A&S Fowler

[dillroy]

I have an old Fowler made up of parts from a third model Bess, "The barrel, butt plate, trigger guard, and rear ram rod pipes are marked with either the broad arrow or the British proof mark" The lock is engraved with the name A&S WILLETS/ NEW YORK.

Does anyone have any info about this maker?


Here are some pictures.

 

[dillroy]

http://s895.photobucket.com/albums/ac157/dillroy1/

 

[Extranero]

Definitely not Bess parts. The combination of the Board of Ordinance broad arrow and the NY marked lock is odd. The lock looks original to the piece and is a standard English lock. Where are the broad arrow markings? Can you get some pictures of those and the proofs? The Willets family were active gunsmiths in Birmingham from about 1770-1831, but I have no info on any of them with first names starting with A or S. They were contractors to the British Board of Ordinance to produce treaty guns for Indian allies in defense of British lands before, during and after the War of 1812. Most of the fowlers produced for these contracts show fairly little variation. This one is a bit outside the norm and the New York stamping is curious.

Sean

 

[dillroy]

Are you thinking that this is a Bess? Its not its just a fowler made up from old parts of a bess. I have two bess's and I compard the styles of the parts. The butt plate tang has the later short style, and the trigger gaurd is the shorter less fancy style, that were all used on the third model. The barel is .75 and the markings are near the breach. they are very warn, but there are two stamps. There is a pic of them, on the link above. The underside of the buttplate is marked with a broad arrow, and the inside of the triger gaurd loop is stamped with the crown and broad arrow. I have found a gun on an auction sight that is may be made by the same maker, Diffrent spelling "2 T's" and a mention of someone with a gun also trying to find info on anouther site.Julie Lighthouse point Florida


"A&S Willets - Very Long - Don't Know -
It's got a very long barrel almost seven feet long! How old is it? It looks like it's from the Revolutionary War and should be in a museum!

Answer:
Julie- I am not sure if you really mean 7 feet long barrel (close to 84 inches?) or if that is the overall length. In either case, that is a LONG gun. The only information I can find on A. & S. Willets is that they operated in the New York City area circa 1800. Extremely long barrels are usually associated with fowling pieces (what we call shotguns nowadays), either as shoulder fired light weight guns or as very heavy and very large guns mounted in boats as "punt guns." Photos would really help with a gun like this. If you want to send us some, make sure you reference this question so we will know what they relate to. It sounds like something that an advanced collector or museum may indeed be interested in. John Spangler"


http://images.google.com/imgres?im...ts+fowler&hl=en&rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS356US356&um=1

Thanks Dillon

 

[Extranero]

No I'm saying don't believe those are 3rd model Bess parts on it. Its fairly normal to find NY-made English styled fowlers that have Birmingham proofed English barrels. It would be odd to find one like yours with broad arrow BO markings. I can't make anything out on your proof photo. Until I see the crown and broad arrow or a broad arrow and BO stamping on the stock, I'd say you have a American-made fowler. You may be able to ask over on another board where someone might have the 5 volume set of 'Gunsmiths of New York'. It may have some info in there on this A&S Willets, but I don't have it. They may have been the builder or just the lock importer. Its a nice piece, probably post War of 1812. Check out Grindale's book on American Fowlers to see some similar pieces.

Sean