AGAIN Help needed identifing a musket...

[Ike Godsey]

this musket showed up on a gun auktion today.
does anyone here knows what it is?
the seller wrote it is 148cm long, which is about 58 inch.

any help out there?? :bow:

ike

 

[TFLeader]

Looks British

What is the auction description?

 

[Ike Godsey]

this is it:

Vorderlader Steinschloßgewehr, auf dem Schloß gestempelt mit "TOWER" sowie "GR" unter einer Krone. Auf dem Lauf 3 Kronenstempel untereinander. Gesamtlänge 148 cm und deshalb nur als Sperrgut versendbar. Das Schoß ist voll funktionstüchtig.

translation:

"muzzleloader flintlockmusket, lock marked "TOWER" and "GR" beneath a crown. barrel marked with three crowns. overall length 148cm, shipps as special long shippment. lock is in full working order."

thats it.

ike

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Going by the sling swivels and what I can see of the quality of the engraving on the lock, it is a modern reproduction. With the "Tower" lock, it should be one of the Japanese reproductions made by Miroku in the late 1970s or early 1980s. This could be confirmed if there were a better photo showing a side view of the trigger guard, the Japanese made reproductions had an oddly shaped trigger guard bow.

The reproductions from Japan are very highly thought of, and the Miroku factory (in business since 1893) today builds shotguns for Browning and, if I am not mistaken, rifles, shotguns and ammunition for Winchester.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Ike, it's definitely a modern reproduction. The fine points of markings and construction just don't stand up to an original. Somebody's tried to remark the barrel proofs but didn't get it right. Additionally, the wrist plate would have been stamped or engraved with a rack and/or soldier's number or even a regimental number. Somebody attempted to make it look more interesting but I've never heard of an over sized barrel proof mark on the wrist plate. Metal and wood is too sharp to be an original, it's just been aged either deliberately or from neglect. With the obvious attempt to make it seem old, I'd think it's been deliberately aged to appear much older than it really is. Sorry, somebody's trying to make money through artificial aging.

 

[pargent]

YES it is a realy good defarb job, the original person who did this did it in such a way that it could be ided as such .Is the auction house trying to pass it as original , if notified they will remove it as such and list it as modern .

 

[Ike Godsey]

i have contacted the seller, asking for more photos and some mor information - lets see when he responds.

i have a pic from a japan-bess. looking close to this pic and compare it with the above pic of the lock, i do believe the japan-bess is different - look at the engraving.

i really don't think its an original, but it sure is a interesting copy...

ike