1st model Bess with sterling silver furniture.

[whitedog333]

There was a company in England called the Carriage Company who made a run of 1st pattern, Long Land Brown Bess muskets around 1975 or 1976, for the American market during our Bicentenial. They were of limited production and had the 46" barrel and other correct features of the 1st model long land pattern Brown Bess. All of the furniture, except the ram rod, lock plate, cock, frizzen, springs etc. were made of sterling silver. Has anyone ever seen one of these and is there one available for sale? I've been regretting for years not buying the one that Dixie Gun Works had for sale three decades ago.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

The ones that Dixie had for sale had brass furniture, at least that's what my catalog said, they were pretty expensive but that was due to the limited production and the Long Land Pattern as opposed to the then new Italian "2nd Model" Bess which was then selling for around $250. The British made musket was a pretty accurate copy of the earlier musket and may have come in a silver mounted version but I think brass hardware was standard.

 

[whitedog333]

The single sterling silver mounted musket that Dixie had for sale was a single, individual piece that they didn't carry in stock like the other British made Brown Bess's that they sold. It was one that had been traded for from a customer and was the only one of it's type to pass theough their store. Thanks though.

 

[whitedog333]

I just remembered, the musket was made by The Carriage Shop or shoppe. It was a company in England that often did business with Buckingham Palace.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

These are the ones I remember, too. I don't recall any with silver furniture.

 

[whitedog333]

Thinking about it, it was The Coach and Harness Shop that made the run of long land brown besses with the sterling furniture. It'd help if I had the name right to start with!

 

[44-henry]

Just my thoughts, but I think it would be a better investment to put your money into a nice custom English fowler with sterling silver hardware rather than a 20th century fantasy gun.

 

[awcanis]

There was one listed at TOTW site this last month.