AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: Justin Urbantas on November 27, 2024, 06:10:53 AM
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This is super cool.
It's like an armoury to go. This box, and a box of ammunition, and you're ready for conflict.
Chest of Arms and its contents, 1828-30.
The 19th century chest of arms is one of the most remarkable objects to come into the UK’s National Collection of Arms & Amour in recent times.
Containing 12 of the same types of swords, scabbards, musketoons, bayonets and pistols, this 19th century chest of arms has benefitted from excellent research by my predecessors who acquired the chest for the museum in 1996.
They revealed the Birmingham maker, a very precise date range for its creation and the probable purpose of the chest alongside interesting observations about the weapon types within.
So as individual objects the contents are intriguing, especially to someone like me who is fascinated with edged weapons, as the swords are not of any positively identified British military pattern.
But taken as a whole, the wider history the chest really comes into its own. It was probably commissioned by a mill owner to equip their private ‘militia’ during a turbulent period when some land and business owners felt the need to defend their property against protesters or rioters.
Such a chest could literally be wheeled out and from it 12 ‘militia’ heavily armed to potentially defend their employer’s interests.
However, it was seldom, if ever, used as the weapons are in an excellent state of preservation, with the original polish on the blades, buff leather sword-knots, lacquer on the scabbards and browning on the barrels all surviving in remarkable condition.
(https://i.ibb.co/Jytq9Rs/127456605-10164517421645370-7726909235102202095-n.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nnmBFsL)
(https://i.ibb.co/SwdJJhL/127934134-10164517421400370-815511754195058649-n.jpg) (https://ibb.co/4RYJJ6Q)
(https://i.ibb.co/hfsgz7M/127459699-10164517421770370-1591122361432927542-n.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9tnp58v)
(https://i.ibb.co/zx6yQJ6/127237461-10164517421520370-5349307243323339341-n.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PjD7FQD)
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Just what every community watch group needs. ;D Really neat piece of history thanks for posting this.
george
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Thanks for sharing....Super neat!!
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That looks very like the 1796 pattern chopper, Justin.
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That is really super cool for sure. I can envision someone dragging something like this from out under a bed to arm a small settlement against an attack in a movie.
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I know of two of these surviving with their contents. One is in the Royal Armouries (though not on display). The other was sold by Robert Ables years ago (I remember it in his catalog). One has short swords and the other has cutlasses. They were often used to arm merchant ships. The one in the Royal Armouries was purchased by a mill owner during the luddite troubles to arm his loyal workmen. I was told that the one Ables sold was made into a coffee table with a large plate of glass replacing the top.
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Great photos Justin! So what are the rifles/muskets encased within? Bakers?
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You’ll need a team of stout and hearty men to haul around that crate!
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Very cool. Are there photos of the pistols and long arms?
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I can't seem to find any pictures with the arms removed from the chest. I assume they're short muskets and smoothbore pistols.
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They are light muskets...the term they used was "fuzee" and smooth bore pistols. The short swords are similar to those later carried by the police and, as I've said, the other chest I've seen pictures of had cutlasses in place of short swords. That one was almost certainly meant for a merchantman.
I've seen the one in the Royal Armouries.