A St Etienne 1810 Model AN IX Pistol

The French classic martial pistol.

The  An IX was a flintlock cavalry pistol, in service with French cavalry units from 1801 to about 1815. It was designed for mounted troopers, each horseman equiped with two pistols and was used by most mounted units of the Consulat in the Napoleonic Wars and during the early years of the Empire, as well as in the French Navy.

Ours was made by Manufactures Impériales in St Etienne in 1810, making it a mid-manufactured  model of the series. It is mechanically sound and very well preserved. It has a smooth, round barrel in 17mm calibre and steel ramrod, with octagonal base and is stamped and marked “C 1810”, “B”. The lock is signed “Manuf. Imp.le St. Etienne” and the furniture is of polished brass with European walnt half stock.

Again we have a well-presented and mechanically sound classic French pistol which has resided in European collections for about 200 years. The Model IX marked the start of an era of uniformly made martial arms, which deserves a special place in the collector’s portfolio.