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Rare English Dog-Lock Trade Musket

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:5,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
Rare English Dog-Lock Trade Musket
This is a rare example of an English Dog-Lock musket made in the early 18th Century (circa. 1700). The musket is light and simply made and appears to be a London trade musket. The iron lock plate is flat with beveled edges. The lock has flat, reinforced, hammer with a notch in the back. A small hooked safety latch or "dog" is mounted behind the hammer to engage the hammer notch and provide a 'half-cock' or safety. The lock has a detachable, faceted, iron, pan and spear point frizzen spring. There are no visible markings on the lock. The 42 1/2-inch barrel has an octagonal breech, two turned balusters and a slightly swamped muzzle. The barrel is fitted with an iron, half-moon, front sight and fixed, dove-tailed, rear sight. The top barrel flat is engraved: "MINORIES LONDON" in block letters. The left flat is stamped with oval London, "Crown/GP" and "Crown/V" proofmarks on either side of a five-pointed star/ "RW" maker's stamp. The star/RW mark could possibly be R. Wooldridge (1680-1739). Wooldridge made dog-lock muskets in London in this period of time. (consignor has note that it could also be made by a Richard Wilson 1681-1730 of London). The musket has a pin-fastened, low-comb, walnut stock with prominent relief carved extensions behind the lock, side plate and barrel tang. The stock has a simple, iron trigger guard with rounded finials. The stock has two cast brass ramrod pipes, an elaborate, cast brass, dragon shaped, side plate and a simple sheet brass, tack-mounted, buttplate. There is a worn indentation on the right side of the stock that is in the same configuration and location as the Tower storekeeper's mark found on late 18th Century Brown Bess muskets.
BBL: 42 1/2 In
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 65 bore
Finish: brown
Grips:
Serial Number: NSN
Condition: Good. The barrel, lock and trigger guard have a deep brown patina. There is moderate to heavy pitting around the flash hole and top of the barrel. The Minories marking on the barrel top is light but the London proof and view marks and maker's mark are sharp. The brass side plate and buttplate have an attractive patina. The stock is in good overall condition for a musket of this age. The relief carvings behind the lock, side plate and tang are sharp. The stock has moderate handling wear and an attractive age patina. The only repair appears to be a crack in the ramrod channel at the muzzle. This is a good example of a very scarce, 17th Century British Dog-Lock Trade Musket and important example of the evolution of the flint-lock musket.