Lot 3087: Late 17th Century French Matchlock Musket

This musket is pictured and discussed on pages 37-38 of "American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume I: Colonial and Revolutionary War Arms" by George D. Moller. The toe has a "GDM" Moller collection mark. He notes, "This musket generally resembles the French military matchlock muskets described and illustrated by St. Remy in his Memoires d'Artillerie, published in 1697." It utilizes a crossbow style "tickler" lever trigger and has a "trigger lock" that has the trigger acting against a spring that automatically brings the serpentine back away from the pan when the trigger is released. The lock has a rounded profile, a pronounced teat at the tail, and a manually opened pan cover with a fence. The smoothbore barrel is two-stage and has a simple girdle at the transition point. The breech section is inscribed with "NEVFCHASTEL" in large letters on top behind a v notch dovetail mounted rear sight, and the round section has a simple blade front sight set back from the muzzle. Moller indicates the underside of the barrel has a Suhl control mark on the bottom. Moller references the multiple "Neuchatels" of France as potential locations for this musket's use. Provenance: The George Moller Collection

Very good with mottled gray and brown patina on the metal, a few cracks and repairs in the stock, some flakes absent at the edges, and mild overall wear. The ramrod has pinned repairs, and the pipes are later replacements. Mechanically excellent.