Questions about old Musket

[jpebon]

Good day, I have some questions about an old musket I recently came into possession of.  I am wondering if anyone is familiar with this type of gun.  Does anyone have an estimate of the age and value?  Was this a flintlock to percussion conversion?  The gun was in the family in Western Massachusetts for many years.  The barrel is just short of 46", caliber is estimated at approx .68.  Total length is 62".
Thanks in advance!







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[jpebon]

Hope the pictures showed up.  If not, here's a link:

https://plus.google.com/photos/108563192843817677680/albums/6017783857556799729?authkey=CNP_tpTswaffqQE

[Nate McKenzie]

Looks like a fowler or smooth bore used for hunting.  Could have been used by volunteer militia but it is not a regular military musket. Almost definitely originally flint. Late 18th or early 19th century. Very nice piece. Be proud to own it.

[Dan'l 1946]

Can't quite make out the letters on the lock. Looks like DELAVAN? Very similar to fowlers and fowler muskets made  out here in western Massachusetts and northwest Connecticut. Do you have a photograph of the trigger guard inlet?
                                        Dan

[jpebon]

Here's some trigger guard inlet pictures.  Unfortunately, I do not have the trigger guard, although I'd love to get one.  Any ideas?





And, I believe the gun has been in Western Mass for all of it's life (however long that may have been!)  Also, you are correct, Dan, regarding the letters on the lock.

[Dan'l 1946]

  It can be difficult to nail down a precise area or date of build with these guns because they often feature secondary use of various bits of furniture and even major components. Also, during the various wars, these pieces moved around a lot. The name on the lock sounds French to me---not surprising given the re-use of locks etc. in period. Best I can do is to say that it is a great fowler from the AWI era. And, as a family heirloom, it is priceless.
                                Dan

[E.vonAschwege]

Jpebon,
   Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing photos of your musket.  What you have appears to be a fowler style with french architecture.  My first thoughts when I saw the profile was central Massachusetts or Connecticut valley.  The sideplate, buttplate, and triggerguard (the inletting that remains) are all much more angular than I'd expect to see on a typical Massachusetts gun, and lack of a triggerplate says something to the effect that this was not necessarily a wealthy-man's gun.  The stock appears to be Cherry, and the lock could be either French or English - the distinguishing factors were sawn off when it was converted to percussion.  Do you have photos of the inside of the lock, forestock and ramrod pipes?  Given the worn holes in the sideplate, it could be a period restock of earlier parts, which was quite common for guns like this.  I would guess it was built between 1790 and 1810.  PM sent about value and the triggerguard. 
-Eric

[jpebon]

Hope I got the pictures right!  Eric/Dan, appreciate the insight.  It's exciting to learn about this gun.

[Hungry Horse]

 Possibly a french Fusil De Chase, to trade? The side plate being a replacement, and quite large, could have replaced a more delicate French side plate. The bore is large for a trade gun, but is in the traditional French caliber for a musket. The name on the lock is French in origin I would suspect.

                   Hungry Horse

[Dan'l 1946]

It bears a strong similarity to many New England fowlers and light muskets that I've seen. And the cherrywood stock is another indicator. It could be a "bitsa" gun, too. Maybe using a French Lock and barrel. The butt piece is perhaps a product of the gunmaker who built it. All in all, it's a neat old gun with great family value.

[Hungry Horse]

 I wouldn't bet the  farm on it being a cherry stock. It could be European walnut stained dark. The grain patterns are more consistent with walnut than cherry.

                    Hungry Horse

[Dan'l 1946]

Could be walnut. Just noticed that the mainspring was partially inletted with a drill bit. Can't recall where I've seen that before.
                                      Dan

[Mike Brooks]

It's a new England Fowling gun. English lock, locally made mounts, looks like a cherry stock. Probably made just after the Rev war would be my best guess.

[Dan'l 1946]

Mike, is the name on the lock familiar to you? The more I look at it, the more I think it's a cherry stock. Overall it resembles fowlers that I've seen in central and western Massachusetts, and I'm pretty sure that I've seen that mainspring inletting on a couple of guns from out this way.
                                            Dan

[Mike Brooks]

Yes, I have seen that name before.

[smart dog]

Hi,
I don't have a listing for Delevan in any of my sources for London and other provincial makers during the 18th century.  My listings for French makers is pathetic but no Delevan there either.  However, I did find a J. Delevan working in America at the Pennsylvania gun factory near Philadelphia during the Revolution. 

dave

[Chris Treichel]

This later type pistol lock is marked H. W. Delavan & Co

http://www.icollector.com/American-flintlock-Kentucky-style-dueling-pistol-with-similarities-in-style-to-a-Harper-s-Ferry-mo_i9859340

[Chris Treichel]

Here is another one similar to yours in some ways...

http://www.gunauction.com/buy/8447558/rifles-for-sale/muzzle-loader-rifle/h.-w.-delavan-fowler-engraved-musket-vintage-long-bbl-muzzleloader-classic-nice

[Steve Collward]

In Vol. 5 of the NYS Firearms Trade (Swinney/Rowe) there is a listing for H.W. Delavan & Co.  It is thought that Delevan was an inporter/dealer in wholesale hardware.  He appears in NY City directories starting in 1821.
  Chris's post with the link of the Delavan marked flint pistol lock would support the thought that he was providing locks to gun makers in the late flintlock period.
   On a side note, that pistol is marked on the barrel "O. Badger".  With little doubt, that would be gun maker Orestes Badger who had a shop in Fly Creek near Cooperstown, NY beginning in 1820.  Vol. 1 on the NYS Firearms Trade books cites four O. Badger guns with Delavan marked locks.  Would appear that Mr. Badger liked the locks Delavan was offering.

[jpebon]

I would like to thank everyone for all the information about my longrifle.  It was a very enjoyable experience to learn about the gun.  The amount of knowledge on this board is impressive.

Cheers