Flintlock maker WALLIS

[Loyer]

I am able to see most of this old lockplate. It says R WALLIS . Can't find anything on him in google Some on G Wallai and S Wallis but no R Wallis.

The barrel proof mark is an R with a circle above it. Anybody know of him ?

 

[galamb]

The proof mark on the barrel is a Belgian mark indicating a "rifled barrel". Many Belgian made guns, barrels and parts were imported back in the early 1800's.

edit - after checking some of my "pile of papers" I found that, that particular mark was first used in 1852 by the Liege proof house (Belgium) - so while this is on a flintlock, which would "tend' to indicate an 1830's or older piece, the barrel was (proofed), minimally 20 years into the percussion cap era.

(and what you note as a circle is actually a crown that is so distorted it's tough to make it out)

The marking on the lock could be any of a number of things. It could be the lock maker, the gun maker, the hardware store that the lock was bought from, the importer of the lock or even the guy who originally owned it.

A picture of the entire rifle might help narrow down what exactly you have.

 

[Loyer]

Looks like an Indian trade rifle to me. Thanks galamb.

 

[tacfoley]

If this is a smoothbore gun, then the crown over R stamp is decidedly odd.

My notes, from the London Proof House, only note that such a mark was applied to rifled long arms after 1894....

tac

 

[mooncoon]

The trigger guard and the sideplate are wrong for a trade gun. Depending on the guage, my vote would be for a flintlock fowler or perhaps a private contract military musket

cheers mooncoon

 

[tacfoley]

In that case, the crown over R does not mean rifled.

tac