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So what is the time frame for the transition from James Goulcher to G. Goulcher marked percussion locks?
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Golcher locks?
- Thread starter thatoneguy82
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Well, the Track of the Wolf catalog says the G Goulcher lock was used in the 1840-1880 time period. (They sell a Davis copy of this lock).
The book AMERICAN GUN MAKERS shows a George Goulcher in New York but doesn't give dates but says, "Possibly made locks only".
Also, John Goulcher in Easton, Pa active before 1772-1777 and a Joseph Goulcher in Pa in 1841. It questions whether he is also Joseph Golcher who it says was active in Philadelphia, Pa and later on the Pacific Coast.
It also lists a George Golcher in New York, James Golcher in Philadelphia who died in 1805, James Golcher in Philadelphia "before and after 1833, John Golcher in New York during the percussion period, Joseph Golcher (I mentioned above), Manuel(or Emanuel) Golcher (also Goulcher) Philadelphia 1824-1830, and William Golcher in St.Paul, Minn., 1854 to 1870.
As you know, spellings for names in the 18th and 19th century were often changed for no apparent reason and this leads to the possibility of two slightly different names being the same person.
The book AMERICAN GUN MAKERS shows a George Goulcher in New York but doesn't give dates but says, "Possibly made locks only".
Also, John Goulcher in Easton, Pa active before 1772-1777 and a Joseph Goulcher in Pa in 1841. It questions whether he is also Joseph Golcher who it says was active in Philadelphia, Pa and later on the Pacific Coast.
It also lists a George Golcher in New York, James Golcher in Philadelphia who died in 1805, James Golcher in Philadelphia "before and after 1833, John Golcher in New York during the percussion period, Joseph Golcher (I mentioned above), Manuel(or Emanuel) Golcher (also Goulcher) Philadelphia 1824-1830, and William Golcher in St.Paul, Minn., 1854 to 1870.
As you know, spellings for names in the 18th and 19th century were often changed for no apparent reason and this leads to the possibility of two slightly different names being the same person.
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ebay itemId=171344322815, can't seem to provide a link that works.
I found this and wanted to see when it might have been made. It probably reads "Jos H Golcher".
I found this and wanted to see when it might have been made. It probably reads "Jos H Golcher".
galamb
58 Cal.
Like Zonie, I also have a rather convoluted list that was cobbled together by Mr. Whisker.
The first Golcher mentioned is Thomas who was in business as early as 1774 and provided "firelocks" to the Committee of Safety in 1776. He also was paid to disclose the "art of barrel boring" and later was contracted to provide gun barrels (1777).
James Golcher (the 1st) was noted active in Philadelphia until the War of Independence - had a brother named Joseph reportedly in the gun trade. This James died in 1805.
His brother Joseph is possibly the "Jos." on the Jos. Golcher marked locks. If so, he probably would have died in the first half of the 1800's making his locks the "early Golchers".
James Golcher (the 2nd) - unknown if he is related to the other James. This one possibly emigrated from England in the 1840's. Worked in Philly until at least the 1860's - operated "Eagle Gun Works".
The 1850 Industry Census shows that "this" James Golcher produced "600 dozen gunlocks valued at $3600 and made 500 guns valued at $3500", so it's probably safe to say that a James Golcher marked lock (or simply a Golcher lock) can be attributed to this "James" and be dated between 1841/42 and 1860.
George Golcher (who MAYBE can be assumed to be the G. Golcher the lock is patterned after) is first "recorded" active in 1880 (possibly born in 1852, by one account). He was still active in the very late 1890's, so unless he live to be well over 100 years old it is unlikely he was making lock "too early" in the caplock age.
There is also a fairly strong opinion out there that many "Golcher" locks were actually built in Belgium and then marked with the Golcher name to sell in America since Golcher had established a reputation.
For myself, I would have no problem putting a Jos. Golcher patterned lock on a pre-1840 cap lock.
Post 1840 the lock could have been made (if it was in fact actually made by a Golcher) by James factory workers or George Golcher.
James was definitely actively making locks in 1840.
If George lived until 1905, and assuming his birth (reported as 1852) is "maybe" the first note of his working life in the gun business (which would make more sense or he wouldn't have been old enough to make locks until well into the cartridge era), then his locks could be the ones that show up on the late half-stocks in the west/plains.
So to put it another way, I would put a G. Golcher on a half-stock Ohio or an S. Hawken rifle - not an Ohio full-stock or a J&S Hawken rifle.
The first Golcher mentioned is Thomas who was in business as early as 1774 and provided "firelocks" to the Committee of Safety in 1776. He also was paid to disclose the "art of barrel boring" and later was contracted to provide gun barrels (1777).
James Golcher (the 1st) was noted active in Philadelphia until the War of Independence - had a brother named Joseph reportedly in the gun trade. This James died in 1805.
His brother Joseph is possibly the "Jos." on the Jos. Golcher marked locks. If so, he probably would have died in the first half of the 1800's making his locks the "early Golchers".
James Golcher (the 2nd) - unknown if he is related to the other James. This one possibly emigrated from England in the 1840's. Worked in Philly until at least the 1860's - operated "Eagle Gun Works".
The 1850 Industry Census shows that "this" James Golcher produced "600 dozen gunlocks valued at $3600 and made 500 guns valued at $3500", so it's probably safe to say that a James Golcher marked lock (or simply a Golcher lock) can be attributed to this "James" and be dated between 1841/42 and 1860.
George Golcher (who MAYBE can be assumed to be the G. Golcher the lock is patterned after) is first "recorded" active in 1880 (possibly born in 1852, by one account). He was still active in the very late 1890's, so unless he live to be well over 100 years old it is unlikely he was making lock "too early" in the caplock age.
There is also a fairly strong opinion out there that many "Golcher" locks were actually built in Belgium and then marked with the Golcher name to sell in America since Golcher had established a reputation.
For myself, I would have no problem putting a Jos. Golcher patterned lock on a pre-1840 cap lock.
Post 1840 the lock could have been made (if it was in fact actually made by a Golcher) by James factory workers or George Golcher.
James was definitely actively making locks in 1840.
If George lived until 1905, and assuming his birth (reported as 1852) is "maybe" the first note of his working life in the gun business (which would make more sense or he wouldn't have been old enough to make locks until well into the cartridge era), then his locks could be the ones that show up on the late half-stocks in the west/plains.
So to put it another way, I would put a G. Golcher on a half-stock Ohio or an S. Hawken rifle - not an Ohio full-stock or a J&S Hawken rifle.
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Thanks for the info all
matt denison
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Thanks. You made sense of a complicated subject that I have been somewhat stumped on myself.
:bow: :hatsoff:
:bow: :hatsoff:
galamb
58 Cal.
If James Whisker's history/research is correct -
Jos. Golcher locks, at least the cap versions, were made from the beginning of the cap era to perhaps 1840 at the very latest (especially if he was building "firelocks" in the late 1700's/early 1800's - even if a young man at the time, he would be "old" by 1840).
Jas. Golcher locks would have been made between about 1840 and 1860 (possibly earlier if he was producing them in England and sending them over).
G. Golcher locks were probably produced from 1840 to the end of the cap era since he lived until 1905.
However, if as Mr. Whisker and others more studied than myself are correct and Belgium was "knocking off" locks that's only association with Golcher was the name stamped on the plate, then it's possible a "faux" Jos. Golcher cap lock could have been bought new in the late 1850's....
Jos. Golcher locks, at least the cap versions, were made from the beginning of the cap era to perhaps 1840 at the very latest (especially if he was building "firelocks" in the late 1700's/early 1800's - even if a young man at the time, he would be "old" by 1840).
Jas. Golcher locks would have been made between about 1840 and 1860 (possibly earlier if he was producing them in England and sending them over).
G. Golcher locks were probably produced from 1840 to the end of the cap era since he lived until 1905.
However, if as Mr. Whisker and others more studied than myself are correct and Belgium was "knocking off" locks that's only association with Golcher was the name stamped on the plate, then it's possible a "faux" Jos. Golcher cap lock could have been bought new in the late 1850's....
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