Rare US 1808 Contract Flintlock Musket by Brooke

War of 1812

.70 caliber. 44.75" barrel. NSN. Bright finish, iron furniture, full-length walnut musket stock with three flat, spring retained barrel bands. Single shot smoothbore muzzleloading flintlock musket with no rear sight, brass blade front sight on the rear strap of the upper barrel band, a socket bayonet lug on the bottom of the barrel, 1.25" from the muzzle, a bell shaped sling swivel on the stud forward of the triggerguard and a button head ramrod. The 6.375" flat beveled lock has a pronounced teat at the rear and is marked {Spread Winged Eagle}/US below the pan and marked BROOKE vertically at the tail. The lock has an integral, rounded, fenced and bridled iron pan. The frizzen toe is straight and the frizzen spring terminates in a bulb with a teat. The flat beveled cock is reinforced and has a heart shaped cut out with a straight cock's comb. The lock plate is in its original flint configuration although most of the internal small parts are replaced. The touchhole is well centered in the pan and is properly angled and tapered. Endoscopic examination of the interior of the breech revealed no welding or obvious signs of reconversion. The breech is stamped with a somewhat illegible capital letter, as well as a V and a raised {Eagle Head}/CT proof mark in a depressed oval. The "CT" indicates that the gun is a "contract" musket. The reverse butt is marked with what appears to be the number 39 followed by REGT. During the War of 1812, the 39th US Infantry was under the command of Andrew Jackson for some time and was present at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. Initials and letters are lightly carved in both sides of the butt This rare 1808 contract musket was one of only 1,257 delivered by the firm of James, John & Nathaniel Brooke of Chester Township, PA. The received a contract on November 1, 1808 to produced 4,000 "Harpers Ferry Pattern" muskets, but only delivered a fraction of the guns contracted for. They delivered 605 in 1810, 472 in 1811 and 180 in 1812. {ANTIQUE}

This lot is located in Cincinnati.