gun musket matchlock

Native matchlock musket from Sumatra. Smooth bore octagonal barrel of bright steel. All brass lock, including serpentine spring, double silver chain attached to lock with pricker sheath (pricker missing). Damascus barrel, no ram rod. Together with copper and iron graduated powder measure - now detached from musket. Two bands and stock end at muzzle in plain brass (one in Berlin silver). A double silver chain for the prickle (now missing) and a small 'match holder'. Some variation at the barrel ending with a long fluted muzzle end. Shorter stock of similar pattern to 8/East (ABDUA 38523) datable from the late 18th century to early 19th. Mr Thomson's catalogue describes this as 'Sumatra Match Lock made by natives, Mr Arthur Fraser.' Rare specimen of this kind of firearm. Note: lock damaged and not in working order, flash-pan cover, butt end of brass and prickle missing. No ram-rod: these weapons were used with a separate ram-rod, now missing. Together with: A rare and original copper and iron graduated powder measure made with a tube of copper with a piston ending in a quadrangular point in iron. The shaft of the piston bears the graduation in numbers Arab-Malay: 1 to 10. It is stated that Sumatran people used to stick the point in the ground to fill the measure with powder and to have it ready far from the burning end of the match. (G B Gardner, author of 'Keris and other Malay Weapons'). Inscription: No maker's marks.

Early: 1775 Late: 1825

L(overall): 1580 mm L(barrel): 1325 mm Dia(bore)

Thomson, Alexander Mr

wood metal steel copper.alloy brass silver

Thomson, Alexander Mr

2d013dd7-4cca-4484-aaff-f3cb52841575