[ID Request] What I think is an 1840 French Musket

[theColonelshusband]

Hello CW Bullet,

I have been trying to find out what this musket is for sure and what it would be worth. As you can see by the photos I have attached, this is a French Military Musket made by the "Manufacture de Chatellerault" arsenal. I know from reading that "Chatellerault" is a town in the province of Vienna, France about 17 miles northeast of Poitiers. As I'm sure you know the Manufacture d'Armes de Chatellerault made a wide range of small arms from 1819 and continued through the late 20th century. The musket is in the caliber of what looks like .69 and has a rifled barrel with a slight counter-clock twist. There are Military Markings on both sides on the bottom of the stock. It has three different sights, one for 150m that is cut into the flash pan and two that are on a flip up in front of the flash pan in 200m and 250m. The two brass barrel rings and the brass nose cap all have the same two "crest proof" stamps ("L" "W"). The brass trigger guard, brass butt plate and metal plate on left side of hammer have the same two "crest proof" stamps ("D" "W"). The "Ram Rod" is just marked only with a "W" "crest proof" stamp. The barrel has many markings on it ranging from a "B" and "C" with a circle around each of them on the left side of the breach end of the musket. On the right side is the date "1840", the letters "M" "R" below the date and a "crest proof" stamp with "G" inside of it. The hammer plate also has the "crest proof" stamp with "G" inside of it. As for the bayonet, it has many markings on both sides of the socket and at the bottom of the blade. The socket end has what appears to be a "rack" number "58" on it. The arm going to the blade has an "F" with a "*" above it on one side and a "B" with a "*" above it on the other side. At the bottom end of the blade is stamped " M T J 6 1" with a "B" stamped at a later time from the looks of it.

Does anyone have any ideas and what it is worth? I sent the same information to a place around Houston, Tx and they are trying to tell me it's only worth $2000.00 if I was lucky. And would I like to sell it to them because it's not that uncommon of a Musket and Bayonet. But then they called four days later offering me $3000.00. (I know I was born in the day, but it wasn't six days ago) :lol: :lol:

Thanks for any help.