Guns International #: 102098893
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Guns International #: 102098893
Category - Antique Shotguns - Flintlock
- Shotguns - English
Very Good Untouched Higher-End Long Barreled English Trade Fowler by Ketland, Walker & Adams
Description: An exceptional very good long barreled English trade fowler by Ketland, Walker & Adams made circa 1815 or 1816 in original untouched condition. This approximately 16 bore fowler stands out because of its original untouched just right patina and it's extraordinary overall length of almost six feet - 71 1/8" to be exact. Though there is so much to recommend this exceptional gun, I'm particularly smitten with the very good untouched condition and the skip-line checkering! How about you? To appreciate the significance and place of this gun in America firearms history, consider the opinion of Joseph V. Puleo in his excellent article "Ketland Guns in America" which was first published in Man At Arms magazine, November 2011. The article opens, "[t]he Ketlands were almost certainly the best-known gun making brand In America from 1790 until the 1830s. Literally thousands of their muskets, fowlers, pistols, rifles and even more of their gun locks - all prominently marked with the famous 'Ketland' name - were sold in the United States during that time. Even though the Ketlands were from across the ocean in Birmingham, England, it is no exaggeration to claim that they dominated the American marketplace." Wow! The condition of this more than 200 year old fowler is unusually very good. English trade fowlers like this were not bespoke English guns but general purpose guns of lesser quality traded by Ketland, Walker & Adams (and its predecessors and successors) around the world, including into the United States as Puleo explains. Accordingly, they were typically well used rather than relegated to a display rack in the home of a gentleman of the period and generally show that use when you find them today. This gun, however, is very little used. This gun is also on the higher-end of English trade guns. To illustrate, compare the features of this gun to the features identified in the first page of the W. Ketland & Co. wholesale price list supplied to Henry Upson of the New York firm of Richards, Upson & Co., in the summer of 1812 that may be found in Puleo's article. An image of the price list is attached. Therein you will see that "4 foot barrels" were "1 [Pound Sterling]/each extra." The barrel of this extraordinary gun is more than "4 foot," measuring 55 3/4". A roller lock, a rib, and a sighting spider, all three of which this gun has, were also extra features each costing "1 [Pound Sterling]/each extra." No doubt the skip-line checkering was an extra feature too. To be sure, the various iterations of the Ketland companies made even higher end arms than this fowler, some were even silver mounted. The barrel is also stamped with the Birmingham view and definitive proof marks used beginning in 1813, a feature Puleo attributes to Ketland's better guns, and which also helps date this gun. This gun being somewhat higher-end may account for it's much better than usual condition. My research leads me to believe Ketland, Walker & Adams was in business between 1814 and 1816 and was a successor to earlier Ketland gunmaking businesses. That, along with the Birmingham proof marks used beginning in 1813, and the War of 1812 impeding trade through 1814, lead me to conclude this gun was manufactured in 1815 or 1816. You may notice that the lock is marked "T. Ketland & Co." rather than Ketland, Walker & Adams. However, the barrel is stamped "KW&A" in fine letters on the left side of the breach and the stock is twice stamped the same in very fine letters on the belly behind the end of the trigger guard tang. I'm not certain why this "KW&A" marked barrel and stock have a "T. Ketland & Co." marked lock but most likely the gun was assembled from parts on hand at the time of its manufacture. Many trade gun locks are marked this way or with some other form of Ketland. Many Kentucky longrifles and other American guns too are made with Ketland marked locks. Enjoy the photographs of this gun. The lock has an impressively strong main spring and frizzen spring as well as a roller frizzen. I expect this lock would be quite fast still today. Though hardly worth mentioning, the top jaw and top jaw screw appear to be replaced but long ago and they do not detract from the guns general appearance. The brass furniture is delightful with judicious but charming engraving and a finish that has been untouched for over two centuries, giving it the dark mustard appearance it should have. The walnut stock is also untouched with an open grain oil finish. The skip-line checkering, reminiscent of earlier styles regularly used on best English guns by Twigg and John Manton of the late 18th century as checkering was first coming into fashion, is sharp. The fore stock has a horn nose cap. The wood to metal fit is excellent. The barrel is held in place with two iron side nails without escutcheons. It is octogon at the breach, with a single wedding band just before the end of the forestock then round to the muzzle. The bore is fine. The front sight is worthy of particular attention. Centuries before fiber optic, tritium, and red dot sights and the like, we had silver spiders surrounding the front sight like on this fowler. You regularly see spiders on old English fowlers. They were intended to improve your ability to see the front sight in low light conditions by reflecting whatever light there was uponthe front sight. It works too! Notice how brightly the front sight stands out in the photograph. A delightful, untouched long barreled English trade fowler with special features in untouched condition and a great look! It would shoot as well today as it ever did. The gun shoulders nicely and is light for its length. It feels lively in the hand. If you miss, just swat that upland bird with the muzzle of this extraordinarily long barrel. It would also look grand above the mantle of your home or displayed in your man cave and in either place would be quite a conversation piece. A bargain if not a steal at $2,400. Price: $2,400.00 Shotgun Gauge: 16 Gauge Manufacturer: Ketland, Walker & Adams, Birmingham, England Model: trade fowler Barrel Length: 55 3/4” Condition: Very Good Metal Condition: Very Good Wood Condition: Fine Bore Condition: Fine Action: Flintlock Stock: Walnut Manufacture Date: 1815 or 1816 Contact Seller |
Guns International #: 102098893
Guns International #: 102098893