The Galleries
- Robert E. Petersen Collection
- Ancient Firearms - 1350 to 1700
- Road to American Liberty - 1700 to 1780
- A Prospering New Republic - 1780 to 1860
- A Nation Asunder - 1861 to 1865
- The American West - 1850 to 1900
- Innovation, Oddities and Competition
- Theodore Roosevelt and Elegant Arms - 1880s to 1920s
- World War I and Firearms Innovation
- WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Beyond - 1940 to Present
- For the Fun of It
- Modern Firearms - 1950 to Present
- Hollywood Guns
A & E Weston (Brighton, England) Side-by-Side Flintlock Shotgun
Elegant and flowing in its lines, this flintlock double fowler represents a well-balanced smoothbore appropriate for the finest of 18th century hunting parties.
Circa 1790 Weston (Canada/England) Flint-lock Double Barrel Shotgun (muzzle-loading/ black powder/ shot ammunition) After the American Revolution ended in 1781, thirteen new States began to steer a common course. This was not easy. A Constitution and a Bill of Rights were not worked out until May, 1788. George Washington became the first president in 1789.
The economy of the United States began to function slowly. In contrast, England's economy returned to full speed, and Canada exported rich furs while importing fine goods. Fine shotguns such as the one displayed here were immediately available for importation. Made circa 1790 by A. & E. Weston of Brighton, Sussex, this gun symbolizes a standard of manufacture that the U.S. would not achieve for several decades. - Dr. William L. Roberts, THE AMERICAN LIBERTY COLLECTION; #27