Author Topic: Family Heirloom ID - Ketland / Clark marked Fowler - Mohawk River Valley  (Read 557 times)

Offline mattm

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First time poster - lurker for a while learning how to build a kit or two (Kiblers).  There’s an extended family heirloom and no one has really been able to tell me WHAT it actually is.  I have a lot of ties to German Palentines in the Mohawk River Valley circa 1730s onward including 8+ Patriots with SAR documentation.  Battle of Oriskany mainly.  Anyway,  hoping those with more knowledge can help me with what this is and if it may be old enough to have been in the Revolution (I'm a bit dubious).  Pics below from visits over the years with my Grandfather.  Any info is much appreciated.  I plan to work on a new Kibler Fowler to display along with this piece as a "old and new" generational wall.











« Last Edit: August 17, 2024, 04:29:50 AM by mattm »

Offline JV Puleo

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An inexpensive export grade fowler. Proof marks tell us it was made in or before 1804 while the K lock must date from 1793 or later. That's pretty good, placing it in about a 10 year time frame which isn't always possible. "Clark" is likely the merchant that sold it or, just as possible, the gunsmith that converted it.

I suspect it was full stocked originally. I say that because there is no nose cap and doesn't look as if it ever had one. It wasn't unusual for the long stocks to break and one solution was to cut them back and make a half-stock out of it. That said, half stock fowlers were also available so it's one of those conclusions based more on instinct than hard facts.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2024, 03:20:55 AM by JV Puleo »

Offline smart dog

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Hi,
Those are Tower proof marks and the gun was made in Birmingham not London, as marked.  I believe it was restocked entirely.  The shaping of the stock, particularly around the lock does not suggest British manufacture to me.

dave
"The main accomplishment of modern economics is to make astrology look good."

Online rich pierce

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Matt, I agree it looks like a restock to me. Still a very cool piece of Mohawk valley history. There aren’t that many old guns attributed to being used by people of that area in colonial and Federal periods. I grew up east of Herkimer in the valley but my mom was born there.
Andover, Vermont