Original Item (except where specified): It is no secret that included in the extraordinary cache of arms purchased from the Royal Nepalese Armory by IMA there were a limited quantity of original 18th Century British Brown Bess Flintlock Muskets. Regrettably, they were in a deplorable condition having arrived in Nepal via the East India Company sometime before 1820 and laid undisturbed, and not cared for, since the 1850s. These Brown Bess Muskets are the East India Company Pattern of 1771 featuring a 39″ barrel. The British Government adopted the 39″ barrel (reduced in length from the 42 inch Short Land Pattern) in 1796. This is why these muskets are commonly referred to as “The Brown Bess India Pattern of 1796” or the Brown Bess 3rd model.
The Flintlock Locks were all made in England for the East India Company and but the original English maker markings were removed once in Gurkha hands, after 1816, and replaced with a Gurkha Nepalese crest. Because so many of the original stocks are broken, rotted and useless we have decided to offer a Restoration Set which consist of:
– Original unattached English made Flintlock lock with Gurkha Nepalese Crest Marking. Almost no cleaning efforts have been made on these locks, just a wipe to reveal the markings, and typical condition will be dirty, with rust and grime. However, no major pitting will be evident and…
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