Brass Plate Percussion Lock

[tfornicola]

I've had this lock hanging around for a few years and wanted to find any info on it other than what's on the plate. Plate is stamped Golcher Butler Philada. What time frame , what area it would be used in. Hammer is missing. Thanks, Tom

[Tanselman]

I have seen a very similar brass lock on a late percussion rifle, also stamped on the barrel with the same Golcher name stamp. The gun was a late full-stocked rifle, very plain, with poor curly maple wood, and appeared to be late 1850s, maybe even 1860-ish, to me.  Shelby Gallien

[tfornicola]

Thanks Shelby, Wondering if a brass plate was an option on an ordered gun.

[Tanselman]

Without an early catalog, we'll never know if an option or not. But, that said, I think the brass plate was used to "brighten up" a plain gun without a capbox in butt. At least it had some attractive brass element on it, with stamped "engraving" that popped a little more than on dark iron lock plates.  Shelby Gallien