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LOT 138
Historic Revolutionary War Era 55th Regiment Marked British Short Land Pattern 1777 Brown
Bess Flintlock Musket with Bayonet - NSN, 75 cal., 42 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. Pattern 1777
Short Land Brown Bess muskets were manufactured circa 1777-1782. One of the salient visual features of the Pattern 1777 lock is that it now has a shorter sear-spring when compared with the previous pattern Brown Bess lock and also has two screw-ends visible in the lock behind the hammer. “55 REGt” marked on top of the barrel and has government proofs at the breech. During the Revolutionary War, this musket falls in the right time frame to have possibly accompanied a soldier of the 55th Regiment of Foot through the Philadelphia campaign, in which they participated in the Battle of Brandywine in September 1777, Battle of Paoli later
that same month, Battle of Germantown in October 1777, with the regiment transferred to the West Indies in November 1778 where they would see action at the naval Battle of St. Lucia in December 1778. Most of the 55th Regiment was captured at the siege of Brimstone Hill in February 1782 during the French invasion of Saint Kitts. Features a top mounted bayonet lug, crown over “GR” marked at the center of the lock, “TOWER” at the tail of the lock, and “A/48” unit markings on the wrist escutcheon. Monogram initials carved into the right of the buttstock in which an A has a top edge appearing to form a T, and the line through the middle of the A comes to a point to form an F. Front swing swivel absent. Includes socket bayonet marked “WHEELER” (faint). CONDITION: Very good, dark brown patina on the barrel and lock, moderate flash pitting, crisp markings on
the lock and wrist escutcheon, and visible markings on the barrel. Pleasing golden aged patina on the brass fittings. Stock is also very good with scattered light scratches and dents, a repaired/reattached forend, cracks visible ahead of the lock and side plate, a 1 1/2 inch absent sliver on the left below the barrel, a crack visible between the ramrod finial and trigger guard finial, and a few chips behind the upper tang. Mechanically excellent. Included bayonet is good with gray patina under mild surface corrosion.
Estimate: 5,500 - 8,500
LOT 139
“US” Surcharged American Assembled
“Charleville” Style Flintlock Musket - NSN, 69 cal., 44 5/8 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. Continental assembled musket using a mixture
of French parts with “US” surcharge marks on the right side of the butt, on the tail of the lock, and on top of the barrel at the breech (faint). Page 295 of George
D. Moller’s book “American Military Shoulder Arms Volume I” states, “... tens of thousands of French muskets were repaired and rebuilt in America during the [Revolutionary] war. Additional tens of thousands were fabricated from imported French metal components. Also, many more thousands would
continue to be repaired and rebuilt at various U.S. repositories during the remainder of the 18th century.” Similar examples
are shown and described in the “American-Assembled Muskets” section of the aforementioned book. Features a top mounted
bayonet lug towards the muzzle, a brass blade front sight mounted on the rear strap of the front barrel band, three iron barrel
bands, and an early French lock with illegible maker mark. Initials “AW” carved into the left of the buttstock. “GDM” (George D.
Moller) collection initials marked at the toe of the stock. Includes a wood tampion.
CONDITION: Good with scattered light pitting on the barrel and fittings, and mild pitting at the breech, on the lock, and hammer. Stock is also good with a coat of protective varnish, with numerous scattered scratches, chips, cracks, and a small repair where a middle band spring used to be. Mechanically fine. Provenance: The George Moller Collection.
Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500
LOT 140
Revolutionary War Era French Charleville Model 1766 Flintlock Musket - NSN, 69 cal., 44 3/4 inch round bbl.,
bright finish, walnut stock. The French began delivering sizable caches of arms to the American rebels in 1777 and increased the supply further when they officially entered to conflict in 1778. These Model 1766 muskets are sometimes referred to as “light Model 1763s” in period sources
because they were a revised version of the heavier 1763 pattern. Marquis de Lafayette is said to have personally delivered 25,000 Charleville muskets to
General George Washington. The 1766 Charleville was so influential that the first several patterns of muskets produced by American armories after the war
were basically copies of the French pattern. This example follows the 1766 pattern and has a bayonet lug, blade front sight on the rear of the front barrel
band, iron flash pan, 6 1/4 inch long lock marked with a faint “star/D” behind the bolster and faint “Charleville” at center. Other features include long trigger guard tangs, smooth stock, and button headed iron ramrod. Inspector mark “IP” behind the lower tang. Initials “BW” are carved into the left side of the buttstock. The overall length is 59 inches. The front band spring is broken.
CONDITION: Fair with light to mild pitting overall. The barrel has mottled brown patina. The stock is good as refinished with scattered dents, scratches, a small crack ahead of the rear lock screw, and a few chips. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000
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