Flintlock rifle
William Turvey (fl.1703-1742)
Category
Arms and armour
Date
1740
Materials
silver, walnut, steel, iron & whalebone
Measurements
130 mm (Width) x 67 mm (Depth); 1240 mm (L)
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire
NT 108520
Summary
A rare breech-loading (La Chaumette system) flintlock rifle, c1740, by William Turvey, gunmaker, London.
Full description
A rare breech-loading (La Chaumette system) flintlock rifle, c1740, by William Turvey, gunmaker, London (fl 1703 - 1742). This rifle uses a removable breech plug allowing it to be loaded at the breech. The breech plug is made integrally with the trigger guard. Turning the trigger guard unscrews the plug, allowing access to the barrel breech from the underside of the gun. This breech-loading system is credited to the French engineer Isaac de la Chaumette in about 1704. Round iron rifled barrel with a flattened breech, engraved and signed W. TURVEY, LONDON. The breech also stamped with London Gunmakers Company proof marks and the makers mark, WT under a fleur de lys. Blade fore-sight and folding peep-hole rear sight set into the engraved barrel tang. Secured to the stock by 3 barrel slides. Whale bone ramrod formed in 3 unscrewable sections (forward part missing). The removable iron breech plug is formed integrally with the trigger guard. Barrel length 85.7cm Calibre 18mm. Walnut full stock with hand-rail form butt. Carved scallop shell behind the barrel tang and profile carving around the furniture. Part of fore-stock missing. Engraved steel furniture comprising; butt-plate (with a hinged compartment for bullets), trigger guard formed with handle to facilitate unscrewing the breech plug, side-plate with retaining screw, and 3 ramrod pipes. Silver escutcheon with scallop shell motif and engraved with collared bird. Scroll form trigger. Flintlock of flat form with bevelled edges and a stepped tail, the plate signed W. TURVEY. Frizzen spring with decorative finial. Retained to the stock by 2 side-nails. Overall length 124.5cm
Provenance
Purchased in 1987 by the National Trust from Francis Curzon, 3rd Viscount Scarsdale (1924-2000).
Marks and inscriptions
W. TURVEY LONDON (maker's mark, engraved, top of barrel, text)
Makers and roles
William Turvey (fl.1703-1742), gunsmith
References
Blackmore, 1986: Howard Blackmore: A Dictionary of London Gunmakers 1350-1850