Blunderbuss

Blunderbusses of this type were typically manufactured for military or corporate clients like the East India and Hudson Bay Companies. They were often carried by sailors guarding enslaved Africans aboard ship or by troops defending colonial forts.

The maker, William Brooks, worked as an assistant 'viewer' for the East India Company (EIC). All guns manufactured in London had to 'viewed' (inspected) and 'proofed' (test-fired with an overweight charge) to guarantee their quality and safety. In the 18th century the London Gunmakers' Company tried to maintain a monopoly on proofing, but faced competition from the Tower of London which obtained the contract to proof EIC guns between 1766 and 1778. Brooks was paid £5 by the Gunmakers' Company in return for helping to return the proof. Brooks' workshop was located on Tower Hill.

This blunderbuss gun features a flintlock ignition system and a brass barrel to prevent rust damage in bad weather.