Musket

Firearm

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

Musket

Entry/Object ID

VC.59.548

Description

Musket, fowling flintlock piece: Smooth-bore barrel, thick, round, slightly flared at muzzle; iron front sight, no rear sight; full stock, with deep tang and very high comb; underside flat, with beaded edges. One brass ramrod ferrule remaining; flat straight butt, with brass buttplate secured to butt with brass pins; no patchbox; at tang, brass medallion, roughly engraved, with shell motif at top; opposite lock, serpentine area hollowed out to receive brass plate; trigger guard brass, broad beneath wide backward-curved trigger; guard terminates in baroque ornamental shapes, and is secured by brass screws; lockplate flat, engraved with maker's name (W/BRAZIER); lock original, with round-back frizzen with flat top, flat goose-neck hammer engraved with leafy motif, curved and braced jaw post, and slotted jaw screw.

Collection

Van Cortlandt Manor Object Collection

Firearm Detail

Manufacturer

W. Brazier

Firearm Notes

Dates: 1700 - 1733 Date Made: r. 1700 - 1733

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

inscription

Transcription

Stamped with London proof and viewed marks and "WB" at breech; bears crudely carved "162"; branded into left side of stock, "H.V.RENSSELAR"; on right side, upside-down, crudely carved "HVR". 1987 Appraisal says: "I.I.V.R."

Dimensions

Length

68-3/4 in

Diameter

3/4 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 68 3/4 x 3/4 in. (174.6 x 1.9 cm)

Height

6-3/4 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm)

Material

brass, Walnut, Cast steel

Condition

Notes

Remarks: Details of condition: Non-functioning order. Lock has parts, such as hammer catch, missing; hammer frozen in position; all barrel keepers missing (crude modern wire substitutes introduced); ramrod missing (long stained dowel introduced June, 1959); most ramrod ferrules missing; plate opposite lock missing; flint and leather missing; heavy patina on all brass, brass plate no longer extant.

General Notes

Note Type

Curatorial Remarks

Note

A gentleman (Webster White of Freeville, NY) writing a book on Firearms of the Hudson Valley inquired about the musket. He says it was stocked and assembled by an American gunsmith utilizing a lock and barrel imported from England. Practically all guns of this period are mounted with English components since Parlimentary laws forbid the colonists manufacturing products from raw materials.

Note Type

StorageNote

Note

Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Union Church, Storage, Shelf 20E