Mystery musket

[Tumblernotch]

I'm no expert in this field myself. But I believe along with some of the rest that this is an American made piece based on European designs. It looks to me like a cherry stock closely following a Long-Land Pattern Bess. The long tanged buttplate and the sideplate are also of this pattern (1750-1770). The trigger guard also appears to be of the same pattern, but I think it was cast here without the provision for the sling swivel.

The lock appears to be a French Model 1728 with the horizontal bridle.

What puzzles me is the mixture of barrel markings. The one on the left appears to be a French controller's mark without his initial. The other two appear to be British, possibly the "viewing" and "gunmaker's proof" marks. They appear to have been badly stamped, plus, time hasn't been kind to them. I believe those proofs should have an oval around them and these don't. The barrel obviously appears to be a pre-1763 French barrel.

It's a very interesting piece. I wish I had more references to look at but I have a limited library. I think it was made here, but that's just my opinion.
:thumbsup:

 

[Okwaho]

Absolutely, that's why we call them composite guns and there was a ton of them built before and during the revolution mostly in New England.The reason I believe it is a Connecticut gun is that cherry was a major wood used in Connecticut in the 18th century by cabinetmakers producing fine mostly provincial furniture at a time when mahogany was the wood of choice by makers in Philadelphia,Rhode Island and other areas of fine Chippendale furniture. I might add that curly maple was also favored by many New England cabinet makers such as the Dunlap family of New Hampshire.I have a cherry stocked officer's/sargeant's fusil{carbine bore}which I believe was made in Connecticut.The gun has the extreme hand rail butt architecture with the elongated wrist associated with Brown Besses.The barrel is 39 3/4 " long and is approximately .69 caliber with a bayonet lug. It is cut back to allow a socket bayonet.The barrel has an octagonal breech for an inch then round to the muzzle and has a relatively short round ended tang and a breech of 1 1/4".It is held to the stock by two brass bands which are held on by friction.The foward band is shaped to allow the passage of the rammer.The rear band is crudely done in the same fashion but the stock is shaped to receive the band which flares forward at the bottom like a French or Dutch gun.There are no pipes. The guard and butt piece are copied from or taken from a British Model 1760 light infantry carbine.The sideplate probably has the same source with the rear lobe having been cut off. The lock is 6 11/16 X 1 1/4" and flat faced.There is an internal bridle but no external one.The lock is very Germanic.This gun came from an upper East Tennessee estate and I understand the family came from "Up North somewhere"

Composite guns of this period were at one time dirt cheap and could be found very easily.Although this is not the case today,they are still reasonably priced in the low to medium three figures. If I didn't already have two of these guns,I would be sorely tempted.Other than the missing pseudo nose cap commonly found on American guns to retard splitting,the gun appears in good shape.I agree with Mike here.This gun needs a home.
Tom Patton :m2c:

 

[Mike Brooks]

Tom, it's time for you to leave the stone age and go get a digital camera so you can share some fo these jewels with us. :haha:
heck even I figured out how to use mine....I don't know what all the buttons are for, but I got the important ones figured out. :crackup:

 

[CrackStock]

<<<I think the english proofs are fake>>>

That is one distinct possibility, but what if they are not fake proof marks at all, but rather legitimate acceptance proofs of guns purchased during a time of peace. I think that we agree that the octagon to round barrel and lock shape indicate that the gun began its existence as a French product. The gun could then have migrated from France to Holland and then gone anywhere. The arms market then may have worked much as guns are moved now. My Mauser has German and Russian stamps for example and is here now. Might be something of a puzzle to people in a few centuries...

<<<"Holland was,instead,a centre for re-export to every region of the world. Firearms were distributed far and wide by Amsterdam and Rotterdam.The operations of fowarding centres,a characteristic feature of the arms trade,must always be borne in mind whenever we seek to discover the final destination of any product",Gaier PP.56-57>>>

Just thinking along another possible path.

CS

 

[robinghewitt]

That is one distinct possibility, but what if they are not fake proof marks at all, but rather legitimate acceptance proofs

They don't actually look much like English proofs to me, view marks were usually either indented or raised in an oval shaped punch :m2c:

 

[benvenuto]

I think they look a bit bogus too
but then I just have Merrill Lindsays book, not Stoeckel
:m2c: