May 17, 2022 Early Arms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/17/2022
A superb example of the British East India Company’s “large brass musketoon with swivel” (as it was referred to in all ordnance records) produced during two periods, 1779-1781 and 1802-1803. This musketoon of the second production is 38" long, with a 22", brass octagonal-to-round barrel of 1.1 bore (at breech and for about the first 16"), which flares for the last 3" to a cannon-type muzzle. It was manufactured with an iron tang and there is a large brass loop on the underside of the barrel for the swivel axle. The top flat of the barrel bears the EIC heart cipher and “NOCK . 1802”, with maker’s touchmark between London proof marks on the left near breech. The 6 - 7/8" x 1 - 1/4", convex-faced lock is of the “Windus’s Pattern” and bears “1802” / EIC cipher on the tail, with “NOCK” before the cock. The brass mounts are of the same form as Tower Sea Service musketoon furniture, including flat buttplate, trigger guard with bulbous front finial, flat sideplate with tail, and one tapered and collared ramrod pipe. The stock is of English walnut, with handrail form to butt and stocked to within 3" of the muzzle, with a raised apron around the iron barrel tang and raised edging around lockplate and sideplate flats ending in “teardrops to the rear of both. The ramrod appears to be original to the piece. There is a corresponding carved and raised flat on the forend around the swivel mounting hole. The iron swivel mount is a hand-forged reproduction. Commonly said by collectors to have fired buckshot charges as with small commercial blunderbusses, these large musketoons were actually on the order of swivel cannon and fired a single, solid-cast lead ball of 7 bore, although alternately fired a cartridge containing multiple rounds of pistol ball. They were used by both the land and naval forces of the East India Company, as well as taken into Crown service during arms shortage emergencies during the Napoleonic epoch. CONDITION: Overall in very good to excellent condition, with the lock in superb working order. The metal showing recent cleaning and the wood with few blemishes, outside of a few bruises and dings, the various markings on metal and wood still strong and well-defined. JLK
Caliber/Bore
1 - 3/4" at bell