T Ketland flintlock

[Shreckmeister]

I have an opportunity to buy an original round faced flintlock marked T Ketland in block stamp.  The lock appears to be completely original and fully functioning.  I would like to add it to my collection but I have no idea of a value range nor does the seller.  Any idea what a fair offer might be.  It is black with age and has vine looking engraving on the lock plate behind the hammer.  Any help appreciated.  Thanks

[JV Puleo]

A couple of questions...

Is it stamped or engraved?
It is "T. Ketland" or "T. Ketland & Co."

Round faced, engraved and there is no "& Co." attached to the name its probably very early, before the partnership with William Walker was formed. These are the only K guns that could possibly have been around during the Revolution.

If engraved and the "& Co." is there, better quality but post Ketland & Walker partnership

If stamped, either a cheap trade product for export or, just as likely, one of the Belgian-made fakes ca. 1816-1820.

Pictures would be nice. The above is my best guess with current knowledge. Its always subject to change as new stuff comes to light.

Are we talking about a gun or just a lock?
I paid about $250 for the detached WK dog lock I own but I wanted an example to illustrate the type and show how they can't be as old as has been claimed in the past. I think that was too much, but I had a definite purpose for it and it was a lot cheaper than trying to find a gun with one... and travelling to photograph it if I did.

[Bob Roller]

Shreckmeister,
Once again, the "willing buyer and willing seller" pops up.It comes up on EVERY transaction in a hobby environment. I have a friend who has a Ketland flintlock that was never mounted on a gun.It is primitive,no bridle for either tumble or frizzen and he asks $300  for it.I wouldn't give $10 for it but someone might think it's a deal at $300.

Bob Roller

[JTR]

Shreck, I'd think, depending on the condition of the lock, about $150/$250 for a rifle size lock. And maybe a bit less for a pistol size lock.

I have a round faced pistol lock, stamped T. KETLAND in block letters, on the Inside of the lock plate. It has vine engraving behind and ahead of the hammer, no bridle on the frizzen or on the tumbler. It works great, still sparks nicely, is a silver color with a little bit of rust. I bought it with most of a brass barreled pistol for $300 back when prices were high.

John

[Shreckmeister]

Well this thing just hit a dead end.  The lock is on a jumble of parts gun consisting of a musket barrel with a ramrod thimble welded to it.  HalfStock is of no architecture I have ever seen before.  Set triggers and 1870 hardware store trigger guard screwed on in 2 places.  In other words a complete
train wreck.  The owner gets on the internet and decides it's a model 1797 contract musket and he
wants $1100 for the gun......maybe after nobody buys it for a year I can convince him it's a parts gun.

[E.vonAschwege]

......maybe after nobody buys it for a year I can convince him it's a parts gun.

It's amazing how many guns assembled in the 1800s somehow saw service during the revolution...  .  My favorite is when the owner asks me what my "expert" opinion is, and then gets upset and tells me I know nothing when I say that it's not what he hoped it was - Ah well.  Sorry for the disappointment Shreckmeister. 

[smart dog]

Hi Eric,
There is a lot of new research on brain function that shows if an individual's worldview is challenged by evidence, he/she will ignore the evidence and cling to the worldview.  I believe Daniel Kahneman and his colleagues at Princeton won a Noble prize for some of that research.

dave