F & I War/Rev. War

"American Fowler-Musket"
"Henry Sleur-1730’s"
‘New Information added’
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  • F & I War/Rev. War
  • F & I War/Rev. War
  • F & I War/Rev. War
  • F & I War/Rev. War
  • F & I War/Rev. War
  • F & I War/Rev. War
  • F & I War/Rev. War
  • F & I War/Rev. War

This is a very interesting early American Curly Maple Fowler/Musket . The Dutch barrel , which was the best you could buy at the time, is 46 1/2" long with fine engraving and gold inserts. It retains a top ridge which runs the entire length of the barrel to within 3/4" of the bayonet lug.  The early banana shaped lock with detached pan is signed H.Sleur  under the frizzen spring. Tom Grinsdale’s book "Flintlock Fowlers’ refers to H.Sleurs  as being Clamer Hendrick Sleur. He states that H.Sleurs distinctive carving and patterns were copied by noted New England Fowler makers Phineas Sawyer and Welcome Mathewson . Please refer to pages 29 and 129.  Page 29 refers to many of H.Sleurs guns being imported to Boston as early as 1730. I beleive this is one of those guns. Eleakim Rice Of Sunsbury owned one of H.Sleurs guns which he passed on to his son Ezekiel ,who carried it to the Concord Bridge on April 19,1775.  The brass furniture appears to be of American mfg. with the original owners initials "W.S" on the wrist escutcheon.  The curly maple stock is really beautiful with a hairline crack on the right forestock and a sliver repair on the left forestock . This is very common on long barrel fowlers and doesn’t detract from the pieces appearance at all.  One of the most unique features of this early piece is that it has Six ramrod pipes. I’ve never seen even five,so this is pretty special. 
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