Circa 1800 English export fowler

[rich pierce]

Saw this in a museum in Weston Vermont today. Barrel at least 48”, maybe 20 gauge. Very light and slim.

[smart dog]

Hi Rich,
Very interesting gun but I am skeptical that it is an export fowler from England.  It uses English parts but in a composite way more like something made in NE.  For example, I believe the side plate is from a pattern 1756/1777 British sea service pistol.  The engraving on the guard is very New Englandish, the lock is almost certainly a replacement.  The wrist escutcheon is very familiar and I think it was used on Ketland and other export guns.   It would be interesting to determine the stock wood.

dave

[rich pierce]

Very good Dave; was hoping to get you to chime in. May be a composite gun. The sideplate looked out of place. I could not guess the wood in my quick inspection.

[JV Puleo]

Hi Rich,
Very interesting gun but I am skeptical that it is an export fowler from England.  It uses English parts but in a composite way more like something made in NE.  For example, I believe the side plate is from a pattern 1756/1777 British sea service pistol.  The engraving on the guard is very New Englandish, the lock is almost certainly a replacement.  The wrist escutcheon is very familiar and I think it was used on Ketland and other export guns.   It would be interesting to determine the stock wood.

dave

I'm inclined to agree. Those appear to be real London proofs which suggests that the original source of that barrel was not likely to have been an export-grade fowler. The side plate is also not one we usually see on export guns. The other parts are consistent with 1795-1805 exports so it could be an American fowler made with some imported parts. Neither of those prove anything but they are clues. I would not place too much emphasis on stock wood though... walnut was very expensive in England and America's largest export from early colonial days right through the first quarter of the 19th century was hardwoods. I have proof of the English importing maple stock blanks and I find it impossible to believe they didn't import walnut as well.