This Fishtail Matchlock Musket is a REPRODUCTION of the matchlock muskets that became popular in Europe from the mid 16th to the late 17th centuries. This matchlock is a REPRODUCTION and was not made during that time period. This musket appears to be patterned off the English style Dog Lock where the matchlock is shaped similar to a dog’s head. The manufacturer and year of this musket could not be determined as there are no markings to be found.
This musket was imported from Switzerland and allegedly was used as a prop for films. We have no documentation or provenance to confirm that but it should be noted that this musket may have been built for that purpose. As such this musket may never have been intended to fire or at most to fire only powder with no ball.
The musket itself is in good condition. The overall length is 51 ½ inches, the barrel is 37 ½ inches, the caliber is 18mm (.70 cal) based on our caliper. The wood finish of the stock is good with some minor dings, scratches, and surface wear. There is no cracking or splitting to be found.
The trigger mechanism does NOT function. The side plate shows minor rust staining. The pan shows minor pitting on the side. The barrel shows some spots of minor rust staining. The brass bands show tarnish, wear, and some scratches.
The bore is good but does show some signs of minor rust. There does appear to be some fouling residue which might be the result of having only powder fired from it. This is because the barrel has been secured to the stock with four screws in the ramrod channel. There is a screw about six inches down from the muzzle, two more in the middle, and one at the rear. These screws all penetrate the barrel and protrude approximately 75% into the bore. As it is it would be impossible to to get a ball down the barrel more than six inches. Whether this was intentional when it was made or if it was done at some other point is unknown. It is also worth noting that there is a gap at the rear of barrel where it meets the locking plate.
The musket appears to have all its hardware and includes ramrod which is rust stained.
DISCLAIMER ON FIRING – DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FIRE THIS MUSKET
Though this matchlock is a reproduction it is classified as antique. We can’t determine if it was built to be fired or simply used as a prop for film / re-enactments or intended just for display. While there is some evidence that it may have been fired at least once there is no way as it is currently configured to fire a musket ball. There are screws obstructing the bore and a gap at the rear of barrel. The trigger mechanism does not work.
This English Dog Lock Fishtail Matchlock would be best utilized as a display piece and would look great over any fireplace or hanging in the study or office.
