Comments:
OK, I'll break the ice. The piece has fowler architecture, fowler trigger guard and buttplate. With a patchbox? Those that know these pieces well, does that not strike you as quaint?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have owned Gonters, and the signature looks good, but the rest I cannot confirm. That's my initial reaction. Good crisp inletting and screws on that box too.
Can we ask for a picture of the inside of the box, to try to get a look at the wood inside?
Never say never,,,,,
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It does appear to be a fowler. My gut reaction is that the patchbox was added at some later time in its life. Note the box is not engraved, but the side plate, butt plate and trigger guard are. I'll be interested to see what others think.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can anyone tell if the schrues in the patchbox finial are iron? They look like they could be brass to my eye. It is a fowler to be sure and resembles some pieces by the Gumph family architecturally. It looks good and it looks like it is a Gonter. The engraving and the circles at the transition ring on the barrel are of the period and all look good. That pretty much leaves the patchbox doesn't it? It does look like a later addition, especially in view of the fact that it is two piece only. There are fowlers that did have boxes, e.g. the Davis Gun Museum in Okla. has a stunning fowler that was built with a box, and that gun may be a Haines. Some colonial fowler/muskets had boxes, as well. This gun appears to be later than that. I really don't see Gonter in this patchbox however. Great gun though.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am comfortable ruling that attachment out as either good or representative. Also, having seen a few Gonters, the engraving does not strike me as what I would expect to find from that shop, either in style or execution. I consulted what pictures I have in my database and found nothing remarkable that would provide support for the present specimen being Gonter's work. I would want more evidence that we are not looking at a married gun, say and old B&B restocked into a fowler.
