Thomas Fowler: Gunmaker.

Thomas Fowler
Gunmaker
14 Capel Street
Dublin

                           Trade label for Thomas Fowler, 14 Capel Street, Dublin. 
                                                  (Period 1801-1805)

                                               Henry Nock Patent Breech.
" The Advantage arising from this New Constructed Breeching is that the Powder taking Fire in A., Throws the shot in a more perfect Direction & with greater Velocity they do not Kick & after Firing Twenty or Thirty Shots loose (sic) very little of their Force in comparison with Guns of the Old plan. - Duelling Pistols Engaged to hit Point Blank at a proper Distance" 

This format of trade label was used by at least two other Dublin gunmaker's namely, Nicholas Clarke and John Silk. Henry Nock having put in place a very good marketing strategy whereby
he may well have supplied the copperplates with the section and elevation already engraved and then the individual gunmaker's employed their own engraver to add the text. It is unlikely
that the text was already added as on one other sample the word "loose" is corrected to "lose"
However, the wording may well have been drafted by the inventor and supplied with the copperplate. A very good marketing tool for the period.

Known trading dates and addresses.

1795-1800	121 Capel Street
1801-1805	14 Capel Street
1806-1811	18 Capel Street
1812-1824	29 Capel Street
1825	33 Capel Street

Trades Directory entry for 1801 Alley  William 6 Abbey Street Blackall Eliza 46 Fishamble Street Clarke Nicholas 35 Capel Street Devereux Michael 3 Blackall Row Divine Thomas 194 Abbey Street Dobson James 32 Skinner Row Eames Elizabeth 1 Duke Street Edwards Thomas 60 Abbey Street Fowler Thomas 14 Capel Street Gray John 1 Bride Street Haskey Thomas Upper Ormond Quay Hutchinson Michael 8 Dame Street Mc Dermott Farrell 2 Abbey Street Meredith Charles 16 Fishamble Street Morton William 28 Castle Street Muley Daniel 28 Parliament Street Pattison Thomas 1 Clarence Street. Nth Strand. Quinlan Daniel Werburgh Street Rigby John 19 Suffolk Street Tomlinson Robert 123 Capel Street Truelock Thomas 50 Barrack Street Wheeler Oliver 5 Gt Ship Street Willett Robert 23 Eustace Street

            For further details relating to this gunmaker refer to our blog of 22/11/2015

Thomas Fowler originally listed by M.S. Dudley Westropp, MRIA. 

Journal Arms & Armour Society, 1957.

Vol.11. No 1.

We are always pleased to know of any guns/pistols produced by this gunmaker and in particular
other Irish gunmakers using this format of trade card/label.

Dave Stroud ramrodantiques.co.uk