Author Topic: french fowler with curly maple ?  (Read 2936 times)

Offline Monty59

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french fowler with curly maple ?
« on: March 24, 2018, 11:41:04 AM »
Hello, a friend of mine from Belgium could buy this fowler and asked for my opinion. The pictures he sent me are not very good, it also has a bayonet mount and it is stock in curly maple could it be a Offices fowler. What do the specialists think among you? He is grateful for any help.

Greetings from germany

Monty
















« Last Edit: March 24, 2018, 11:45:11 AM by Monty59 »

Offline Hungry Horse

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Re: french fowler with curly maple ?
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2018, 04:08:58 PM »
Being stocked in maple would lead me to believe it is an American restock using French parts. The shortened forestock, and the bayonet lug, along with sling hardware, would indicate it was either built, or modified for military service. The degree of carving on the stock would make me favor modification of a civilian weapon. Nice piece.

  Hungry Horse

Offline JV Puleo

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Re: french fowler with curly maple ?
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2018, 06:13:08 PM »
The pictures don't enlarge but it looks to me as if it has both a bayonet lug and provision for a sling which makes it very likely an officers' musket rather than a fowler. I'd place it in the middle of the 18th century. At that time, the fuzee was a regulation arm for French officers and at least some of them were supplied by the government. This doesn't look as if it conforms to the issue pattern but it is unlikely that all of them, especially private purchase arms, did.

What we now call Belgium was under the rule of Austria, as the Austrian Netherlands, between 1714 and 1797 which must cover the period of use for this gun. I've no idea  what if fuzees were commonly used in the Austrian army at the time but I have owned at least one clearly germanic example from the same period.

As to the stock... how do you know it is maple? Could it be another wood with a similar grain structure? I have seen striped ash stocks and ash was a commonly available wood in Europe. Also, at a later date we know that maple for gunstocks was imported to Europe... whether it was done this early has yet to be proven but in the mid-18th century America was the main source of hardwoods for the British - and perhaps other European markets.

Offline rich pierce

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Re: french fowler with curly maple ?
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2018, 06:15:39 PM »
And we believe it’s maple because it has curl?
Andover, Vermont

Offline Monty59

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Re: french fowler with curly maple ?
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2018, 06:36:48 PM »
I think you right Rich forgotten that I have a german fowler stock in walnut the wood is very dark but you can see still curls. Will tell my friend that !

Thanks

Monty





« Last Edit: March 24, 2018, 06:43:18 PM by Monty59 »

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: french fowler with curly maple ?
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2018, 08:14:38 PM »
Probably curly walnut. Probably dates to 1755-60.
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Offline Monty59

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Re: french fowler with curly maple ?
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2018, 09:15:48 PM »
Mike, I believe that one is a bit older but I could be wrong too.

Regards

Monty


















« Last Edit: March 24, 2018, 09:18:51 PM by Monty59 »

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: french fowler with curly maple ?
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2018, 12:25:32 AM »
generally speaking, the straighter the stock the earlier the gun when it comes to  French stuff.
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline alex e.

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Re: french fowler with curly maple ?
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2018, 02:48:38 AM »
Curly European Walnut,


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Offline Pukka Bundook

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Re: french fowler with curly maple ?
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2018, 05:27:32 AM »
Monty 59,

Lovely gun you show us. Thank you!

I'd say end of 17th C to V early18th C.    Again , fantastic piece!

Offline Monty59

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Re: french fowler with curly maple ?
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2018, 04:14:08 PM »
Ok Mike, you mean the french that is right I would say that too that that one is around 1760.

Monty

Offline Belleville

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Re: french fowler with curly maple ?
« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2018, 08:01:03 PM »
Monty, Have to agree French walnut. The lug may not be for a bayonet, as the French often used a front lug to help secure the forearm. Is it marked; that is who was the maker. If he doesn't buy it, I will if not too pricy. belleville1755@yahoo.com