Barker - Whately lock

[Keb]

I acquired one of these locks a while back and used it in a smoothbored gun. I did put a Siler tumbler w/fly in it with very little effort. Anyway, I thought I could do a search for some info on these guys (Barker & Whately) but either there is very little info on the web or google sucks. Track sells these and they have a little info but I have nothing to substantiate their write up.

Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?

[Bill of the 45th]

From the stampings on the back, it 's a Larry Zorn, Mold and gun  Lock, beyond that I can't help much.  I don't thinks they have a web site or even a catalog.  Most or all of the Davis locks are made by them, and I know Tip Curtis sells a bunch of their locks.  I would be interested if there's a catalog available.

Bill

[Keb]

Actually, Bill-0-45, I was looking for info on the original makers of this lock , Barker - Whately (1770-1790).
On a side note; does "of the 45th" refer to the 45th parallel? I know it passes thru up Gaylord way.

[Bill of the 45th]

Keb Mo, Yeah, the 45th does refer to the 45th parallel.  According to my GPS my house I'm 45.00.03, so that's why I picked that handle.  I just used Bill Knapp, till we had that security glitch, then went to this handle again.  So what about your handle.  To answer you question, you might post it on the antique's discussion, about the history of.  It is a nice lock, and Larry's locks are much improved.

Bill

[T*O*F]

Whatley made trade guns for the fur trade.....maybe circa 1810 or so.  I don't remember.  The Museum of the Fur trade has some and Chas Hansen has written about them.  Don't recall anything about Barker, but I do have a halfstock rifle marked T. Barker on the lock.  Don't think it's the same guy.

[Keb]

John Whately was contracted to make locks British Board of Ordnance 1776-1804.
I've found nothing about Barker in any of my books yet.

[rich pierce]

I wonder what type of gun the original came from as it seems a little small for a smoothbore trade gun lock.  I wonder if they made trade rifles.

[mattdog]

I have pictures of an Officer's Model Musket that the Smithsonian dates to the 1750's that the lock is stamped Whately so they were producing locks much earlier than 1810.  That lock is round faced, not like your flat lock.  Still, if I squint just right I can see some similaritys, particularly the pan and the frizzen spring.  

[Keb]

Track's write-up (yeah, I know) says: "This English Trade lock has 1770 to 1790’s styling and is ideal for an American longrifle, an English Fowling Gun, or a Commercial Export Trade Musket. England was our most aggressive enemy of this era, during our American Revolution, and again during the American War of 1812 - 1814. Yet trade with the lock makers of Birmingham and London continued, and American gun makers were well supplied with imported English Trade locks, such as this Barker ~ Whately flint lock."

I can't say this one would be appropriate for a trade gun but maybe an early rifle.

[The other DWS]

17th/18th/and a lot of 19th century trade, even in terms of potentially militarily valuable commodities, powder. flints, gunparts, lead etc was traded across, under, or around the lines of combat.
  military technology of the times made enforcing embargoes and blockades very difficult at the very best; and the mercantile ties and allegiances (and the lure of profit) were often stronger that the ties to which ever regime was in office.  the concept of "nation-hood" and all that entailed was still developing.   It was especially so in a civil war and in many aspects the American War for Independence was a "civil war" that the colonists won.