Original Dog Lock Brass Barrel Blunderbuss by William Buckmaster Circa 1716 Original Items

Original One-of-a-Kind Item. Acquired from the Strakaty Collection of Vienna, Austria.

This is a stunning early and high quality English Dog Lock Blunderbuss signed W.BUCKMASTER who was admitted to the Freedom of the Gunmaker’s Company in London on April 12th 1716.

This Blunderbuss of possible naval association with flat nailed on brass Butt Plate has a rare THREE screw lock that is engraved with strawberry leaves and maker’s name The brass sideplate is extremely interesting being found on a British Government Musket of 1703,

(See “SMALLARMS OF THE BRITISH FORCES IN NORTH AMERICA 1664-1815″ by De Witt Bailey, page 25) also (MUSKETS OF THE REVOLUTION” by Bill Ahearn page 15. showing weapon by G.TAYLOR dated 1706 with similar sideplate, Both Books very valuable resources and highly recommended.)

The 16-inch Brass Swamped Blunderbuss Barrel has a steel tang and securing bolt the rises from beneath directly in front of the brass trigger guard. The weapon is 31-inches in overall length. Original heavy all iron ramrod with integral worm at rear.

Of particular note, the barrel muzzle front wall is engraved FLY OR DIE. A beautiful high polish on the walnut stock from years of tender loving care make this exceeding rare Blunderbuss an item of high desirability and rarity.

History of the Strakaty Collection- a collector named George Strakaty of Vienna, Austria created what we now call the Strakaty Collection. George was a born Czech and actually was in the modern arms trade and worked for the Czech Government Arms Company of Omnipol in Prague. Strakaty’s role was as an International salesman taking him all over the third world. However, Strakaty was a total Anglophile and every time he visited London would buy only British antique weapons.

Christian, IMA’s Owner, first met George Strakaty, at Omnipol, in 1971 and over the years they became close friends he leading Christian to many Government arms stashes he had discovered. As time passed George’s collection became quite extensive. In the late 1980s Strakaty, by then well past his prime, retired to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands together with his wife Ruth. Before doing so, however, he announced to Christian that he wanted him to buy the entire collection, it was a major undertaking and it took Christian almost five years to pay off the debt. Shortly after George passed away.

Only in the last three or four years, now that, as Christian puts it “is truly on the home stretch himself”, has he reluctantly been letting go of some of the Strakaty collection.