Page 75 - Auction84-Book1
P. 75

 LOT 126
Very Scarce French and Indian War/Revolutionary War Era Spanish Model 1757 Flintlock Musket with Bayonet - NSN, 71 cal., 43 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. These Spanish Model 1757 muskets were manufactured circa 1757-1788. Page 406 of George D. Moller’s book “American Military Shoulder Arms Volume I” has a similar example pictured and states, “During the American Revolution the Model 1757 saw extensive use in the hands of the Spanish Regular and militia forces in the Louisiana and Florida campaigns as well as in the Spanish forts along the Mississippi and in the attack on Detroit [Fort St. Joseph, February 12th, 1781]... The Model 1757 musket was adopted by a royal order of June 14, 1757. It resembles the French Model 1754 musket but is brass-mounted and somewhat shorter. Its salient feature is a flintlock with a ring-type jaw screw. It continued as the Spanish regulation infantry arm until 1789, when it was superseded by a similar musket equipped with a miquelet lock.” Features a bottom mounted bayonet lug towards the muzzle and blade front sight mounted on the forward strap of the front barrel band. All brass fittings including three barrel bands. A maker name that appears to read “YRIBE” marked at the tail of the lock, and a faint small crown marked upside down at the bottom center. Faintly marked “EX” and a crown over “D” marked on the top left flat of the barrel at the breech, and a faint “N” ahead of very faint illegible remnants of markings on the top flat at the breech. Small “GDM” (George D. Moller) collection initials marked at the toe of the stock. Includes a socket bayonet with period markings and a reproduction leather sling. CONDITION: Good with smooth brown patina, mild flash pitting at the breech and on the lock, and some faint remnants of an old refinished blue finish evident on the lock which has a modern made replacement frizzen spring. Stock is also good as re-oiled with scattered scratches and dents, a crack ahead of the rear lock screw, a chipped/absent section below the front of the lock, some minor chips behind the lock, a chipped/absent section to the left of the barrel tang, a crack to the right of the barrel tang, a crack below the point of the comb, a crack ahead of the buttplate tang and at the toe, some chips at the toe, and an attractive figure overall. Mechanically fine. Included bayonet is also good with scattered moderate pitting. Spanish Model 1757 muskets are very rarely seen on the collector market today with the limited surviving examples mostly residing in museum collections. This example would make an excellent addition to any early martial or Revolutionary War era collection! Provenance: The George Moller Collection.
musket is fitted with a French Model 1763 lock, three brass barrel bands in the style of a French Model 1766 with a late pattern Brown Bess style brass trigger guard, and mounted in an American stock marked with an “x” over “V” stamp on the left stock flat; markings typically seen on circa 1798 delivered 1794 U.S. contract muskets that were made in Maryland and Pennsylvania and delivered to Schuylkill Arsenal. George D. Moller’s book “American Military
Shoulder Arms, Volume II” has a section on page 135 in reference to 1794 U.S. contract muskets that do not conform to the French Model 1766 pattern, in which the book states, “...many of the U.S. contractors of 1794 received stocks, locks, and other metal components from Schuylkill Arsenal. In addition, no records have been found to indicate that patterns were furnished to these contractors. Because of this, and due to the diversity of French components that must have been in storage in Schuylkill Arsenal and other federal repositories, the contractors were issued locks and other metal components of a variety of French patterns. Therefore, many of the muskets produced varied considerably from the French Model 1766 pattern.” Page 105-111 of the same book also describes in depth similar examples of 1796 contract “New Ship Muskets” assembled using leftover French components from Schuylkill Arsenal for U.S. Naval use in which it mentions the brass fittings being a key component of known examples. Pages 106 and 107 both show 235 “New Ship Muskets” as being delivered between January through August of 1798, which this musket is a likely candidate to have been a part of due to its circa 1798 markings on the left flat that were previously mentioned as well as its brass fittings and 42 inch barrel length as seen on other styles of known Ship Muskets from the same era. It is fitted with a bayonet stud on top of the barrel towards the muzzle, blade front sight fitted to the rear strap of the brass front barrel band, and “US” marked on top of the breech. The lock is marked “US” at the tail and a small French “crown/B” inspection mark at the top center. Sling swivels are fitted to the middle band and front of the trigger guard. Includes a reproduction leather sling. CONDITION: Very good, exhibiting a mix of refinished brown finish and smooth brown patina with some scattered light pitting, resurfaced frizzen, and nice markings in the metal. Brass fittings retain an attractive golden aged patina with a layer of old varnish on most of the fittings, and an absent chipped section on the top left of the buttplate. Stock is very good as re-oiled with scattered dents and scratches, a crack on the right of the barrel channel behind the middle band, a crack ahead of the rear lock screw, chips and an absent section at the top rear of the lock, two small holes on the left of the wrist, and some chips/absent sections around the buttplate tang. Mechanically excellent. A certainly hard to find example of a “US” marked brass mounted Ship Musket with a French lock! Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500
LOT 128 Documented New England Militia Flintlock Musketoon - NSN, 69 cal., 27 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. Type I New England flintlock militia musketoons are described on pages 328-329 of George D. Moller’s book “American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume II” with this exact musket pictured twice on page 328. The book states, “Because these musketoons were created by shortening existing New England militia muskets, they probably originated in one of the New England states. The alteration included the fitting of a large brass buttplate. Because similar, but larger, buttplates were also fitted to some muskets that had been issued to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and because most of the barrels of these musketoons are stamped with Massachusetts state proof marks, it is speculated that these musketoons were procured for or altered by one or more of the Massachusetts militia units, possibly for use aboard
ship. However, at the time this alteration is believed to have been accomplished (sometime after 1840), only state-owned arms are known to have been in the hands of the Massachusetts militia. The lack of definitive information regarding the alteration and use of these musketoons means that they can be classified only as ‘militia musketoons.’” Mounted in a walnut stock with brass fittings. “LONDON/WARRANTED” marked at the center of the imported English sporting style lock with roller frizzen. Engraving on the hammer and at the tail of the lock. A raised “P” in a sunken oval proof ahead of an “M” and above “LH 1826” is marked at the top left of the breech. “No 44” is inscribed in fancy script on the rear brass side plate. “44” is punch dotted on the inside of the lock. “GDM” (George D. Moller) collection initials marked at the toe of the stock. CONDITION: Very good with mottled brown patina on the barrel and lock, scattered light pitting, and nice markings in the metal. Brass fittings retain an attractive golden aged patina. Stock is also very good with scattered scratches and minor chips, some chips/absent sections on both sides at the tip of the forend, a crack ahead of the rear lock screw, a crack below the rear of the left stock flat, chips and a crack behind the barrel tang, a crack behind the lock, a small hole in the left of the buttstock, and a few cracks at the top of the buttplate. Mechanically needs work, hammer gets stuck at half cock when the trigger is pulled. Provenance: The George Moller Collection.
   Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
LOT 127
Very Scarce Brass Mounted Navy Flintlock Ship Musket with
French Model 1763 Lock and “US” Surcharge Markings - NSN, 69 cal., 42 1/8 inch round bbl., brown finish, walnut stock. This
        AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK AMERICAN MILITARY
 SHOULDER ARMS, VOL. II BY MOLLER
  Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750 73
 





















































































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