A lot of time, customers who contemplate selling firearms to us here at Parker’s gun store tell us what they have, and then follow it up with “Is that too old for you guys to be interested in buying?” Invariably our answer is that if it shoots a projectile, we’re interested. From matchlock to machine gun, cannon to Colt, your gun is neither too new, nor too old for us to be interested in.
Recently, we bought a large collection of antique firearms from an East Coast estate. Amongst them was this absolutely spectacular flintlock blunderbuss made in Birmingham, UK, by gunmaker Theophilus Richards anywhere between the latter part of the 18th century and the early 19th century (i.e. the American Revolutionary War period – roughly the 1770s to 1800 AD). Richards was considered one of the finest gunsmiths of his day, and was father of William Westley Richards, who was instrumental in starting the Birmingham Proof House, and whose firearms firm is still in existence today.
This blunderbuss is made of brass, and has King George III cyphers on the left side. The brass construction tends to be indicative of a firearm envisioned for naval service, since brass tends to stand up to a harsh salt environment more than iron or steel.
It is a very short, compact gun, measuring only 29″ long and with a 14″ barrel. The lock is case colored, and there is still a very pleasing amount of vivid case coloring present, even after more than 200 years! The action is mechanically perfect, and the entire gun shows no evidence of ever being fired. The bore looks new, with no corrosion, no fouling, and no burn marks. There are also no burns around the flash hole or in the pan, making it very probable that this gun was never even fired.
This blunderbuss has a very interesting and desirable feature – a permanently attached bayonet that folds over the barrel. Measuring 11″, this bayonet is released and snaps itself into place over the barrel with the pull of a lever. Since this was a single shot gun, with a long reload time, it would be very handy to be able to have a bayonet at the ready to ward off anyone who got too close!
The gun is mounted in its original stock which shows minor expected handling marks and a few dings in the wood from centuries of storage. The brass fittings are lightly and tastefully engraved, making it probable that this gun was never made for the military, but was instead intended for sale to a private gentleman.
Blunderbuss firearms were very common in the 17th-19th century, and can be found in many configurations. Since they were the shotgun of their day, they were generally loaded with whatever was available – nails, rocks, or shot. It’s a common misconception that the wide mouth of a blunderbuss was to help the shot spread over a wider pattern, but tests have shown this not to be the case. A more likely explanation was that the wide mouth made loading easier when on a moving coach, or on board a swaying ship.
This is a prime example of an absolutely beautiful flintlock blunderbuss, made by one of the premier Birmingham gunsmiths, and in a condition that would be nearly impossible to improve upon!
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Do you have an item like this one that you are interested in selling?
We purchase collectible firearms and military antiques every day at Pony Express Firearms – please contact us today if you would like to sell your item!