Full stock blunderbuss. [Late 18th or early 19th century]. Bore diam. approx. 1 in. and muzzle flares to diam. approx. 2 1/2 in. Two stage pinned octagon to round barrel is 23 1/2 in., overall length 38 3/8 in. NSN. Untouched, oxidized metal, iron mountings, European hardwood stock. Unmarked convex lock with pronounced "banana" curve, unbridled, rounded and fenced iron pan and swan neck cock. Lock lightly decorated with simple foliate engraving. Blunderbuss with flowing iron vine pattern side plate, musket butt, raised carved apron around tang. Likely French or continental.

The blunderbuss emerged as early as the seventeenth century, principally in Europe, though some accounts allege that examples were carried by the Pilgrims to Plymouth in 1620. It became a favored arm of the British Royal Navy during the seventeenth century and reached the height of its popularity in the early eighteenth. By the era of the American Revolution, blunderbusses were appearing with greater frequency in North America, and the U.S. Navy issued them during the War of 1812. Their period of utility was relatively brief, however, and by the Civil War they had largely become obsolete in the face of rapid advances in firearms technology.

Note: This lot cannot be packaged and shipped in-house. Successful bidders winning items marked as being packaged and shipped by a third-party service are responsible for paying the third party directly. We are happy to offer complimentary drop-off service to local third-party packing/shipping companies in Columbus, Ohio.