R E Davis French fusil

[Okwaho]

I WAS'NT TRYING TO COMPARE T. EARLE"S GUN WITH THE FUSIL FIN THAT I AM WORKING ON, I JUST FIND IT INTRIGUING THAT THEY SHARE THE SAME SIDE PLATE AND TRIGGER GUARD. THE TRIGGER GUARD FOR THE FUSIL FIN IS NOT GENERIC BY ANY STRETCH. IF YOU CAN LOOK AT EARLE'S GUN AND THE FUSIL KIT YOU'LL KNOW WHAT I MEAN. THERE WAS QUITE A FEW YEARS BETWEEN THE FRENCH GUN AND THOMAS EARLE. BY THE WAY, THIS GUN WHEN DONE WILL WEIGH LESS THAN I INTIALLY GUESSED.

I let one slip by me here.I was thinking Hudson Valley fowlers when you mentioned Thomas Earl who worked further south in Mass.Yes,many New England makers were influenced by French guns. Merrill Lindsay in The New England Gun" partially illustrates a fowler by Earl with a guard showing some French influence,PP.37-8 No.7 and also illustrates a gun by Phineas Fowler of Mass.PP.34-37 No.5 which has heavy French influence.

The reason for this is that following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 by Louis XIV,French Hugenots{Protestants}fled France and many settled in England,the German states, the Dutch republics and Liege.A large number of them were skilled artisans including gunsmiths.Many of these gunsmiths came to New England and the middle Atlantic states including Pennsylvania with the result that many New England and other fowlers reflected the French background and training of their makers.I have a friend in North Carolina who is at present researching this connection as it pertains to early southern Kentucky rifles and fowling pieces and I guess I should check on his progress.
Tom Patton

 

[Henry]

Why did the 1700 gunsmiths copied the French ?
Why the 1950 auto makers copied the Americans
why did the 1970 camera makers copied the Japaneses?

At the Deerfield Raid event , 1704-2004
re-enactment , is was rather strange to see
the French and Indians armed with the " new " *
style guns against the New England militia
armed with rather old fashion english lock / dog lock and snaphaunce guns .

* The french " fusils de chasse " style began
around 1690-1700