Author Topic: Old musket ID  (Read 2882 times)

JohnHBryan

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Old musket ID
« on: November 15, 2018, 06:09:38 PM »
Calling on some expertise.... handmade lock possibly? Octagon to round. Has me stumped....












JohnHBryan

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2018, 06:11:32 PM »



Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2018, 06:25:47 PM »
If I had to make a guess I'd say Dutch or Belgian.
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Offline rich pierce

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2018, 06:36:12 PM »
You find the coolest guns.  I love the early muskets. No buttplate?  We’re some Euro muskets made w/o buttplates, Brooksie?
Andover, Vermont

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2018, 07:13:41 PM »
You find the coolest guns.  I love the early muskets. No buttplate?  We’re some Euro muskets made w/o buttplates, Brooksie?
Beats me! :P
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline smart dog

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2018, 07:21:08 PM »
Hi John,
I agree with Mike at first glance.  The sideplate, lock, and other hardware look Dutch from the late 17th or very early 18th century.  The stock shape is also early, perhaps 1680s-1690s period styling.  It would help sometimes if you have other information about the provenance of the guns you post because often styles transcended places and time.  For example, the styling of British military muskets from the late 17th and very early 18th centuries was often determined by the regimental colonel not government ordnance. In that system, cheap arms and designs were often obtained from foreign countries with Holland being a prime supplier likely owing to connections of King William to his native country.

dave     
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JohnHBryan

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2018, 08:17:39 PM »
Thanks. Honestly if I knew more I would post it. I found it sitting in a corner somewhere begging for someone to pick it up and give it some attention.  ;D

Looked through a pile of books and didn’t see anything like it....

ETA:  Ok, I talked to him.  A guy in Melbourne Beach, FL was renting a home to a tenant.  The guy ran off without paying rent, and left his boat, and some personal items, including 15 antique guns and a sword. So the guy was selling the items to cover the rent owed.  My dad bought them all.  Included was an old fowler, a first model Brown Bess, and some Civil War era items.  No idea where they guy had come from, but it was a snowbird neighborhood.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2018, 08:39:28 PM by JohnHBryan »

Offline Eric Kettenburg

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2018, 08:55:34 PM »
That piece with the rifle guard above the Hudson River gun looks interesting.  Is that American or European?
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Offline Hlbly

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2018, 08:59:53 PM »
Wonder if any of the Hudson Valley guns looked Dutch?

JohnHBryan

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #9 on: November 15, 2018, 09:16:22 PM »
That piece with the rifle guard above the Hudson River gun looks interesting.  Is that American or European?

I believe it is American, or at least was here very early.

Offline 120RIR

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2018, 09:19:17 PM »
I have no expertise in Hudson Valley fowlers but Dutch influence would make a lot sense especially for early examples since they settled Manhattan (New Amsterdam), southern N.Y. state, and northern N.J. starting in the early 17th century.

Offline Eric Kettenburg

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #11 on: November 15, 2018, 09:44:15 PM »
That piece with the rifle guard above the Hudson River gun looks interesting.  Is that American or European?

I believe it is American, or at least was here very early.

Well, please take this as a 'wink wink, nod nod, say so more...' to post some pictures.  It looks very interesting!

Given the extremely heavy use evident on the smoothbore here, I would certainly say that it also was here quite early on in it's life.  I suspect it may be some form of export or trade piece.  The arena of commercial export guns from the Low Countries and Germany has not been sufficiently explored as they've been largely overshadowed by English and French work.
Strange women lying in ponds, distributing swords, is no basis for a system of government!

JohnHBryan

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #12 on: November 15, 2018, 10:58:25 PM »
















JohnHBryan

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #13 on: November 15, 2018, 11:31:25 PM »
Also, don't knock that one Eric.  I'm just sharing, and I don't want my 18th century American warfare visualizations involving this gun hampered in any way.... ;D

Offline Shreckmeister

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #14 on: November 16, 2018, 12:03:04 AM »
Now that's one to get excited about.  Thanks for sharing the photos.
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #15 on: November 16, 2018, 12:12:06 AM »
Well that's nifty.....I assume it's a very light weight oct barreled fowling gun? Perhaps straight rifled? Sure would like to see more pictures of it if you ever get the time.  Lets not forget to have a looky at the Hudson Valley gun too. ;)
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

JohnHBryan

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Re: Old musket ID
« Reply #16 on: November 16, 2018, 01:10:41 AM »
Well that's nifty.....I assume it's a very light weight oct barreled fowling gun? Perhaps straight rifled? Sure would like to see more pictures of it if you ever get the time.  Lets not forget to have a looky at the Hudson Valley gun too. ;)

It's a smooth octagon to round.  The other gun is a great gun.  Signed by both the maker and the owner.