Here's an odd ball for you.

[Brent English]

I couldn't resist buying this odd muzzle loader several years ago.  Really home made.  Lock is stamped inside W. Ketland & Co.  With the two tulips on the outside, I'm sure somebody can date this part of it for me.  Some of the smaller inlays appear to be pewter that was cast into the inlet.  About .58 caliber and smooth bore.  Any thoughts or speculation on where this odd ball originated?  I'd almost guess Africa, but waiting for other inquisitive and opinionated others to chime in.  Thanks for looking. 

[Mike Brooks]

Nothing there says African to me.

[Elnathan]

Might depend on what you mean by "African." Doesn't look like it was made to an indigenous aesthetic and Afrikaaner-made guns are usually a lot more Dutch-influenced, but I suppose it could be a very rural/naive attempt at copying an English sporting arm with the parts  available.

Wood species would narrow things down a bit...

[Brent English]

Can one of you lock specialists give an apr. date on the Ketland lock?  It is certainly older than the gun, but inquiring minds would like to know.  Thanks

[2 shots]

 looks like a tradegun lock to me

[Bob Roller]

Early style Ketland made with minimum of tools.Appears to have been a flintlock but no idea as to time made.
My guess is old American origin.the "checkering "has a character of its own maybe done with 3 cornered file.
This is NOT a junk gun But a needed tool to put meat in the kettle and roust a predator,animal or human.
Bob Roller

[DaveM]

To me, the wood looks like maple, and I would agree with the thought of early Amercan made. Really neat gun!

[JV Puleo]

The lock dates after 1801/2 which is when William K went into business under his own name. Until then he'd been a partner in Ketland & Co. He died in 1803 but the business continued under his partner, William Allport. Most likely the lock dates from about 1805 or later. The tulips mean absolutely nothing. The lock was made in the B'ham trade by one of the many lock makers. It was sold by the WK firm...

It's the cheapest of export grade locks, without even an internal bridle. It probably didn't have an external bridle as well. Those locks sold for 17s a dozen.

[Feltwad]

That method of converting to percussion with the nipple into the wall of the barrel was common in Belgium I have come across several of these mostly muskets
Feltwad

[WadePatton]

Thanks for the education on this one folks, especially that last one Feltwad. The conversion is what caught my eye.

[Mattox Forge]

That conversion is similar to what was described by Blackmore in British Military Firearms 1650-1850 as the Eccles cap conversion. Yours does not seem to be angled like the Eccles method. I wonder if Eccles modified a Belgian method, or if they were independant ideas.

Interesting piece.
Mike

[bluenoser]

When doing a conversion such as fig. 1 and 3, was the housing for the nipple brazed to the barrel?

[Karl Kunkel]