1760 English Fowler with Silver Wire Inlay

Full figured walnut stock with raised carving on lock and side-plate plateaus; very nice fan and scroll carving surrounding tang. The comb and drop combined create a wonderful architecture. The sock is magnificently decorated with silver wire inlay; tiny turnip like vegetable-like devices add whimsy; tiny floral devices...quatrefoil and leaf-like devices are inlayed within wirework as are tiny silver pins used as terminus devices. The wirework decoration is behind tang of trigger guard and both sides of stock; wirework decoration surrounds shell carving, also at swell behind first pipe; and centering middle barrel key...with only traces remaining at muzzle. The bright finish barrel with gold bushed touch-hole is 37-inches long and has cast scroll decoration on its top at breech end; within the decoration is a "P" within oval, crown over "IP" and a "V" within oval with the only other mark being the name "Tims" on lockplate. The lock-plate, cock, jaw; cock and tang screw heads and frizzen were cast with beautiful decoration as depicted. The tang with a touch of gold gracefully widens at breech and is relieved at center forming integral rear sighting; bead sight at muzzle is set into iron inlay. The trigger has two scrolled spurs; trigger guard is cast decorated with shaped forend being a shell and leafy design; extra long tang. Openwork silver side-plate with floral festoons, baskets of flowers and fruits and diapering. Three iron barrel wedges, iron pipes and iron butt-plate decorated with panoply of arms beneath swaged drapery and Rocco devices. The rammer appears to be original. (Overall length: 52.75-inches.)

Copy and images from Antique Associates at West Townsend.