RARE MOLENBECK UNDERHAMMER FLINTLOCK SMOOTHBORE FOWLER/MUSKET.

RARE MOLENBECK UNDERHAMMER FLINTLOCK SMOOTHBORE FOWLER/MUSKET. SN NONE. Cal. About 62 or 18 bore. This most unusual and rare German made firearm has a heavy 40-1/4″ oct to rnd steel bbl with turned transition. Top flat has the gold impressed rectangular cartouche of Ludwig Molenbeck with a large crown. On each top side flat, at the breech plug end, are two impressed flower cartouches. Forward of the cartouche on the top flat is hand stamped “A BRAUN * FELS” and forward of that are seven small stars in a triangle pattern. Front sight is mounted well back from the muzzle and is applied brass with a long raised blade and a corresponding long raised rear sight on tapered top tang. The bbl is heavy gauge steel muzzle leading one to speculate that it could have been used for ball as well as shot. What makes this firearm so unusual is the extraordinarily rare underhammer flint lock action. The incongruity is difficult to comprehend that when the flash pan is loaded and the frizzen closed the powder is secure but when the arm is in firing position, ie. mounted to the shoulder, and fired, the flint in the hammer’s jaws strikes and opens the frizzen which, given the laws of gravity, would allow the powder to spill out as it was being ignited by the spark from the frizzen. This very likely would be a very unreliable ignition, and might create a large firefall which might burn the shooters forward arm. It is mounted in a full length 1-pc stock, probably of European birch, with raised, carved, teardrop side panels and a raised carved panel around top tang. There is additionally a raised carved moulding on each side of the ramrod channel. A period of use replacement wood ramrod is secured in two faceted, eternal iron guides with a matching faceted & turned nose pipe. The forestock is pin secured with a barely noticeable 22″ repair at the forward end of the forestock. Stock is hand finished with applied patterns resembling tortoise shell. Trigger guard & buttplate are of smooth iron with sgl trigger and a finger rest lower tang on trigger guard. Buttplate has a long stepped tang with foliate filed finial secured with two large screws. Butt is thick & heavy, reminiscent of earlier wheelock arms and similar to later club butt fowlers. Information provided by the consignor discloses that Ludwig Molenbeck worked in Giessen and Braunfels, Germany in the late 17th and early 18th century probably up to 1733. The date of this arm is estimated to be approx. 1722. It passed through several hands before landing in a large American collection in the early 20th century and was auctioned by Sotheby, Park, Bernet in 1975 which auction also the subject of an article in the 1975 issue of Gun Digest which featured the picture of this firearm. In 1997 this Molenbeck firearm was exhibited at the Baltimore Gun Show where it received the “Best Individual Weapon” Award. PROVENANCE: Ex William Goodwin Renwick Collection. CONDITION: Fine. Bbl is a clean bright metal patina with some scattered spots of surface discoloration. Trigger guard and trigger/lockplate, along with buttplate, are also a cleaned metal patina with light surface pitting. Stock has a hairline forward of trigger plate, otherwise is sound and retains most of a fine custom over finish. Mechanics are fine, bore is strong & bright with a ring about 18″ from muzzle which may have something to do with the repaired forestock. 4-41172 JR (12,500-17,500)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2011

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2499	$8,050.00	RARE MOLENBECK UNDERHAMMER FLINTLOCK SMOOTHBORE FOWLER/MUSKET. SN NONE. Cal. About 62 or 18 bore. This most unusual and rare German made firearm has a heavy 40-1/4″ oct to rnd steel bbl with turned transition. Top flat has the gold impressed rectangular cartouche of Ludwig Molenbeck with a large crown. On each top side flat, at the breech plug end, are two impressed flower cartouches. Forward of the cartouche on the top flat is hand stamped “A BRAUN * FELS” and forward of that are seven small stars in a triangle pattern. Front sight is mounted well back from the muzzle and is applied brass with a long raised blade and a corresponding long raised rear sight on tapered top tang. The bbl is heavy gauge steel muzzle leading one to speculate that it could have been used for ball as well as shot. What makes this firearm so unusual is the extraordinarily rare underhammer flint lock action. The incongruity is difficult to comprehend that when the flash pan is loaded and the frizzen closed the powder is secure but when the arm is in firing position, ie. mounted to the shoulder, and fired, the flint in the hammer’s jaws strikes and opens the frizzen which, given the laws of gravity, would allow the powder to spill out as it was being ignited by the spark from the frizzen. This very likely would be a very unreliable ignition, and might create a large firefall which might burn the shooters forward arm. It is mounted in a full length 1-pc stock, probably of European birch, with raised, carved, teardrop side panels and a raised carved panel around top tang. There is additionally a raised carved moulding on each side of the ramrod channel. A period of use replacement wood ramrod is secured in two faceted, eternal iron guides with a matching faceted & turned nose pipe. The forestock is pin secured with a barely noticeable 22″ repair at the forward end of the forestock. Stock is hand finished with applied patterns resembling tortoise shell. Trigger guard & buttplate are of smooth iron with sgl trigger and a finger rest lower tang on trigger guard. Buttplate has a long stepped tang with foliate filed finial secured with two large screws. Butt is thick & heavy, reminiscent of earlier wheelock arms and similar to later club butt fowlers. Information provided by the consignor discloses that Ludwig Molenbeck worked in Giessen and Braunfels, Germany in the late 17th and early 18th century probably up to 1733. The date of this arm is estimated to be approx. 1722. It passed through several hands before landing in a large American collection in the early 20th century and was auctioned by Sotheby, Park, Bernet in 1975 which auction also the subject of an article in the 1975 issue of Gun Digest which featured the picture of this firearm. In 1997 this Molenbeck firearm was exhibited at the Baltimore Gun Show where it received the “Best Individual Weapon” Award. PROVENANCE: Ex William Goodwin Renwick Collection. CONDITION: Fine. Bbl is a clean bright metal patina with some scattered spots of surface discoloration. Trigger guard and trigger/lockplate, along with buttplate, are also a cleaned metal patina with light surface pitting. Stock has a hairline forward of trigger plate, otherwise is sound and retains most of a fine custom over finish. Mechanics are fine, bore is strong & bright with a ring about 18″ from muzzle which may have something to do with the repaired forestock. 4-41172 JR (12,500-17,500) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2011 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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