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LOT 141
Very Scarce Documented Early 18th Century British Contract Dutch Flintlock Musket - NSN, 80 cal., 44 3/8 inch part octagon bbl., brown finish, walnut stock. This rare musket is featured on p. 286-288 of “American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume I: Colonial and Revolutionary War Arms” by George D. Moller and has his “GDM” stamp discreetly marked near the toe. He lists it as probably of Dutch origin and as believed to have been purchased in the early 18th century by the British, possibly one of the 10,000 muskets procured in 1706. Many of the non-standard muskets were sent to the colonies, and similar muskets are known to have been used during the French & Indian War and American Revolution. The barrel has a prominent bayonet lug/front sight near the muzzle, banded transition points, two rampant lion markings, a crude “crown/V” marking, and another illegible marking. A storekeeper mark is on the right side of the butt, and the underside of the butt has a carved “FH” marking while the left side has a lightly carved “I0” marking. The lock is unmarked and has the classic “banana” profile. The furniture is all iron and includes a classic Dutch style sideplate, grooves in the trigger guard bow, and decorative finials on the buttplate and trigger guard. A black leather sling is fitted to the sling swivels, and a wooden ramrod is fitted beneath the barrel. CONDITION: Good with a mix of dark aged patina and an applied dark brown on the metal throughout, mild oxidation/pitting, refaced frizzen, absent jaw finial tip, replaced swivels, and loss of some of the ramrod pipe metal. The stock is also fine and has an attractive mix of dark finish and areas faded to rich brown and red tones, some insect damage, minor chips, and cracks concentrated in the forend. Mechanically fine. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 4,500 - 7,000
LOT 142
“US” Surcharged American Assembled “Charleville” Pattern Flintlock Musket with Prussian Style Lock and Bayonet - NSN, 72 cal., 43 1/2 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. George Moller noted this musket as an American-made musket with a Prussian lock, circa 1778-1783. Similar examples are shown in the “American-Assembled Muskets” section of his book “American Military
Shoulder Arms, Volume I: Colonial and Revolutionary War Arms.” His “GDM” collection mark is discreetly stamped at the toe. This musket is an interesting mix of parts. The barrel and furniture are from a French musket, but the lock appears to be from a Prussian Model 1740 musket. These parts were assembled and stocked in the U.S. and likely used during the American Revolution. The lock has a “US” surcharge mark in the grooves at the tail, and the barrel has “US” on top, “65” on the upper left, and a light “63” marking on the upper tang (Mle 1763 or M1763). An unclear but fairly deep marking is situated above the vent and may be a condemnation mark. The barrel has a bayonet lug on top, and a rounded brass blade front sight is fitted on the rear of the upper barrel band. A modern brown leather sling is fitted to the sling swivels on the mid barrel band and front of the trigger guard, and an iron trumpet head ramrod is fitted under the barrel. The included socket bayonet is over-sized. CONDITION: Fair with mottled gray and dark brown patina, mild pitting at the breech, and general mild overall wear. The undersized refinished replacement stock is good with some scrapes and dings, minor cracks, and slivers absent. Mechanically fine. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500 LOT 143 Documented Revolutionary War Era “Libertas” New England Flintlock Musket - NSN, 75 cal., 41 3/4 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. This “Libertas” New England/New Hampshire attributed musket is described and photographed on p. 167-168 of George D. Moller’s book “American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume I.” It states, “The only external marking on this musket is ‘LIBERTAS’ engraved into the lockplate in shaded, block letters. This latinization of the word ‘liberty’ was a popular theme during the American Revolution... Similar examples have reportedly been found in New England. Because the inside of the lockplate is stamped with a sunken rectangular cartouche containing a raised ‘G.B,’ it is possible that this component is of European manufacture.” One of the captions states, “This British-style musket was assembled using American-made components and a lock that may have been imported from one of Europe’s Low Countries, such as the Netherlands.” A “GDM” collection mark is at the toe. Includes a leather sling. CONDITION: Very good, smooth light brown patina overall with some light flash pitting, and defined lock markings. Attractively aged patina on the brass fittings. Stock is good with scattered scratches and dings, minor and mild cracks, chips, and absent sections on both sides of the forestock. Mechanically fair, trigger works intermittently. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
LOT 144
“US” Surcharged Revolutionary War Era French Charleville Model 1763/66 Flintlock Musket - NSN, 69 cal., 44 3/4 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. The Model 1763/66 muskets were among the most heavily used firearms by the American rebels to fight the British during the Revolutionary War. Model 1766 infantry muskets are described on p. 336-340 of George D. Moller’s “American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume I.” This example features a bayonet lug on bottom towards the muzzle, a brass blade front sight mounted on the rear strap of the upper barrel band, a “US” surcharge marked on the tail of the lock, “Maubeuge/Manuf. Rle” at the center of the lock, a “crown/B” inspection mark just above, “crown/V” on the sideplate and buttplate tang, an illegible crown mark on the barrel at the breech, leather sling on sling swivels mounted to the middle band and trigger guard finial, and a “GDM” collection mark at the toe. CONDITION: Fair with bright polished metal, scattered moderate pitting and areas of dark patina. Stock is also fair as sanded and re-oiled with general overall wear, scattered chips, absent sections and chips along both sides of the barrel and ramrod channel with some repairs at the front end, repaired sections on both sides of the barrel tang, two pin-sized holes on the left rear of the buttstock above a glued crack, and slightly undersized at the buttstock. Mechanically fine. Provenance: The George Moller Collection.
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
Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500113