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LOT 128
Incredibly Rare Documented William III Period Flintlock Musket
with Plug Bayonet - NSN, 75 cal., 45 5/8 inch part octagon bbl., bright finish, walnut stock.
English flintlock muskets from the reign of King William III (r. 1689-1702, also known was William of Orange) very rarely come for sale on either side of the “pond.” This musket is even
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK AMERICAN MILITARY SHOULDER ARMS, VOL. I BY MOLLER
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK AMERICAN MILITARY SHOULDER ARMS, VOL. I BY MOLLER
scarcer in that it is pictured and discussed on pages 52-53 of “American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume I: Colonial and Revolutionary War Arms” by George D. Moller and has his discreet “GDM” collection marking by the toe. Moller lists it as manufactured in the 1690s. While most English muskets from William’s reign still had back/dog catches, this musket is part of a group that did not. The lightly rounded lock plate has a fairly straight profile, terminates in a pointed teat, and is the distinctive WR cipher of William III. The lock is bridleless and is secured by three screws passing through the lock without the use of a side plate or washers. The barrel has a rounded blade front sight, simple incised band at the transition point, Ordnance markings at the breech, and a deeper “RC” mark on the upper right flat slightly ahead of the vent. The stock has simple sheet brass ramrod pips, no entry pipe, a simple iron trigger guard, and a brass buttplate on the rounded butt. A wooden ramrod and a plug bayonet with a 18 1/4 inch blade with 6 1/2 inch false edge and wood handle with a hanging staple are included.
CONDITION: Good with a mottled mix of gray and brown patina, mild pitting, aged patina on the brass, partially squashed ramrod pips, and moderate overall wear. The refinished stock is also good and has general dings and scratches, mild edge wear, and some cracks in the forend. Mechanically fine. The bayonet has dark brown patina and light pitting on the metal, thin cracks
in the wood, and relatively mild overall wear.
Provenance: The George Moller Collection.
Estimate: 9,500 - 16,000
LOT 129
Rare Documented
British William III Period Matchlock Musket with Forked Rest - NSN, 78 cal., 46 bbl., bright
finish, walnut stock. This musket is pictured and discussed on pages 36-37 of “American
Military Shoulder Arms, Volume I: Colonial and Revolutionary War Arms” by George
D. Moller. He list it as a “William III period (1688-1702) English matchlock musket.
Its configuration is typical of British military muskets of the late 17th century.
(Robert Nittolo Collection.)” Moller also states: “There is a round red wax seal
under the forearm, forward of the trigger guard. This appears to be an Ordnance
seal designating this musket as a pattern to be followed in the subsequent
manufacture of muskets. The barrel is smoothbore, has no sights, and has a
smooth transition from round to octagon. The top has an early Ordnance proof/
view stamp. It has a serpentine side plate with three screws securing the convex
lock which has a pointed teat at the tail, a fence, and a pan cover with a long arm. The furniture is iron
and includes two sheet iron forend bands, a ramrod entry pipe, trigger guard with bulbous finial, blank oval wrist escutcheon secured by two screws, and an sheet buttplate. The stock has raised flats, a raised “bar” around the upper tang with a divided box stamp, and a rounded butt. Includes a forked musket rest.
CONDITION: Very good with silver gray and light brown patina on the iron throughout, minor pitting, repaired forend band, separation at the breech/barrel tang, and general mild wear. The partially conserved stock has an older dark applied finish, some subtle repairs, moderate scrapes and dings throughout, some insect holes and lines, and a few chips and cracks. Mechanically excellent. The rest is very good with dark patina and moderate wear on the wood including stable cracking. Provenance: The George Moller Collection.
Estimate: 7,000 - 12,000
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