EARLY ORNATE BRITISH – TRADE FOWLER

EARLY ORNATE BRITISH – TRADE FOWLER

01-24767
Cal. .65 caliber
NSN

66.5″ overall. 50.5″ octagonal to round barrel. Pictured and described on pages 58-59 of “The Fur Trade”. Author, Milton Von Damm: “This is a unique high quality fowler that was probably a custom order or a Cree Indian Chief since it was originally collected from a Cree Reservation. It appears to have been assembled by a Hudson’s Bay or Northwest Company gunsmith from available parts. Since the sideplate looks original to the gun it was probably made somewhere between the 1790’s, when such sideplates appeared on Chief’s guns, to the war of 1812 period. This lock is marked SUTHERLAND and has the Boars head at the tail of the lockplate and the Board of Ordnance stamp under the frizzen. There is no roller bearing, a feature on most War of 1812 Chief’s guns. Further, the lock is longer than the 5 inch War of 1812 pattern Chief guns.

Richard Sutherland was a Birmingham gun maker during the 1800 to 1827 period. He was one of the private contractors who made Chief’s guns, pistols, rifles, and common Northwest trade guns for The Board of Ordnance during The War of 1812. The lettering style on the lock conforms to his style on other locks. The inside of the lock is marked with a crown over a 3 like other Sutherland locks. The brass furniture is even more unique. Dr. DE Witt Bailey observed that the trigger guard and buttplate are identical to what was made for a British Pattern 1776 Rifle of which only 800 were made and only seen or eight have survived. The sideplate is identical to the type and size of those used on the contract Chiefs’ guns.”

PROVENANCE: from The Lifelong Collection of author Milton Von Damm. (01-24767/JS).

STATUS: ANTIQUE