Page 73 - Auction84-Book1

LOT 121
“US” Surcharged Revolutionary War Era French
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK AMERICAN MILITARY SHOULDER ARMS, VOL. III BY MOLLER
Charleville Flintlock Carbine with Bayonet - NSN, 69 cal., 38 1/2 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. George Moller noted this smaller Model 1763/1766 musket style carbine as a “royal carabiniers carbine.” His small “GDM” collection mark is at the toe. French firearms were imported in large numbers and were key arms for the Patriots during the American Revolution. Most were Model 1763 and 1766 muskets making other U.S. marked French long guns rarer and particularly desirable. It has a bayonet stud on top near the muzzle, “*/D” poincons, “AD” on the side plate, “Manufacture/de Charleville” at the center of the lock, “US” on the tail of the lock, “TM” carved into the right side of the butt, series of notches on the front of the comb, a black leather sling, and a socket bayonet (too big). CONDITION: Good with a dark brown mix of patina and applied finish, mild pitting mainly at the breech, and general mild dings and scratches. The stock is fair with cracks and repairs including filler on the forend, lock mortise, wrist, and heel; mild scrapes and dings, and general moderate wear. Mechanically functions fine with a weak spring. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 4,500 - 7,000 LOT 122 Documented Revolutionary War “UNITED STATES” Surcharged French Charleville Model 1774 Flintlock Musket with Bayonet - NSN, 69 cal., 44 3/4 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. French Model 1774 infantry muskets are described on pages 355-358 of George D. Moller’s book “American Military Shoulder Arms Volume III” with this exact musket pictured on pages 355, 356 and 357. The first picture caption states, “The Model 1774 infantry musket’s barrel and lock are similar to those of the Model 1770-1771 and the stock is similar to the Model 1773 stock. It’s middle band has a forward projecting lip at the bottom, similar to the Model 1763, to facilitate the ramrod’s return. Much of the other furniture is of new configurations.” This Model 1774 musket was originally manufactured for the French military circa 1774-1779 and was likely one of the muskets supplied to the American revolutionaries during the Revolutionary War or soon thereafter by our French allies covertly prior to their formal involvement or in larger numbers once they joined the fight in 1778. Without French assistance, we very well may have lost the war, but instead, we fought side by side with our French allies to defeat the British and received favorable treaty terms that extended far beyond the original thirteen colonies. French muskets were widely used by the patriots and became the basis of the first U.S. martial muskets in the 1790s and beyond at the new Springfield Armory and then Harpers Ferry. The underside of the buttstock on this example has “UNITED STATES” branded into it in large letters. Similar markings are known to have been applied both during the Revolution and after. It has an iron ramrod, bayonet stud on top of the barrel, brass blade front sight on the rear strap of the front barrel band, French “star/D” inspection mark on the right of the middle barrel band, script “Charleville” marked at the center of the lock below a French “star/D” inspection mark, inspection initials that appear to read “IBI” marked inside the lock plate, “RD” inspection initials marked on the side plate, a French fleur-de-lis stamp above a “D73” inspection mark on the left side of the barrel near the breech, and a French “star/N” inspection mark on the trigger guard finial and buttplate tang. Small “GDM” (George D. Moller) collection initials marked at the left side of the toe of the stock. Includes a socket bayonet and reproduction leather sling. CONDITION: Good with smooth dark brown patina overall with some scattered light pitting, scattered dings at the breech end of the barrel, and crisp lock markings. Stock is also good with scattered dents and scratches, a repaired chip ahead of the lock, a crack behind the lock, a chip behind the barrel tang, and some cracks/chips around the buttplate tang. Mechanically excellent. Included bayonet is very good with sharp edges and scattered light pitting. A desirable “UNITED STATES” surcharge marked French Charleville Model 1774 musket that would make an excellent addition to any U.S. Martial or Revolutionary War collection! Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500 LOT 123 Revolutionary War Era “US” Surcharged Continental Assembled “Charleville” Style Flintlock Musket with French Model 1728 Lock and Bayonet - NSN, 69 cal., 46 3/4 inch round bbl., brown finish, walnut stock. This is an impressive example of a Continental assembled Revolutionary War era musket using a mixture of French parts and marked with “US” surcharge marks on top of the barrel at the breech, on the tail of the lock, and branded on the left flat of the American walnut stock. 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 full length early French barrel, a Model 1766 style front barrel band without sight, three iron barrel bands, and an early Model 1728 French lock. Sling swivels located on the middle band and front of the trigger guard. “IB” inspection initials marked in the stock behind the lower tang. Initials “IG” carved into the left of the buttstock. “GDM” (George D. Moller) collection initials marked at the toe of the stock. Includes a socket bayonet (loose fit, oversized socket diameter for this musket) and a later Swiss leather sling. CONDITION: Fair, exhibiting a mix of refinished brown finish and brown patina, scattered light pitting, moderate flash pitting, and scattered mild pitting on the lock. Stock is good as lightly sanded and re-oiled with attractive stripes, some scattered light dents and scratches, some cracks behind the barrel bands, a mild chip and some cracks on the left flat, a discreetly repaired section ahead of the top front of the lock, a crack running between the front of the trigger guard final and bottom front of the lock, some cracks ahead of the buttplate tang, and crisp markings. Included bayonet is fair with scattered mild pitting. This is an attractive example of a Continental assembled “US” surcharged musket that would make a fine addition to any early U.S. Martial or Revolutionary War era collection! Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
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