Revolutionary War Charleville Infantry Musket with History Through Original Family - SOLD

This is a French Improved Infantry Musket, previously called the Model 1768 by collectors. It is actually a Model 1766 with improvements, the most obvious being the addition of the third barrel band retaining spring. Changes and improvements in the 1766 continued up to about 1772. (The Model 1773 followed.)

This Charleville was purchased out of the famous collection of the late Jack Callan of Worcester Massachusetts. Mr Callan was an avid and active collector in New England beginning in the 1940s. He specialized in Colonial and Revolutionary War firearms among other things.

This Charleville was acquired in eastern New England from a Currier family, and through a few collectors’ hands, arriving into the collection of Mr Callan. The old "T C" carved into the buttstock is the earliest Currier mark. The stamping "F. B. Currier", also in the stock, is the mark of a later Currier family member.

There are only two branches of the Currier family that could likely be the source of this gun. The most likely is a New Hampshire branch whose member Thomas Currier (1745-?) of South Hampton, NH may have been the original owner. It is not known if Thomas served during the Revolutionary War. However, he did sign the Association Test in 1776.

The trail of generations is as follows:

Thomas Currier (1745-?) of South Hampton, N.H.

Jonathan Currier (1771-?) of Enfield, N.H.;

Barnard Currier (1804-1867) of Enfield, N.H.;

Webster Currier (1834-1901) of Enfield, N.H.; and then,

Fred B. Currier, born at Enfield, N.H. August 17 1870 and died at Grafton, N.H. September 4, 1940.

The other likely branch of the Currier family is located in Amesbury, Massachusetts, about 8 miles from South Hampton, N.H. If the musket is from this branch of the family, it is possible it was used by Levi Currier (1745-1806), born the same year as Thomas Currier of South Hampton N.H. Levi then passes it on to his son Thomas Currier (1779-1861) who placed his initials upon the gun. Then the musket passed down to Thomas’ great-grandson who applied his own name “F.B. Currier” to the musket. The trail of generations is as follows:

Levi Currier (1745-1806) of Amesbury - served as a Private in Capt. Timothy Barnard's Co., of Minute-men, which marched on the alarm April 19, 1775, from East Parish in Amesbury; service 6 days.

Thomas Currier (1779-1861) of Amesbury.

William H. Currier (1810-1881) of Amesbury.

George William Currier (1841-1909) of Amesbury and Merrimac, Mass.

Frank Bonsell Currier, born at West Amesbury, Mass. November 2, 1864; died at Amesbury, Mass. October 17, 1943.

This Charleville is a very nice specimen near the top of Charlevilles we have recently seen for sale. There is a small cartouche in the wood behind the tang, and the "D" proof struck into the left side of the buttstock. The gun came from the Currier family, and carries the initials of Thomas Currier in the buttstock on the right side. His descendant, F. B. Currier, also struck his name in small letters in the stock.

This was the most preferred of the French muskets imported by the U.S. from France during the war, and it became the prototype for the very first U.S. designed and issued musket: the Model 1795 made at Springfield Armory.

Everything is original on the gun to the best of our knowledge, with the following exceptions: the top-jaw and screw are replaced; The touch hole has been bushed with brass as is typical when the hole burns out to too large a size for use; there is a repaired piece of wood above the lock; one screw inside the lock is a replacement; The markings are excellent. It has a cartouche on the sideplate, lock maker's initials inside the lock, Charleville on the lockplate, and the wood markings mentioned above.

Overall the gun has been well cared for. The wood is a nice dark brown patina. There are two small wood cracks: one was begun by the pin that holds the rear sling swivel in place - the other extended forward from the heel of the buttplate along the very top of the comb and was glued a long time ago. We have removed the barrel and inspected the wood channel and can find no indication that the wood has ever been repaired or replaced in any way. In its history the gun has been taken apart, cleaned and handled, and the wood rubbed and waxed... this expected activity plus wood shrinkage causes the barrel bands to be slightly loose. (A previous collector installed a layer of sticky tape under the bands so they would be snug.) In the period of use it was common practice for the armorer to tighten up loose band springs since they always loosened up; this example fell into private hands before the armorer could tend to it.

Our sincere thanks to David Allen Lambert, NEHGS for the research and genealogical summaries for this musket.

XLIT657/KI1-01/AYSS