ANTIGUAN Antique RICHARD WILSON of London FLINTLOCK Fusil REVOLUTIONARY WAR 1770 Dated COLONIAL MILITIA Longarm

Product Description

ANTIGUAN Antique RICHARD WILSON of London FLINTLOCK Fusil REVOLUTIONARY WAR

1770 Dated COLONIAL MILITIA Longarm

Here we present an antique Richard Wilson Brown Bess Style Flintlock Fusil, made in 1770 in London, England. This would have been a militia weapon in Antigua during around the time of the American War for Independence. Antigua was an important colony in the Western Hemisphere due to its sugar production and other trade goods, as well as its deep water ports which allowed the British Navy to stay in theater during hurricane season rather than return to England. Trade with the 13 Colonies was very important to Antigua as the island colony relied on imported food stuffs, but it was halted by the British military both during and after the war. In fact, Horatio Nelson was sent to Antigua to enforce the “Navigation Acts” in the post-War period, which, combined with a draught, caused considerable suffering to the inhabitants of the island.

Richard Wilson was the first of a multigenerational family named and owned arms making company in the Minories. He was born to parents who were originally from the county of Westmorland and he was baptized in the church of St. Bottolph’s Aldgate in London in 1703. He was apprenticed to London gunmaker Thomas Green for 7 years. Upon the completion of his apprenticeship in 1725 he continued to work for Thomas and then Thomas’s wife Agnes when Thomas had passed away. They made guns on contract for the Hudson’s Bay Company as well as the Royal African Company. He took over this business from Agnes and gained The Honourable East India Company as a client in 1733. He appears to have been making guns for North America by about 1735, documents mentioning his arms by name noting their desirability. Colonies such as Georgia and South Carolina were ordering muskets and bayonets for their militias while merchants were ordering them for sale to their customers, the colonists as well as Native Americans. Richard would pass in 1766 but his son William and subsequently his grandson William II would continue the family name and business. Richard would also train Robert Barnett and it is speculated by DeWitt Bailey II, the author of an excellent article from which much of this information was gleaned, that Barnett would make up part of the Company (as in Wilson & Co.) along with Richard’s first apprentice, Robert Wilson, a relative.

It has an “*RW” marked barrel, which is the maker’s mark for Richard Wilson with pre-1813 London proofs, along with “LONDON/1770” marked vertically at the tail of the lock with “WILSON” at the center, and “ANTIGUA” marked on top.

The overall condition is good. The original metal has a brown patina. The bore is dim and smooth. Strong action. The stock is very good with minimal handling wear. There is a stable crack at the front of the forend under the ramrod.

Barrel is 40 inches long.

Caliber: .70 Flintlock

Overall condition as seen in photos.

Very Fast. Very Safe. FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE. Delivered directly to your door by express mail!

www.ancestryguns.com

$3250
#250538