Original British Brass Barrel Flintlock Coaching Blunderbuss by Joseph & William Richards of London with Spring Loaded Bayonet - circa 1810
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Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic Brass Blunderbuss Barreled Flintlock Coaching Gun, made by the London-based firm of Joseph & William Richards circa 1810. There were many gunsmiths of the time with the surname Richards, some closely related, and some not. This particular partnership was active on Staining Lane in London circa 1808-1810, per Howard L. Blackmore's fine work Gunmakers of London 1350-1850. It is all brass fitted, and bears lovely engraved designs on much of the metalwork, which are definitely hand executed. There is also a lovely oval escutcheon on the rear of the wrist, and the brass for the most part shows a lovely aged mustard patina.
This lovely matured blunderbuss measures 27 ¾ inches in overall length with a 12 ¼ inch swamped brass barrel. This itself is fitted with a 9 ¼ inch long spring bayonet located on the top of the barrel. This is held closed by an iron safety catch on the barrel tang, and when released it locks into place. There is a release button on the left side of the bayonet base, and it still functions correctly. Looking at the bayonet. it is very possible that it was fitted post production, when the blunderbuss was put into coaching service, as the bayonet definitely increases the self-defense potential.
The lock plate is signed with a stamped J & W over a script Richards, and is in lovely condition, with line engraved borders and no damage from rust peppering. It is an early pattern lock, with out a pan reinforcement bridle for the frizzen. There are no maker markings on the top of the barrel, but it does have two CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS markings, for Pre-1813 inspection at the Ordnance Proof house on Tower Wharf close to the Tower of London. This mark was only used on "private" arms, not military issued examples.
Condition overall is very good, showing a lovely glow on the wood and a nice mustard colored patina on the brass barrel and mountings. The trigger guard has a lovely "acorn" shaped finial on the underside. The stock has a beautiful color, and does not show any large cracks or repairs. There are however scattered worm holes, particularly in the butt stock, as shown in the picture, though the stock definitely is still structurally sound. We tested the lock, and it is functional, but a strong trigger pull can cause it to fire at half cock. The blunderbuss still retains a lovely horn tipped wooden ramrod under the barrel, which can be a bit hard to remove, so care is needed.
A lovely and very hard to find original brass flintlock coaching blunderbuss by a known British Gun Maker, with a fantastic spring loaded bayonet on top. Ready to research and display!
Specifications:
Year of Manufacture: circa 1810
Caliber: Blunderbuss Swamped Barrel
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 12 ¼ inches
Overall Length: 27 ¾ inches
Action: Flintlock Top Action with Safety
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded
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- This product is available for international shipping.
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IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.
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Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.
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