Guns International #: 103522691
Seller's Inventory #: 496

Category - Antique Rifles - 1500-1850 - Antique Rifles - Flintlock

Category
Antique Rifles - 1500-1850
Antique Rifles - Flintlock

Antique Flintlock 1808 Contract Musket Made By Oliver Bidwell of Middletown Connecticut. Few Produced.. Lock Works Fine With Bayonet.

Description:
SOLD....Antique1808 Contract Oliver Bidwell Charleville Pattern Musket with the bayonet.... This is another musket I am selling for a friend that I know nothing about but what info. he has given me as follows....Oliver Bidwell was from Middletown Connecticut.. He was contracted for 4,000 muskets at $10.75 each. While records show that only 1,025 was believed delivered. Correspondence dated October 20th 1810 from the Purveyor of Public Supplies writes “Bidwell of Conn. Writes that he has about 3,000 stands and many parts of muskets ready.. Whether a large percentage of these were rejected is unknown, but it seems that more than 1,025 were produced in Bidwells shop. The number of surviving specimens is unknown.. This info. was taken from the book Contract Muskets of 1808. I have a copy of the page that will go with the gun along with an appraisal sheet with a little more info. This is a .69 caliber smooth bore. Barrel is 42 and 3/8th inches long not counting the upper tang. Barrels have been know to be 42” to 44 1/2”.. Lock is marked with the eagle and Middletown.. There are to be around 6 or 7 different lock markings on Oliver's muskets.. Some with his name and some without.. Some with the 1812 date and the US and some without. I can not make out any US or dates behind the hammer.. Worn off or never marked ??? The lock works on half cock and full cock. The gun has that out of the attic look with deep brown patina mixed with some surface crud and looks like it has never been cleaned on or messed with in any way. A 1 inch silver insignia is set in the stock on the top wrist area an inch and ¾ behind the barrel tang. Has what looks like a couple letters but I can not make them out. Probably from a previous owner back in the days of use ??? Who knows !!!! There is a small and minor grain crack at the left wrist. It looked like just a scratch but it might be a crack but it is solid and not repaired.. {see up close photo} and another grain crack on the end of the right side of the forearm. {see up close photo}.. No other cracks or splits. Still a very solid musket for being about 216 years old.. Pretty cool if you like these sort of things.. I can send more photos of areas you may want to see. I can try to answer any questions you may have but I will have to ask my friend as all the info. I have is what is above.. This gun was appraised at $3000 to $3500 in 2005.. The bayonet was appraised at $300 to $400. $100 insured registered mail shipping. Boxed up tight and packed very secure.. It takes me about 45 minutes to box these things up as I have to make a box long enough to fit it and a boat load of packing material.. Call me at 765-728-8049 with any questions or more photos. Please click on the top blue link to view all of my guns as I might have something else of interest to you. I will be listing more of my guns as soon as I get some time.. Thank you all for looking..

SOLD

Antique: Yes