1790 Vitoria Blunderbuss - The Firearms Forum

magickmanor · 05-25-2012, 08:13 PM

Hi to all out there. I have just been given a 1790 Vitoria Blunderbuss, would anyone have any idea of its worth. Knowing nothing about guns, lets assume that it is the real deal, (and i'm not about to sell it anyway, just curious.

jack404 · 05-25-2012, 08:36 PM

Welcome Magick!

ones like these??

magickmanor · 05-25-2012, 09:42 PM

Yes Jack, exactly like those, only thing missing is the leather strap, my one has a chain.

jack404 · 05-25-2012, 10:01 PM

Sir the Vitoria company specialist in heraldry arms , shields pikes and flags and have been around since the late 1600's ( by appointment to a heap of nobility over the years ) they are also known for cannon!!!
the question is are they complete ?

non firing copies go back a awful long way in the UK , many of the arms you see on display in old Scottish castles and such are a couple centuries old replica's , they function, but are not the best quality

the lord of everingham killed himself when he tried to shoot a intruder with one in 1801

as for telling if its a non firer its a step by step process of elimination

touch hole is it functional or blocked ? ( a wire through it will tell you )

a bore inspection

is there signs of BP use ? firing? score marks up the bore as blunderbuss's where often loaded with stuff like nails and casting slag and these where not kind to the early steels

the pan and Frizzen , are there obvious signs of use? ( pan charges will corrode the pan over time and the frizzen will be marked from its actions )

if all this checks out you have a nice pair of matched Vitoria's that if in similar condition to the above may bring what they did $3200.

jack404 · 05-25-2012, 10:03 PM

funny thing is the non firers bring in almost similar prices depending on maker

legal non firing collectors arms are growing in value in places like the EU and UK where guns are awful hard to get and keep

in the Uk all functional weapons by law have to be under lock and key and has been that way since the war of the roses so the display ones are supposed to be non firing and the working ones locked up , like here in Australia

i sold a non firing pair of martini henry rifles to a EU car company here to put on display in their board room

as they could not display working ones ...

coenponsen · 06-05-2012, 08:23 AM

Just bought these online

Could you say anything usefull regarding the colour and metal?
Thank you sir, From The Netherlands

05-25-2012, 08:13 PM	#1
magickmanor Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2	1790 Vitoria Blunderbuss Hi to all out there. I have just been given a 1790 Vitoria Blunderbuss, would anyone have any idea of its worth. Knowing nothing about guns, lets assume that it is the real deal, (and i'm not about to sell it anyway, just curious. -->

05-25-2012, 08:36 PM	#2
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: 1790 Vitoria Blunderbuss Welcome Magick! ones like these??

05-25-2012, 09:42 PM	#3
magickmanor Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2	Re: 1790 Vitoria Blunderbuss Yes Jack, exactly like those, only thing missing is the leather strap, my one has a chain.

05-25-2012, 10:01 PM	#4
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: 1790 Vitoria Blunderbuss Sir the Vitoria company specialist in heraldry arms , shields pikes and flags and have been around since the late 1600's ( by appointment to a heap of nobility over the years ) they are also known for cannon!!! the question is are they complete ? non firing copies go back a awful long way in the UK , many of the arms you see on display in old Scottish castles and such are a couple centuries old replica's , they function, but are not the best quality the lord of everingham killed himself when he tried to shoot a intruder with one in 1801 as for telling if its a non firer its a step by step process of elimination touch hole is it functional or blocked ? ( a wire through it will tell you ) a bore inspection is there signs of BP use ? firing? score marks up the bore as blunderbuss's where often loaded with stuff like nails and casting slag and these where not kind to the early steels the pan and Frizzen , are there obvious signs of use? ( pan charges will corrode the pan over time and the frizzen will be marked from its actions ) if all this checks out you have a nice pair of matched Vitoria's that if in similar condition to the above may bring what they did $3200. Last edited by jack404; 05-25-2012 at 10:02 PM..

05-25-2012, 10:03 PM	#5
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: 1790 Vitoria Blunderbuss funny thing is the non firers bring in almost similar prices depending on maker legal non firing collectors arms are growing in value in places like the EU and UK where guns are awful hard to get and keep in the Uk all functional weapons by law have to be under lock and key and has been that way since the war of the roses so the display ones are supposed to be non firing and the working ones locked up , like here in Australia i sold a non firing pair of martini henry rifles to a EU car company here to put on display in their board room as they could not display working ones ... Last edited by jack404; 05-25-2012 at 10:07 PM..

06-05-2012, 08:23 AM	#6
coenponsen Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 1	Re: 1790 Vitoria Blunderbuss Just bought these online Could you say anything usefull regarding the colour and metal? Thank you sir, From The Netherlands Last edited by coenponsen; 06-05-2012 at 08:37 AM..