Massachusetts Militia Musket, Private Issue, Worcester County
Likely made by Asa Waters, extremely rare and beautiful inlaid eagle
silver thumb piece Asa Waters II (1769-1841), Millbury, Massachusetts,
(.69 caliber, 40-inch barrel) Circa 1817-1823

Cherry stocked, great color and patina, silver wire inlay around the amazing engraved eagle
thumbpiece, engraved trigger guard, side plate and butt plate. Overall condition including barrel
and mechanics is excellent. All six-barrel key escutcheons are silver. The unidentified engraver
is known to have worked on several Worcester County guns in this period, his work appears
quite regularly. The lock plate is marked “ALLPORT / late with / Ketland & Co.” (William Allport
of Birmingham, England worked with Ketland until 1817 and died in 1823 which makes this gun
easy to date.) Asa Waters II (1769-1841) located in Millbury, Massachusetts made contract
muskets for the Commonwealth and later for the US Government. This is a private issue Militia
Musket, much too fancy to have been ordered by the Commonwealth, likely it was made for an
officer as a lightweight fusil. It has a bayonet lug front sight.

$6,950.00

( 308-510 ) [JRS-9]