An Indian Musket from the Flea Market

Lee · 18th August 2023, 06:05 PM

An interesting 'old soldier' found at the Bouckville flea market yesterday. I presume from the style and inscription on the stock that this is likely a deaccession from an Indian armory. You cannot really see it in the pictures, but the barrel is 'Damascus,' made from twisted patterned rods. Flaring at the end and smoothbore as far as I can see, the barrel is secured to the stock by rattan strips and the stock and strips are black, whether deliberately painted this color or a shellac that has oxidized to this color.

Overall length is about 64 inches with a 45.5 inch barrel and an overall weight of about 7 pounds.

Am I correct in my presumption of an Indian origin and does anyone recognize more from the inscription about where this came from?

Ren Ren · 18th August 2023, 07:25 PM

I don’t understand firearms at all, but I have seen such fastening with rattan strips on the scabbard of Dayak swords.

AHite · 18th August 2023, 07:29 PM

It appears to me to be an Indian torador matchlock. Not sure about the markings, maybe this particular musket was assigned to an arsenal in British India. Nice fleamarket you went to!

fernando · 19th August 2023, 01:02 PM

Perhaps a typical Indian Toradar, apparently registered (by the Brits) in the arsenal of RANCHI, the capital of the State of Jharkhand.

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18th August 2023, 06:05 PM	#1
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 970	An Indian Musket from the Flea Market An interesting 'old soldier' found at the Bouckville flea market yesterday. I presume from the style and inscription on the stock that this is likely a deaccession from an Indian armory. You cannot really see it in the pictures, but the barrel is 'Damascus,' made from twisted patterned rods. Flaring at the end and smoothbore as far as I can see, the barrel is secured to the stock by rattan strips and the stock and strips are black, whether deliberately painted this color or a shellac that has oxidized to this color. Overall length is about 64 inches with a 45.5 inch barrel and an overall weight of about 7 pounds. Am I correct in my presumption of an Indian origin and does anyone recognize more from the inscription about where this came from? Attached Images

19th August 2023, 01:02 PM	#4
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Perhaps a typical Indian Toradar, apparently registered (by the Brits) in the arsenal of RANCHI, the capital of the State of Jharkhand. . Last edited by fernando; 19th August 2023 at 06:35 PM. Reason: Spell.

18th August 2023, 07:25 PM	#2
Ren Ren Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Russia, Moscow Posts: 379	I don’t understand firearms at all, but I have seen such fastening with rattan strips on the scabbard of Dayak swords.

18th August 2023, 07:29 PM	#3
AHite Member Join Date: Dec 2022 Posts: 67	It appears to me to be an Indian torador matchlock. Not sure about the markings, maybe this particular musket was assigned to an arsenal in British India. Nice fleamarket you went to!