AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: Musketdoc on November 28, 2018, 12:56:24 AM

Title: 18th century New England fowler lock by Johnson
Post by: Musketdoc on November 28, 2018, 12:56:24 AM

I recently acquired what I believe is a signed mid 18th Century fowler lock. it measures 6-1/2" long and 1" wide and is engraved and marked Johnson, Can anyone tell me more about hte gunsmith or where he worked? Thamks
(https://i.ibb.co/sw30Zrr/Johnson-Lock.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cFTGjdd)

(https://i.ibb.co/Zc72Yk5/Johnson-Lockback.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GCNHtby)

o captain my captain movie (https://poetandpoem.com/o-captain-my-captain-the-travel-of-a-poem-from-lincoln-to-a-movie-up-to-the-present-america)

Title: Re: 18th century New England fowler lock by Johnson
Post by: debnal on November 28, 2018, 06:21:34 AM

Looks like a Seth Johnson flintlock. He worked in Rutland, Mass. He was a Committee of Safety maker/fowler maker and he used this type of lock on his muskets and fowlers. I have one that is classic COS with the same lock. The last we hear of him is in 1777.
Al

Title: Re: 18th century New England fowler lock by Johnson
Post by: Avlrc on November 28, 2018, 07:22:47 AM

Nice find.  Thanks for sharing.

Title: Re: 18th century New England fowler lock by Johnson
Post by: cshirsch on November 29, 2018, 05:02:55 PM

Yes, Seth Johnson.  I owned one of his muskets a while back. He made muskets for the US during the American Revolution.
(https://i.ibb.co/Hz7wHzD/sethjohnson1.png) (https://ibb.co/NjxDyj6)

(https://i.ibb.co/0sP1S9R/sethjohnson2.png) (https://ibb.co/RjLtm6k)

(https://i.ibb.co/N62YWmm/sethjohnson3.png) (https://ibb.co/fYd0rnn)

Title: Re: 18th century New England fowler lock by Johnson
Post by: rich pierce on November 29, 2018, 06:20:49 PM

Cool gun. Is it stocked in cherry?

Title: Re: 18th century New England fowler lock by Johnson
Post by: cshirsch on November 29, 2018, 07:36:38 PM

Quote from: rich pierce on November 29, 2018, 06:20:49 PM

Cool gun. Is it stocked in cherry?

It might have been.  I'll ask my friend who got it from me.  He had it restored.

Title: Re: 18th century New England fowler lock by Johnson
Post by: Musketdoc on November 30, 2018, 01:55:41 AM

Thank you all VERY much for the information.  I'm now more excited about this lock than the Patterm 1742 (Watkins 1746) Long Land Bess lock that I was bidding on!  It was included in the lot!   I have lots of early Bess locks, but very few identified American ones from the same period.