Original British EIC 3rd Model Brown Bess Flintlock Musket Marked to 52nd Regt. of Foot – Battle of Seringapatam Era Original Items

Original item: One of a Kind. This is truly amazing, a British East India Company 3rd Model Brown Bess Musket, marked to a British based Regiment of the Line, the 52nd of Foot. It is otherwise known as THE OXFORDSHIRE REGIMENT, and it also fought in the Battle of WATERLOO. The top of the barrel is clearly marked:

52nd REGt of FOOT

The 52nd, the Oxfordshire Regiment, was shipped to India in 1797 and did in fact serve under Arthur Wellesley, later the DUKE OF WELLINGTON, at the legendary BATTLE OF SERINGAPATAM. There Tippo Sultan of MYSORE was defeated and killed in the Fourth and Final Anglo-Mysore War in 1799. The regiment then later returned to England.

Here we have an original BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANY, English made 3rd Model BROWN BESS MUSKET displaying the relevant EIC Musket features. Notably the barrel tang is rounded and there is an EIC HEART LOGO stamped into the barrel itself. This mark is between the London Proofhouse CROWN / CP black powder proof and CROWN / V viewed marks. The lock is East India Company marked, however this is a replacement post-1808 Mechanism showing the EIC Rampant Lion Logo and dated 1815. It functions correctly, holding at half cock and firing at full.

This Musket was issued as a replacement to the 542nd Regiment of Foot, the Oxfordshire Regiment, once they arrived in India. However, as it belonged to the EIC, it was returned to Stores before the regiment returned to England. Subsequently after 1816 this Brown Bess was supplied by the EIC to the Kingdom of Nepal after the Treaty of Seguli in 1816.

We suspect the 1815 dated lock was then fitted to make the Musket, now unwanted by the EIC, a viable Musket for the Royal Nepalese Army. We of course found it in our 2003 purchase of 55,000 antique guns. When we got it it was in a deplorable wormed state and now after 17 years we have fitted a new wood 1796 model wood stock, returning it to the condition it was in when fighting at the Battle of Serringapatam in 1799.

It now looks magnificent and is ready to display!

Specifications: 

Years of Manufacture: Circa 1796
Caliber: .75″ Musket
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 38 1/2 inches
Overall Length: 54.25 inches
Action: Flintlock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

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