Some of the finest examples of these guns included relief carvings along the stock, engraving along the lock and an occasional inlay of silver. Some of these also had wire inlays. There were examples of both single and double barreled early fowling pieces, but the single is probably best known and was the model for the Northwest Trade Gun. There is little resemblance between the trade guns and their more illustrious ancestors.

It should be remembered that hunting in England was a pastime reserved for those who could afford land and many of these were nobility.

Their fowling pieces, like their other prized possessions, reflected their wealth and status. Barrels for these guns came from Italy and Spain and examples of these carefully carved shotguns can still be found bearing the name of prominent Italian craftsmen of the period. This is not because there were not satisfactory barrels being produced in England at the time, rather it was probably a novelty that "gentlemen" of the period enjoyed - the purchase of a fine barrel during their travels through continental Europe.

The stock for these fowlers should be made of high-quality wood and the maker should pay careful attention to the fitting of the metal parts (generally fittings were made of steel) to the wood. The front sight was often of silver or gold.

A fowling piece of this type marked the owner as a gentleman and sportsman of this time. We believe our stocks should reflect this fine tradition.