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VERY SCARCE CONNECTICUT CONTRACT ETHAN STILLMAN MUSKET

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Ethan Stillman of Burlington, CT, is best known for his 1808 contract with the U.S. government to supply 2,500 muskets patterned on the U.S. Model 1795 as then being produced at Springfield. As it turned out, he delivered just 1,425 from 1810 to 1813. This is an equally scarce, or perhaps scarcer Stillman musket. At the sale of the Moller collection the cataloger labeled his example as one of an estimated 1,885 produced for the state of Connecticut under a contract for 3,500. Moller himself, however, speculated Stillman had a contract for just 1,000 in one of three contracts awarded in 1812 to Connecticut gun makers for a total of 3,000. For details see Moller, Volume 2, 202 and 204-205.

The musket is similar to those Stillman delivered to the U.S. under his 1808 contract, following the lines of the 1795 musket as then produced at Springfield, but are distinguished by their markings. Moller notes two different types, both with the date at rear of the plate. One is marked with “S.Ct.” for “State of Connecticut” on the lock, over “E.STILLMAN” in an curve. The other, like this example, is marked on the lock plate much like his US contract muskets, with an eagle forward of the hammer over “E. STILLMAN” in a curve, but, as here, omitting any US marking. Muskets with both those sets of markings are further stamped on the breech of the barrel with what is understood to be a Connecticut state proofmark: a sunken oval with three rows of three circles- three large in the center and three smaller dots along the upper and lower edge, taken to represent the clusters of grapes on the Connecticut state seal. In this case, the musket is yet another slight variant, having the “S.Ct.” stamp also applied, but on the barrel near the oval-and-circles proof mark instead of on the lock plate. We should note that this is not at all the same “CT” in an oval barrel mark that is understood to stand for “contract” and applied to muskets supplied on contract to the U.S. government, which might get into state hands under the militia act and is also be distinguished as a Connecticut state contract musket from any privately owned muskets in the state militia.

The musket is full length, with 42” barrel and all bands, springs, swivels, bayonet stud, front sight, and rod in place. (Moller notes barrels 42 3/16” to 44 1/8.”) The metal is smooth overall. The barrel shows brown back to the breechplug tang, which shows more as bluish gray as does the lock and the sideplate, the latter mixed with brown and with gray showing in the middle. All the markings are sharp. The lock is original flint. The touch hole is crisp. We see just some very fine light brown spots on the breech, not affecting any of the markings. The mechanics are good. The bore is clean and in nice condition.

The stock is full length, with pleasing, warm brown tone, good fit to the metal and good surface. The edges of the lock plate apron are good. The side flat is good, though with some dings near the barrel and some rounding near the barrel breech and breechplug tang on the left. We see no markings on the sideflat. Moller notes there are “usually” three initials in the wood near the triggerguard tang, but he does not say always and we see no marks in that location. The wood has the usual small handling marks, some shallow pressure dents, etc. The only more significant spots are two short, shallow vertical draglines on the right buttflat near the buttplate, and two hairlines running back from the rear of the lock plate- one just over the edge of the lock apron and the other running several inches back on the right wrist. Both are stable.

This is a scarce Connecticut musket that originally surfaced around 1975-1980.   [sr][ph:L]

DISCLAIMER: All firearms are sold as collector's items only - we do not accept responsibility as to the shooting safety or reliability of any antique firearm. All firearms are described as accurately as possible, given the restraints of a catalog listing length. We want satisfied customers & often "under" describe the weapons. Any city or state regulations regarding owning antique firearms are the responsibility of the purchaser. All firearms are "mechanically perfect" unless noted, but again, are NOT warranted as safe to fire!

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