything like this. The dagger hand guards are actually dual hammers, that when pulled back reveal the two triggers housed inside the handle.

Even if no one knows anything about this piece, I thought it'd be cool to share! It does look to be a cap and ball mechanism however (no flintlock).

Enjoy!

Hello Folks.

It's been a while since I've posted, but a relative of the family recently came upon an unusual (to me) find. I thought I'd try and pick your brains to see if any one of you had seen one of these or had an idea of the value.

It was described to him as an English 18th Century Boarding Pistol. There are two barrels (cap and ball) on either side of the blade and the trigger mechanism is hidden within the hand guards. He only had this picture of the pistol with him, so I didn't get to get my hands on it.

Any extra info you folks might be able to provide for me on this interesting piece would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[terraformer]

The english used to call a boarding pistol a Blunderbuss. You may find more that way.

 

[jdubois]

It was described to him as an English 18th Century Boarding Pistol.

Unlikely that it's 18th Century, since it would probably be flintlock if it were that old. I'd say it's more likely a 19th Century dagger pistol (or a replica there of). I believe they were most often used as naval ceremonial or status firearms, rather than as boarding pistols. As the whether it's English? <shrug> I believe most of the European countries made them.

The english used to call a boarding pistol a Blunderbuss. You may find more that way.

I don't believe that exactly right. The Blunderbuss was a very short barreled shotgun with a flared muzzle which was commonly used as a boarding pistol, but the two terms were not synonymous.

 

[Wakeman]

Bump! Updated with new Pics!