Original Item: Only One Available. This is another piece from the acquisition of the Strakaty collection.
Made by “STEELE” and marked on the lockplate, this very elegant brass barreled blunderbuss dating from circa 1780 has the most pleasing lines with bannister rail butt stock and quality decorated brass mounts. There is a fine steel worm on the back end of the original horn tipped ramrod. The 16″ swamped brass barrel, marked “STEELE -LONDON” to top, is also inscribed around the front face of the brass barrel, as follows:
“HAPPY IS HE THAT ESCAPETH ME”
A jolly sentiment on the business end of a classic weapon clearly intended to discourage any assailant. By no means unique, such inscriptions are still very rare, this is still one of the most attractive examples of muzzle engraved blunderbusses weve ever seen.
Overall Length- 30.5
Barrel Length- 16