Extremely Rare, Original, British, George II Era, Pre Land Pattern, 42 Inch Barrel Brown Bess .75” Musket by Buckmaster of London. Sn - 21851:6 Extremely Rare, Original, British, George II Era, Pre Land Pattern, 42 Inch Barrel Brown Bess .75” Musket by Buckmaster of London. Sn - 21851:6 Muzzleloader .75 Rifles

This is an extremely rare pre Land Pattern Brown Bess musket by Joseph Buckmaster, a London gunsmith who traded from 1730. Robert Buckmaster obtained the freedom of Gunmakers Company on 11th July 1727 and his proof piece was accepted in 1730. In 1732, he was in business at Preston’s Yard, Hatchet Alley, Towerhill in London. His makers mark was a star over IB. From 1740, there was increasing mention of a short land pattern musket that had started about 1720. The long pattern had a barrel length of 46 inches and the short pattern had a barrel length of 42 inches. The short pattern was fitted with a wooden ramrod. Very few of these pre Land Pattern muskets survive and most are in museums. This is an unmolested example of the Pre Land Pattern 42 Inch Barrel Brown Bess .75” Musket. This musket has a barrel length of 42 inches and an overall length of 58 inches. The stock is carved round the squared off barrel tang and the breech has the baluster turning in front of the tang. The flat 6 ½ inches by 1 ¼ inches long lockplate is signed BUCKMASTER with two line engraving and a small decoration behind the cock. The lock has an early single bridle for the frizzen and is retained by 2 sidenails from the flat brass sideplate. The barrel is London proofed and carries the makers mark star over IB (Robert Buckmaster) between the proof marks which was Josephs Buckmasters mark. The barrel is retained at the breach by a screw from the trigger guard instead of being secured from the top. The stock has a flat brass butt plate and the trigger guard is solid behind the curled trigger. The brass tipped ash ramrod is retained by 3 ram rod ferrules. Where the ramrod enters the stock, there is no ferrel fitted as on late models, only a plain wooden ram rod channel. The musket is stocked to 2 ¾ inches form the muzzle with a simple small rectangular block foresight. Brass nosecaps were generally added after 1750. There is a blank oval brass escutcheon fitted to the top of the wrist. The barrel is smooth with a nice patina and the bore has staining and residue with use. The lock has a strong and crisp action. The walnut stock is in a nice condition with no cracks with only minor knocks and bumps with age and at some stage it has had an contempory old small inlet repair to the fore end top which has been nicely done. At some time the guns original swan necked cock has been replaced with an India pattern ring neck cock usually due to the fragility of the swan necked cock and probably long service of the gun as the sides of the wooden butt have been contemporary decorated with small brass nails with Waterloo on the right hand side and Salamanca on the left hand side. See Great British Gunmakers, 1540 – 1740 by W. Keith Neal & D.H.L. Back, page 453, British Military Longarms 1715-1815 by D.W. Bailey and British Military Firearms 1650-1850 by Howard l. Blackmore. Delivery is to the U.K. mainland by arrangement and at cost. Sn 21851:6