May 17, 2022 Early Arms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/17/2022
On 14 June 1757, the Spanish Secretary of War issued a royal order establishing a standardized model of “fusil” or light musket for the infantry of King Carlos III’s military forces. This new model drew much inspiration from Model 1754 French fusil, including the use of a flat, bridled locks with faceted pan and gooseneck cock and an octagonal-to-round, tapered barrel that was banded vs. pin-fastened; overall length of the arm was 59 - 1/2", with a 43 - 3/4" barrel of .69 caliber. Unlike the iron-mounted French infantry longarms, the new Spanish M1757 fusil’s mounts were of brass, including buttplate, sideplate, trigger guard, thumbpiece, and three barrel bands, the rear and middle band being pressure-mounted, with the noseband with a retaining spring. The shape of the sideplate was triangular and the tang of the buttplate terminated in a trefoil form, somewhat resembling that found on French commercial and naval longarms. The thumpiece was the form of a crowned shield. In addition to being used by Spanish troops during the Revolutionary War, many of these arms found their way into the hands of Patriot forces, some war trophies from Provincial service during the reduction of Havana in 1762 and others being procured by Continental commissioner Oliver Pollock in New Orleans. More than 200 of these muskets with bayonets and cartridge boxes, were issued to George Rogers Clark’s Illinois Regiment and used during their campaigns in the Ohio Valley. This particular example may have been part of the Pollock shipment to Clark’s troops, as it was found in Ohio and bears evidence of long service and a simple, American barrel conversion to percussion, with approximately 1/3 of the pan left intact. The middle band of the musket is now missing and a bayonet spring has been attached to the front or noseband, which has been observed on at least one other M1757 fusil. The right face of the butt is branded ‘No. 10’, while its underside is branded CA. PETRES’ and the sideplate is engraved ‘f No. 10’, followed by what appears to be a later ‘#38.’ A rare and desirable arm of the Colonial-Revolutionary era. CONDITION: The musket is in true “attic” condition, with nice uniform patina throughout, the ironwork dark with some light pitting to barrel, primarily near the breech, the mounts a dull bronze, and the stock with some light scars and bruising commensurate with age, with a short, hairline crack along the upper edge near the front band. The original iron ramrod has suffered the loss of the last few inches of its length. JLK
Caliber/Bore
.78 Smoothbore