Thomas Earle fowler(more pictures added)

[rich pierce]

A Thomas Earle fowler has surfaced in Maine and Paul Daiute took some pictures of it.  I am asking for better buttstock pictures and the underside,  rear of buttplate, wrist/lock/fore-end shots.

[JTR]

Wow! What a nice find!
Congratulations to whoever got it.
Thanks for posting the pictures over here Rich.
John

[timM]

Rich,.......Thank you for making the effort to get these photo's posted, what a pleasure to see.  An 18th century untouched "out of the attic" fowler  is a treat.  I would be curious to know bore diameter and barrel length,.... 50"+ barrel?
tim

[rich pierce]

Getting more info and pictures

More pictures

[jim m]

thanks for posting Rich. way cool. please forgive my ignorance but what area did Earl ply his craft

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Very nice! Slender lady!!  I like the nice Frenchy curve in the lower buttstock. Lock molding is slender and nice and I really like the Jaeger style carving around the trigger guard.

Here is a picture perhaps of her in 1784??? 
http://www.worcesterart.org/Collection/Early_American/Artists/earl_r/Man_with_Gun/painting.html


The painter was apparently the cousin of the gunsmith (Thomas Earle) who is in this painting halfway down the page sitting in front of a window that frames his house and gunsmith shop

http://www.worcesterart.org/Collection/Early_American/Artists/earl_r/Denny_Hill/discussion.html

  Cherry Valley is just west of Worcester....not that far from where Ralph Earl the painter lived..........Grinslade mentions this painting in his book on Fowlers and the gun certainly looks like the NE 13, 30 and 31 in his book.





Pretty good gun eh???

[woodsrunner]

I have a contemporary piece made for me by David Dodds, replicated from NE 20 in Tom Grinslade's Book, that has the same profile and other characteristics as this Thomas Earl fowler. Sure wish I knew how to post photos on the Board!

[James Rogers]

Thanks for the great pics Rich and Paul!
I wondered if he was kin to Ralph Earl.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I have a contemporary piece made for me by David Dodds, replicated from NE 20 in Tom Grinslade's Book, that has the same profile and other characteristics as this Thomas Earl fowler. Sure wish I knew how to post photos on the Board!

Here is Woodsrunner's beautiful NE Fowler!!

[mr. no gold]

Some years ago, Faye Parker wrote a finely researched article in 'Man at Arms' magazine on Thomas Earle and some photos of Earle guns (including a grand NE rifle) accompanied the article. If you can fine it you will get a lot of information about Earle and his times.
Dick

[G-Man]

That is just a superb piece and thas the most French influence of the few Earle pieces I have seen. 

I think the first flint fowler that I ever saw in pictures was the one of his in the Kaufmann book and I have always loved the look of that gun.

He sure was capable of a wide range of styles and work and one of the great American gunsmiths of his times. 

Guy