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LARGE BORE BRASS BARRELED LATE 17TH CENTURY

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
LARGE BORE BRASS BARRELED LATE 17TH CENTURY

FLINTLOCK BLUNDERBUSS. Cal. approx. 90, flaring to 1.6" at muzzle. NSN. Bbl. 19 3/4" heavy brass, has oct. breech section 1 1/2" across flats that transition through 16 sides to rnd. w/ flared muzzle. Breech section stamped w/ London black powder proofs & bbls. maker mark, crowned “TW” (Thomas Williams, working 1678-93). Very early style flintlock w/ arched & rounded plate fitted w/ serpentine cock; sm. inset rounded pin, unbridled frizzen & feather spring w/ ball & spear finial. Internal examination shows unbridled tumbler & armorer's mark of a winged “O”. Lockplate & cock engraved w/ lg. open scroll & bottom of plate in front of cock engraved “I. DAFTE” (John Dafte was known to be working between 1660-1698). He is also known to have supplied blunderbusses & pistols to the Rye House Conspirators in 1683, helping in their failed attempt to assassinate King Charles II of England & his brother James, the Duke of York. Fruit wood (?) stock of early style w/ deeply notched comb extends to muzzle & is pinned to bbl. Heel of butt is rounded in early style & has nailed on brass buttplate w/ sm. top strap. Other brass furniture includes early style serpentine sideplate w/ feather engraving & a screwed on brass trigger guard w/ bud finial. There are raised platforms around tail of lock, sideplate & bbl. tang. Wooden ramrod w/ brass plate on tip is held by one plain brass pipe. CONDITION: brass w/ old cleaning is toning back to mellow gold, lock w/ old cleaning in original flint configuration is mostly pewter gray w/ considerable pitting. Stock w/ old refinish over many marks has considerable worm damage. Lock is operable. (01-19857/MGM). ANTIQUE. $4,000-6,000.