English Fowler

[Cajun72]

So recently acquired an old English Fowler
It's a 12 gauge very ornately engraved octagon to round barrel. Marked Blore Maker Bolton. Bore is in excellent shape just need to run some steel wool down the barrel to clean a little surface rust. Barrel proof marks as seen in photos. Stock is marked SH Dickson. Thinking 1850's? Thoughts?

[Cajun72]

More photos

[Daryl]

Nice  bet it points well.

[Feltwad]

What you have is a standard made  back action Birmingham made  single barrel sporting gun .A suitable all round load is  2.3/4drms of 3fg powder to 1.1/8 oz of shot loading procedure is powder two 1/8 card wads shot 1/16 card. This load will kill sporting  clays  and trap also  game out too 40yards ,you will also find that this load is not heavy on the shoulder with a light gun larger load is not needed and will  give  too much of  a kick May I say that the engraving on the top flat is not appropriate to the guns beginning and has been added later.no more than a decade ago
Feltwad

[Mike Brooks]

I have seen engraving of that style on a few English guns of that era. I believe it is original to the gun.

[Feltwad]

I have seen engraving of that style on a few English guns of that era. I believe it is original to the gun.

You do see some on Continental guns  but not on a standard Birmingham  made gun  which could have been retailed by a maker or even a ironmonger Too me that engraving has been  added  in the last decade.
Feltwad

[Cajun72]

Well I have found only one other Blore Bolton Fowler it was over in the UK. The gun was engraved but not as nice.

[Brent English]

I'm with Mr. Brooks on this one.  That engraving is original to the gun.  Here's a similar example.  I purchased this gun in Friendship in the 1970's.  The esteemed Lynton McKenzie dated the gun pre-1830 based on the engraving style. The top flat engraving on this fowler is in keeping with the rest of the gun. The fowler posted here is a nice early percussion era Birmingham gun in my opinion - in really nice original condition.

[Pukka Bundook]

Brent,
That is a very nice gun, but would suggest later than 1830's.
Very few back action were made at that time. 

The engraving on the gun in the O.P I take as original.
It is very typical of good quality work.
As Feltwad says, it is a Birmingham gun, and many were made and engraved with a retailer's name.
The retailer could choose what and how he wanted the gun engraved and finished.
If he chose higher end work, he could have it. The cost was more, but he could get what he wanted .

A great amount of English guns were not made by the person it is marked to.

This is how the gun trade worked and still does!

Best,
R.

[Cajun72]

Appreciate the responses. I think it's original to the gun as well. Hard to see but the hammer is engraved to look like a dog. Incredible engraving talent that is for sure.