Early English Indian trade gun. Description to follow....

[5judge]

[rich pierce]

Looks to be one of the more expensive ones, often called fowling pieces in the trade correspondence and records.

[Mike Brooks]

Nifty. I hope barrel makers study the wedding bands on that barrel.

[wormey]

Good friend Judge Fox took and posted these pictures for me.  It took me 55 years or so to find such a gun.  46 1/2 inch barrel, 62 caliber.  Lock appears unmarked as to maker.  reconverted to flint with original parts.  Lock internals all original except for the sear spring.  Makers mark on the barrel appears to be Richard Wilson.  Very light and handy.  Were I going to Kentucky with Boone I would have carried such a gun.  God works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform!! Wormey

[AZshot]

Glad you finally found your dream gun.  Looks very nice.

[Robert Hill]

I sure like that bird on the buttplate!
-Robert Hill

[wormey]

Robert, that kind of bird is properly called a "Distelfink".  A buttplate with a similar engraving is pictured in Hamilton`s book "Frontier Guns".  Wormey

[backsplash75]

Nice score! A common (in the period) lower end Brit export fowling piece. The McCord museum has a very similar gun that has been shortened- accession # 1985.41 (https://collections.musee-mccord-stewart.ca/en/objects/446359/no-title?ctx=237d9d0de8c53960487d6916ebebffae4876919f&idx=0), same lock but has Wilson's signature under the pan, but it has a different escutcheon. Not necessarily an Indian related gun , although Wilson fowlers were at times included in shipments to Indians here (a step up  from Carolina and NW guns).





Sir Wm Johnson Papers, Volume #2 pages 889-900
From “A List of Goods to be sent from London” dated November 1756

400, Neat Fowling pieces Barrels 4 Feet Long Substantial Stocks to have some distinguishing mark on the Barrel and Lock of each, about 20/price,
400, do. A better kind distinguish’d as above.
200, do. 3 Feet Barrel for Boys, do. Wilson maker
100, pr. Of middling Pistols with Ramrods
1000, Indian Cutlashes strong & of the Cymiter kind

…Indorsed: List of Goods, to be sent from London, for the Northern Indians in the E. of Loudon’s Letter of Novr. 22d. 1756

[Mike Brooks]

This is the best I can do. I have a trigger guard to but I can't find it at the moment.

[Jim Kibler]

That buttplate is pretty amazing

Jim

[DHouse]

I really enjoyed looking at this one, congrats on finding it. Incredible piece, thank you for sharing!

[Mike Brooks]

That buttplate is pretty amazing

Jim

Found it on commercial row at friendship 35 years ago for 5 bucks. Found the trigger guard a couple booths down for 5 bucks the next day. Those were the days.....

[Clark Badgett]

That buttplate is pretty amazing

Jim

Found it on commercial row at friendship 35 years ago for 5 bucks. Found the trigger guard a couple booths down for 5 bucks the next day. Those were the days.....

Are those the English fowler parts castings you sell?

[Mike Brooks]

That buttplate is pretty amazing

Jim

Found it on commercial row at friendship 35 years ago for 5 bucks. Found the trigger guard a couple booths down for 5 bucks the next day. Those were the days.....

Are those the English fowler parts castings you sell?

No, I don't sell any copies of that buttplate as it's missing the spike finial.

[rich pierce]

Here’s a related buttplate.










upload pic

[Mike Brooks]

Nifty.