BRASS BARREL FLINTLOCK BLUNDERBUSS BY WILLIAMS, LONDON, CA. 1750-60

$3,250.00 SOLD

Quantity Available: None

Item Code: 1037-25

A Flintlock Blunderbuss by Williams of London. 31 inches overall with brass barrel about 16 inches long, swelling at the muzzle, and turned at the breech with two half-round moldings. Fully stocked. Plain brass buttplate, triggerguard with rounded finial, and flat, elongated-S sideplate. The barrel is engraved ‘London’ without borders, and bears London private proofmarks at the left breech: two stampings of a simple crown over crossed scepters. The lower die impression seems to show the die had been damaged on the shaft of one scepter. The wood has only light handling marks and good edges, and the brass has a uniform mellow patina on all parts. The wood to metal fit is tight, with just one very small edge chip out at the top of the lockplate behind the hammer. There is a single ramrod pipe and a brass-tipped wood ramrod that looks period. The lock and hammer are rounded and marked “Williams.” There appears to be a small “T” over the “W,” but this seems to be the right stroke of the “W,” placed as a suprascript so as not to interfere with the next letter. A T. Williams appears as a London gun maker shortly after 1800, but there is a B. Williams mentioned as producing brass barreled blunderbusses in the 1750-1780 period, which seems more in keeping with the style and rounded lock of the gun. The lock shows a spotted gray in color, salt-and-pepper pitting with some lighter areas, probably the result of a cleaning fifty or sixty years ago, with some traces of light border engraving at the rear.

Sometimes referred to as “coaching blunderbusses” or even “bedroom blunderbusses,” these weapons were often used for personal defense by travelers or homeowners in isolated country houses.  [sr]

DISCLAIMER: All firearms are sold as collector's items only - we do not accept responsibility as to the shooting safety or reliability of any antique firearm. All firearms are described as accurately as possible, given the restraints of a catalog listing length. We want satisfied customers & often "under" describe the weapons. Any city or state regulations regarding owning antique firearms are the responsibility of the purchaser. All firearms are "mechanically perfect" unless noted, but again, are NOT warranted as safe to fire!

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