Flintlock musket
Godfrey Tailor (fl.1666 - 1700),
Category
Arms and armour
Date
circa 1690 - circa 1710
Materials
Brass, Iron, Wood
Measurements
length 1510 mm
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Dyrham, Gloucestershire
NT 452119
Summary
Gun; English flintlock musket, c1690 - c1710
Full description
Military flintlock musket, English, c1690. The barrel bears the makers mark GT, probably Godfrey Tailor, gunmaker and contractor to the Ordnance 1678 - 1701. The musket is unusual as the stock has been painted or stained to represent burr wood, which was fashionable for civilian guns at this period. Iron barrel, formed in 2 stages, octagonal at the breech, then round to the muzzle, separated by a turned moulding. The muzzle has a blade fore-sight. The breech is stamped with London Gunmakers Company proof marks and the makers mark, GT under a star. The barrel is retained to the stock by 3 barrel pins. The ramrod is missing. Length: 111.4cm Calibre: 20mm Wooden full stock with heavy form butt, the wood stained overall to represent burr wood. Brass furniture comprising; tacked on butt plate, trigger guard with blob finial and 2 ramrod pipes (1 missing). There is a scroll tip trigger. Flintlock with a large flat plate. The flat broad cock has a ring neck. There is a dog-catch, a facetted flashpan and a wide square top frizzen. The frizzen spring has a decorative edge and finial. The lock is retained to the stock by 3 sidenails (1 missing). Overall length:150.5cm Brian Godwin, “17th Century Muskets at Dyrham Park”, Canadian Arms Collecting Journal, Bloomfield, Canada, Vol.34, No.4, 1998
Provenance
Indigenous collection purchased by Ministry of Works in 1956 and given to National Trust in 1961.
Marks and inscriptions
Barrel breech left side: GP & V London Gunmakers proof and view marks Barrel breech left side: GT under a star (probably Godfrey Tailor)
Makers and roles
Godfrey Tailor (fl.1666 - 1700), , gunsmith
References
Blackmore, 1986: Howard Blackmore: A Dictionary of London Gunmakers 1350-1850