The lock is marked "W/NUTT/8" at the tail behind the dog, "crown/broad arrow" government property marks, and Saint Edward's Crown over "AR" at the center indicating this piece dates to 1708 during the reign of Queen Anne and was manufactured by William Nutt (active 1680-1714 in London). The tumbler has a half-cock notch and is not bridled. Doglocks were first used around the same time as the "true" or "French" flintlock in the first half of the 17th century. The "dog" catch at the tail of the lock secures the cock while the musket is being loaded or carried. Early flintlock arms' half-cock notches often broke, so this was an aided safety feature. "Dogs" were even widely used on British military arms until around 1720 as an added safety mechanism on arms with improved half-cocks but then quickly fell from use. The lock is secured by three screws that first pass through a large brass side plate. The backside of the lock has "IF" and "crown/7" stamps. The breech end of the barrel has "*/WN", "S," and government property stamps. The barrel tang screw enters ahead of the trigger and passes upwards into the barrel tang rather than from the barrel tang down to a trigger plate like later muskets. There is no trigger plate. The trigger guard has a slot for a swivel at the front, but the stock has no second swivel slot. The forend has a brass band with some modern writing faintly visible. An old iron ramrod is included. The barrel length and overall length (62 inches) matches the First Long Land Pattern muskets, the first standardized "Brown Bess" muskets.

Very good. The barrel and lock appear to be originally together. The side plate may also be original to the lock. The trigger guard, trigger, some of the small screws and pins, and likely the stock are later additions. Some of the government property stamps appear more recent than the other markings. The barrel has a mottled dark brown patina, a brass patch where a different front sight may have been, moderate pitting, and a large vent. The rear band on the barrel is almost entirely eroded on the right side. The lock has a mix of brown and gray patina and mild pitting and oxidation. The brass has pleasant aged patina throughout. The refinished stock has stabilized cracks at the nose and bottom of the lock, some other minor hairline cracks, a few slivers absent along the forend, and mild dings and scratches throughout. Mechanically fine.