Sunday 29 November 2015

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

1 comment:

  1. Mr. Stroud, I have acquired a Thomas Fowler Dublin black powder muzzleloader in very good condition. Could you give me an idea of the value? Please feel free to contact me at Anita.mullinax@yahoo.com. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete