doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Gilbert Forbes?

Any information about Gilbert Forbes a Gunmaker in England
in the Late 1700's?
Thanks
Bill

Bill,

From the IGC:

There was a Gilbert Forbes in NY at 18 Broadway.

An advertisement appeared in the New York Journal and the General Advertiser on 16 March 1775 saying, 'Gilbert Forbes, Gun Maker. At the Sign of the Sportsman in the Broad Way, opposite Hull's Tavern in New York. Makes and sells all sorts of guns, in the neatest and best manner; on the lowest terms; has for sale, Silver and Brass Mounted Pistols; Rifle barrel Guns, Double swivel and double roller gun locks; 50 ready mad new bayonet guns, on all one size and pattern'. He made many rifles and muskets for Governor Tryon. He got involved in the Hickey Plot to kill or capture General Washington. When the plot was uncovered, many of the conspirators were taken, amongst them Forbes and Hickey. Forbes turned state's evidence and the result of which was the public hanging of Hickey in mid 1776. This making Forbes very unpopular resulted in Forbes fleeing the city and vanishing without a trace.

Pete

Pete
That's the fellow I'm Interested in. He was in New York 1767-1776. Any Knowledge about previous work-probably from England.
Have a Flintlock Double by him with Tiger Stripe wood.
Looking for all info I can get.
Thanks
Bill

Bill,

Glad I got a hit on this one. Perhaps Roy will have more.

Pete

Is that a "Tiger Woods" stripe? Best info I have is keep your woman folk under lock and key. Or as Destry would say, Wink, wink! EDM

Ed
When I first saw the add and picture of the gun I had no clue
of what tiger stiping was-as this was out of my area of collecting. Then found out about the Tiger maple of ealier times
which made me much more interested in this gun. With no proof
marks I had to have it
Thanks
Bill

I've seen a few British muzzleloading shotguns with tiger stripped wood but I believed it was a walnut stock. The Pennsylvania gunsmith in Christian Springs and eventually the rest of Lancaster/Lebanon County used curly maple or tiger striped maple for their long rifles that would eventually be call the 'Kentucky' rifle. I didn't think that the English used curly maple all that much or if it was even available to them.

Bill,

His shop was known as "The Sign of the Sportsman".

A bit more:
http://books.google.com/books?id=U2AEAAA...%22&f=false

There was an article about him, copies are available.
http://www.manatarmsbooks.com/mrsinventory.html

Apparently, his father was a silversmith.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~silversmiths/makers/silversmiths/43852.htm

His will.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~silversmiths/makers/silversmiths/43855.htm

http://frontierfolk.net/phpBB/viewtopic....05b5b9670a476b6

I found this:
Gunsmith Gilbert Forbes, proprietor of The Sign of the Sportsman at 18 Broad Way, admitted receiving Tryon's money through Matthews and sending one shipment of 20 guns to the British. He claimed, however, that nearly half the guns had been defective and that the real purpose of the money had been to recruit Continental soldiers to the British cause.

This is not a big deal. The British Navy was stopping ships at sea that were loaded with guns for Washington's army that had been produced in England. Everyone was making a profit or trying to...

When you get a chance, please post some pictures.

Pete

This is Bill's gun. 20ga with 30 1/2" barrels









Pete

A summary-Gilbert's Grandfather born in Scotland came to New York
in early 1700's. His father Gilbert was a Gunsmith and "Silversmith" and brothers were noted Siversmiths.
Gilbert was in NYC 1767-76. First at the Sign of the Broad Axe
then Sign of the Sportsman on Broad Way. As in Pete's first comment Forbes adverised as a Gunmaker useing swivel and double
roller locks that state of the art flintlock features.
1977 article in Canadian Gun Collecting Journal pictures a 36 in
Forbes Double Flintlock with twist bbls with no proofs-tiger maple. This gun is 20 ga, 31 in, Platinum touchholes, Gold band
at breech, Silver Rectangle at wrist "FORBES" on locks "NEW YORK"
on rib-top of the lin at the time. Forbes was jailed afer the
HICKEY PLOT and evenually ended up in Nova Scotia.
American born Gunmakers made guns here even before USA came into
existance-this a United Colonies gun
THANKS to all
Bill