Your help please identifying a blunderbuss?

[pkrpkr]

Can anyone help figuring out in which country this blunderbuss was made and in which period?
It has a steel barrel, first part is octagonal and then it flares out into a round front end. The lock is inscribed "MEYER" on the inside and an initial which could be "I" or "J". The hammer has 2 positions apart from the "fired" position: one is half cock and the other is full cock. Overall length 100cm. I think this is a french type lock mechanism, but where was it made? Germany, the UK, Holland? Around 1750?
Thanks in advance for any hints to put me in the right direction.

 

[Kevin Brewer]

Hi there, I may be the bearer of bad news. This may well be a reproduction, that was a thing in the 60-70s. You could buy the mechanical hardware and the barrel, and make your own stock. I have a brass one that I have to open up to stop corrosion, had "made in Italy" in the same place your's is stamped. The wood work is also a little rough around the Lock and the screw heads look a little too modern. I hope I am wrong, I know the sinking feeling....

 

[Coot]

Any proof or other marks on the barrel?

 

[pkrpkr]

Wow that would be something. Here are some more detailed pics, perhaps that helps.

 

[pkrpkr]

Any proof or other marks on the barrel?

No, don't see any.

 

[pkrpkr]

Just got a message from the former curator of the Dutch Army Museum. According to him it's a "vuursteendonderbuskarabijn", loosely translated as "flintlock blunderbuss carbine". Likely made by Dutch Gunmaker L. de Meyer in Utrecht between 1750 and 1770. It seems there was a "Visser" firearms collection containing 4 Meyer items, one of which had a lock attributed to Meyer and the barrel made by Jacobus Huysen in 1749. Some of these guns had brass barrels with rings and appear in literature as 'flare', 'signalling', or 'pyrotechnic' guns. The thickness of the barrel would also have allowed heavier charges such as grapeshot or other forms of light ammunition. Not that I would try that.....

 

[TFoley]

That's interesting - at the risk of getting this post pulled, I have a carbine from the B*** W** that has the name Huijsen [another variation of the name Huysen] carved on the stock.

 

[rickystl]

Looks legit to me. Nice blunderbuss.

 

[robinghewitt]

I'd have bought it from those pics and I collect blunderbusses. I was starting to get worried because I got duped on a repro Baker bayonet and a Westley Richards goose gun with a phony lock. Good to know I still have an eye for a 'bus, probably

 

[pkrpkr]

I collect blunderbusses

Great intro video you have - fun . You're fortunate you can do that over there. All I can do with it here is keep it locked in the cabinet and when the time comes find another caretaker for it.