Author Topic: 1765-1775 English fowler  (Read 8929 times)

Offline smart dog

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1765-1775 English fowler
« on: June 22, 2017, 07:08:28 PM »
Hi,
Here is my version of an export or 2nd quality grade English fowling gun from 1765-1775.  Thousands of these generic guns were made and sometimes ordered by the half dozen by wealthy landowners to serve as guns for guests.  They were also exported.  Mine is scaled down as if ordered for an adolescent son and will be owned by a petite woman reenactor.  The LOP is just over 13”, drop at heel is 2.5”, barrel is 20 gauge, 36” long by Getz.  The lock is a small Siler reshaped into a flat-faced English lock. The thumb escutcheon was designed and cast by me and all of the engraving was closely inspired by original guns.  The stock is American black walnut that I logged 30 years ago and I colored it to look more like English walnut.  The gun was built, decorated, and finished in an efficient workmanlike manner without a lot of fuss.  When I hold it next to my original fowler, it looks pretty authentic.  Enjoy the photos and comments are welcome.

dave 



















« Last Edit: August 06, 2017, 01:14:42 AM by smart dog »
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Offline D. Taylor Sapergia

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2017, 07:16:32 PM »
Really nice little fowler Dave!  The proportions are perfect and belies the fact that it is less than full scale.  My favourite part is the lock, trigger and guard area...WOW!!
D. Taylor Sapergia
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Offline Carl Young

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2017, 07:47:04 PM »
Very nice Dave. Would you elucidate on the smaller bolt/screw in the rear third of the side plate...is it threaded into the lock plate? It's a feature that I don't recall seeing before, but I like the look.
You certainly have a great talent for execution, proportion and design. Thanks for sharing.
Carl
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Offline jerrywh

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2017, 07:57:51 PM »
 Real nice job Dave. Anybody  would love to have that gun.  You did a great job on the lock.
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Offline James Rogers

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2017, 08:46:00 PM »
A very believable 1770 piece Dave! I like the fact the engraving is not over the top, filling every nook and cranny. Very representative of originals of the period.
Is that one of the Getz false standing/hook breeches or the real thing?


« Last Edit: June 23, 2017, 12:37:36 AM by James Rogers »

Offline James Rogers

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2017, 08:47:54 PM »
Very nice Dave. Would you elucidate on the smaller bolt/screw in the rear third of the side plate...is it threaded into the lock plate? It's a feature that I don't recall seeing before, but I like the look.
You certainly have a great talent for execution, proportion and design. Thanks for sharing.
Carl
Wood screw to keep the plate on the gun when removing the lock nails.

Offline David Rase

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2017, 09:53:07 PM »
Really nice Dave, but so is all your other work!  You did a wonderful job of scaling things down so the whole project looks proportionate.  A very nice gun.
David 

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2017, 09:56:00 PM »
Way pretty, Dave! A "workmanlike" job? Maybe, if the workman is exceptional! Color and wood finish is very nice--hard to believe it's black walnut--very little coarse grain. What did you use to fill it?

Gregg

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2017, 10:24:03 PM »
Real hooked breech? I like your siler "conversion", but I think for a mini gun like this I'd have went with chambers english pistol lock....of course I'm a lot lazier than you are..... ;D
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Offline rich pierce

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #9 on: June 22, 2017, 11:07:15 PM »
You should just go to London in a time machine. They'd hire you in a minute!
Andover, Vermont

Offline BOB HILL

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2017, 11:57:44 PM »
Very nice, as usual. Thanks for sharing this beautiful piece of work, Dave. It's always a pleasure seeing your work.       Bob
South Carolina Lowcountry

Offline Daryl

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #11 on: June 23, 2017, 12:04:33 AM »
That is indeed, a nice piece of kit.
Daryl

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Offline Silky921

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #12 on: June 23, 2017, 12:29:17 AM »
Dave,

I know I've been told before, but what is the significance of the acorn on the trigger guard?

Was thinking it had to do with the strength of the British empire or something like that.

Thank you sir.

Offline smart dog

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #13 on: June 23, 2017, 01:08:40 AM »
Hi,
Thank you all for looking and commenting! I really appreciate your interest in my work.  Taylor, you know on most English guns everything of interest is packed around the lock and trigger.  Most of the fine metal work, carving, and engraving.  It all tends to end up around the breech of the barrel.  James and Mike, I particularly appreciate your comments about my English projects and always look forward to hearing from you.  Mike, it is a real standing breech, which I fitted tightly.  It has the cross pin through the lug on the bottom to anchor it along with the tang bolt.  Greg, I filled the grain with Sutherland-Welles polymerized tung oil and elbow grease. I build the finish slowly and rub it back with rottenstone and raw linseed oil. The oiling and then rubbing back fills the grain and gives it a mellow vintage look, but it takes time.  It also very slightly rounds sharp corners, which I find gives a very authentic look, unless it is critical to have sharp detail as in some carving.  Mike, I have a Chamber's round-faced English pistol lock, which I considered using.  However, the husband of the owner gave me the barrel, small Siler lock, a trigger guard, trigger, and the butt plate, which he had intended to make into a fowler for his wife.  He never got to it , so asked me to build the gun.  They wanted an English-style fowler and I told them I would build them one that was as historically correct as I could.  Anyway, I decided that I was tired of seeing round-faced locks on English guns purported to be from the 1770s.  By that time, round-faced locks were mainly used on livery, military, and cheaper export guns.  Flat locks were the fashion for better quality guns, so I used the Siler and modified it.  I wish it was 1/4" longer but I gave it my best go.  I also used a different trigger guard.  The one the owner gave me had a bow way too large.  Instead, I bought a small English guard with the earlier torch or flaming urn finial and shaped it into the proper acorn finial for the time.

Rich Pierce,
Thank you.  That is the highest compliment I could ever have.  In the process of building this gun, I was doing the tasks of at least 7 individual English trades: lock maker, lock polisher, goldsmith, ramrod maker, rough stocker, stock finisher, and engraver.  And all of that work for just 4 guineas (4 pounds, 4 shillings).  I believe it would be at least a 3 and possibly 4 guinea gun in 1770.

dave   
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Offline J. Talbert

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #14 on: June 23, 2017, 01:55:56 AM »
Dave,

Great looking all around,

Really nice

Jeff
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Offline David Price

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #15 on: June 23, 2017, 03:03:04 AM »
Dave,
Another superb job as always.   Looking forward to seeing you on the fourth of July.

David Price

Offline little joe

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #16 on: June 23, 2017, 04:30:48 AM »
If thats second grade, export Fowler I would like to  see the good ones.

Offline Mark Elliott

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #17 on: June 23, 2017, 04:37:08 AM »
It looks awful good to have been made without a lot of fuss.    I would definitely have to fuss a lot to get something finished that well.   

Offline smart dog

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #18 on: June 23, 2017, 01:18:19 PM »
Thanks again everyone,
Dave, thanks.  I look forward to seeing you on the fourth.  Silky, the acorn might refer to English oak but I understand it to be a symbol of good luck.  Later, they used a pineapple finial that I believe also meant good luck or good tidings.  Mark, I fuss during planning and figuring out how to do things.  Once I am ready at the bench, I work pretty fast.  For example, the lock was inlet on this gun in about 45 minutes.  The shell carving is a little uneven and took about 30 minutes to cut once drawn on the wood.   I normally design my engraving carefully on paper and then print it out on transparency to be transferred to the metal. On this gun, I simply drew directly on the metal with a film marker and cut it.  It has a "free hand" and imperfect quality that matches my original fowler very closely. I think the end result is a credible example of what someone importing a decent quality gun from England in 1770 would expect.  Little Joe, before the end of the year, I should be able to show you my version of a 1st quality English fowling gun.

dave 
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Offline runastav

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #19 on: June 23, 2017, 02:16:25 PM »
Beautiful piece of work kloke hund :)
Runar

Offline tlallijr

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #20 on: June 23, 2017, 02:26:21 PM »
Beautiful work Dave !

Offline Kingsburyarms

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #21 on: June 23, 2017, 02:46:27 PM »
Dave - Beautiful work - Love the finish - Looking forward to meeting you at Dave's on the 4th. You can give me pointers on my Fowler - :) -

Offline Long John

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #22 on: June 23, 2017, 04:20:26 PM »
Dave,

Super work!  It could be mistaken for a beautifully preserved original.  You captured the "feel" and "soul" of the English gun of the period.  "Second quality"?  You crack me up!

JMC

Offline Ed Wenger

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #23 on: June 24, 2017, 03:10:12 AM »
Nicely done, Dave!  That lock looks even better on a finished piece...


        Ed
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Offline SingleMalt

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Re: 1765-1775 English fowler
« Reply #24 on: June 27, 2017, 02:04:52 AM »
I really like it.  How'd you color the stock?
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