Nice Early 1700s Ornate French Flintlock Horse Pistol which has the St. Etienne arsenal mark, Bottom of barrel has the maker's name Brossare Roset who may have been at St. Etienne Arsenal. The flintlock is around .69 caliber with a 10"round barrel. The pistol overall is 16 3/4"L. The pistol originally had gilding on barrel & on all the metal parts such as the side plate. You can still see traces of the original gilding on the engraving on the barrel & along the side of barrel. The barrel has engravings of moons, stars, clouds at the breech & further up on the barrel is a larger engraving of a moon surrounded by clouds & the surrounded by round designs all around & then has rays coming out of the design with leaves. Going on up the barrel I can see more stars. Traces of gilding still intact. The side of barrel has the marking which is associated with St. Etienne Arsenal in France. A crown over crossed branches with +s below. Also number 20 on side of barrel. The front sight of barrel is missing. Very ornate carvings & relief work on the wood stock along with cross graining & still has the front nose cap. The trigger guard is gilded with silver finish still intact on the floral engravings & on the rear of trigger guard. Trigger is gilded. Ornate butt rounded with gilding & silver on the floral engravings. side strips on the butt going up the handle has a lot of the silver finish intact. Ornate metal on the upper part of handle has mainly silver finish intact & has gilding. The gilded side plate is has a wave pattern along with an oval with floral insert in silver finish. Thimbles for the ram rod are gilded & back one has floral engraving mainly with silver finish. The ram rod is gilded & has, at some time been shortened probably had been broken. Action on this Flint horse pistol is very good. This weapon with all the embellishments had to have been made for some person or high ranking officer. The maker, Brossare Roset,  who must have did work for the St. Etienne arsenal probably made this pistol for some officer as the standard pistols made for the French gov't were not as embellished. It is Possible this flintlock was in the US at the time of the revolution as it got over here at some time. A really unique and eye catching early Flintlock French pistol with maker's name.