This musket is pictured and discussed on pages 235-240 of "American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume I: Colonial Era and American Revolutionary War Arms" by George Moller and has his discreet "GDM" collection stamp in tiny letters near the toe. He notes the lock dates the musket to after 1777-1778. The lock has the Georgian cipher at center, a small "B&S" (Blair & Sutherlands, c. 1799-1811) marking below the Ordnance mark, and "TOWER" at the tail. The barrel has the front sight/bayonet stud set back from the muzzle, a "B" on the upper right in the breech section, Ordnance proofs on top at the breech, and a "*/IW" marker's mark on the upper left at the breech. The furniture is all brass. On the Sea Service muskets, there are no forend caps and no ramrod entry pipes. The front ramrod pipe has a retention spring to secure the steel ramrod. Sling swivels are fitted to the trigger guard and between the ramrod pipes, and a black leather sling is mounted. There is a light "crown/TA" after the flat side plate, and a storekeeper mark is on the right side of the butt. The right side also has a neatly carved "B No 5" marking, and the left side has "6," "BC," and "38" in slightly cruder carving. Provenance: The George Moller Collection

Very good with a blend of dark patina and applied brown on the barrel and lock, mild pitting concentrated at the breech, attractive aged patina on the furniture, and generally mild overall wear. The stock is also very good and has distinct markings and carving, relatively minor overall wear such as scratches and dings, and a few divots and slight hairline cracks. Mechanically fine.