Manufactured circa 1700. Francis Smart was apprenticed to Godfrey Tailor in 1686 and obtained his Freedom of the Gunmakers’ Company in 1693. In 1695, he began working on contracts for the Ordnance, providing arms for the Small Gun Office in the Tower of London. These continued at least until 1721. Smart worked at "the Cross Guns and Three Crowns," Leadenhall Street from 1711. He was elected Assistant to the Gunmakers’ Company in 1716 and was perhaps not elected Master due to an inexplicable discrepancy in the Company accounts when these were under his charge. Notwithstanding this, Smart was a Contractor to the Hudson’s Bay Company (1715-24) and to the Royal African Company (1707-17). Smart is also recorded as a Captain of the London Trained Bands (militia), the final reference to him being in 1725. The brass barrel is of three stages with a short octagonal to polygonal breech section, short round central section and flaring at the muzzle. The breech section is signed “F. SMART” and struck with London proof marks and Smart’s maker’s stamp. The breech section and muzzle feature so-called strawberry foliage engraving. The iron tang is engraved with further strawberry foliage. The rounded iron lock has a downturned tail, is signed “F. SMART,” and is engraved with further strawberry foliage. The molded, highly figured root wood stock has a raised apron and shell around the barrel tang and is fitted with engraved brass mounts including a pierced side plate. Wooden ramrod with brass cap. Bore estimated.

Fine. The brass parts have clear engraving throughout (slightly softened on the barrel). The lock is a grey patina with some discoloration and crisp engraving and signature. The stock has numerous age related storage and handling marks and blemishes. Mechanically excellent. This is a scarce example of an early root wood stocked blunderbuss of diminutive proportions.