Early Queen Anne Lock Question(s)

[120RIR]

Recently added to my humble collection of restoration projects and something I presently keep on my desk as eye candy to divert my attention from whatever boring report I'm slogging through.  I suspect the sear and screw are later replacements as they do not retain the same degree of pitting as the other internals and the missing engraving on the face at the crown, but otherwise everything appears "original" and contemporaneous.  The plate really puts the "b" in banana, and I love the 3D quality of the harp engraving and the anatomically correct and somewhat Rubenesque lady. My primary question is this...why are there three positions on the tumbler?  Also, prior to acquiring this I thought perhaps it was a converted doglock but it appears to have always been in a flint configuration.  Also, what precisely does the Irish harp imply?  Issue to an Irish unit I presume?

[rich pierce]

Nice find! No answers for you though.

[backsplash75]

related but not identical

[Niall]

I think the lower position on the tumbler is a stop. This device appears on other Queen Anne locks of this type.

[Pukka Bundook]

I think Backsplash and Niall have it answered rather neatly, 120R!!

[Eric Kettenburg]

The lower 'notch' or indentation on the tumbler is found on locks of all regions and all periods.  It's not a stop - if used as such, it would have snapped off the nose of the sear almost immediately as the sear nose is one of the weakest points of any flintlock.  It's simply an early version of the so-called (now) 'one position sear.'  In other words, it's filed into the tumbler to allow the sear arm to come to rest at approximately the same position as when at half cock or full cock, the idea being to prevent the trigger from rattling around all over the place.  Ideally, when new and before any usage wear, the nose of the sear *should not* touch the forward portion of the this indentation; with the cock at rest, the sear should still be completely free to move if the trigger is depressed.

[smart dog]

Hi,
I think Niall, Backslash, and Eric have the topic covered.  It is important to realize that muskets from this early 18th century period were often purchased by the regimental colonel from private contractors.  They had minimal specs and standards required by the government but the colonel could decide a great deal of the design and quality.  As a result, the muskets varied a lot.  However, because your lock is marked with the crown over AR and also the small crown over the arrow, I believe it was a direct government ordnance purchase for the Royal Irish Regiment perhaps around 1710 - 1715.  The small crown over the arrow indicates government ownership.  The harp engraving is the official symbol of the Royal Irish Regimant. Nonetheless, I suspect the lock and gun were made in Holland and purchased by the government for the regiment. The lock is especially well made for the time having an internal bridle.

dave 

[backsplash75]

To clarify an understanding of some of the arms imports for Ireland in this period I suggest reading about the 10,000 stands imported in:

Dutch muskets for Ireland, 1706-1715
by Blackmore, Howard L
Canadian Journal of Arms Collecting Vol. 32, no. 3 (August 1994), p. 75-84


the AR and Crowned broad arrow Ordnance stamps make this a bit different than the gun above.

[DaveM]

Very iinteresting and nice piece with clear markings! Lots to research on that one.

[rich pierce]

That’s a stout sear nose!

[120RIR]

Thanks for the info and input gentlemen. I had a feeling you smarter-than-me types would come up with some answers!  On a timely note, and I have NO skin in the game but someone just listed a neat doglock on Ebay and sure enough...there's that third notch on the tumbler.