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WAR OF 1812 CHIEF’S GRADE
NORTHWEST TRADE GUN – SCARCE MAKER – THOMAS HAMPTON
1813-1816 – FULL ARRAY OF BRITISH BOARD OF ORDNANCE
INSPECTOR AND ACCEPTANCE STAMPS – FEATURING CLASSIC WEAR
AND REPAIRS - VERY NICE SPECIMEN:
Probably one of, if not
the, most under appreciated firearm of the
North American Frontier, the Northwest Trade Gun dates
back to the earliest years of western expansion into the
interior of the unexplored continent. Arguably the most
established and constant commodity of the fur trade, and
traded to Native Americans and European trappers alike,
the Northwest Trade Gun was manufactured for over 200
years with only minor changes in the pattern and
specifications.
 
While firearm technology certainly advanced, and for so
many practical reasons the flintlock gave way to the
percussion lock, and in turn the metallic cartridge
dominated the market in the years following the Civil
War, in reality no collection of firearms accumulated
with the intent to represent American history can be
considered complete without the inclusion of the
Northwest Trade Gun.
Within the category of trade guns, there is this well
defined and long recognized subset of Chief’s Guns which
were enhanced with finer mountings, embellished with
engravings, and most noticeably, fitted with a silver
medallion on the top of the wrist featuring a native
warrior in high relief. These guns were the top of the
line within the field of trade guns and were intended,
as the name implies, for presentations or gifts to the
tribal leaders in order to curry their favor and cement
alliances. Certainly the British recognized the value
of making these presentations, and although Chiefs guns
were limited in production and likewise survive in
smaller numbers today, they represented an important
element in the arena of trade and diplomacy in the New
World.
These Chief’s grade trade guns are examined in detail in
The Encyclopedia of Trade Guns, Volume 1 – Firearms
of the Fur Trade written by James Hanson and
published by the Museum of the Fur Trade, and I am
grateful to the author for providing many of the details
and historical context quoted in this description. If
your interest lies in the firearms of the Indian trade
in North America, this volume is a “must have.”
This Chief’s Gun was manufactured by Thomas Hampton
(active as early as 1807 – died in 1824). Hampton
supplied a total of 1,135 guns under contract to the
British Board of Ordnance during the years of 1813
through 1816 – specifically, during the course of the
War of 1812. Of Hampton’s total production, only 415 of
these Chief’s Trade Guns were manufactured by his firm.
The numbers of guns provided by the British government
to their North American Indian allies during the War of
1812 represented a considerable expense, especially
since the Board of Ordnance did so in addition to their
responsibility to maintain current arming requirements
of the standing army. Indian Department agent John
Askins at Michilimackinac wrote to his superior in 1813,
“The quantity of guns required [to supply the
Indians] tho great, appears to me to be insufficient
to meet the demands. It is well known that the
Indians….always have the guns of their deceased Relation
deposited in their graves which deprives the rising
generations from benefiting….and Indians don’t by any
means take that care of firearms which the whites do to
preserve them….”
Well used, and no doubt a survivor of use on the
frontier, this Chief’s Gun shows evidence of having
witnessed many years of history. As will be described
in detail below, the stock was fractured at the wrist
and subsequently repaired, and the fore end was reduced
from its original full stock profile to that of a half
stock – perhaps at the same time as the repair was
executed due to being damaged or broken away from the
barrel in the same incident which fractured the wrist –
but also a common modification to reduce the overall
weight of the gun.
The repairs executed on this early trade gun are
consistent with the manner in which damaged guns were
repaired during the 19TH Century and
certainly well within the capability of not only
European gunsmiths along the frontier, but Native
American gunsmiths as well. As history records, during
the King Philip’s War of 1675-1676, the English killed
an Indian blacksmith and destroyed two Indian forges on
the Connecticut River, complete with materials and
tools, indicating the Indians were equipped and had the
skills necessary to repair firearms. As early as 1780,
missionary David Zeisberger reported that the Delaware
people had “acquired considerable skill in making
repairs…. Some have even learned to furnish them with
stocks, neatly and well made.”
Somewhat surprisingly, governments were also advocates
of providing European gunsmiths to the tribes. The
French provided gunsmiths to the Iroquois, no doubt to
further the competition with the British for alliances
with the tribes. The American colonists were not to be
left out, as in 1750 Benjamin Franklin wrote,
“…everyone must approve the proposal of encouraging a
number of…smiths to reside among the Indians. They
would doubtless be of great service. The whole
subsistence of the Indians depends on keeping their guns
in order…..A smith is more likely to influence them than
a Jesuit.”
Native gun smithing skills continued to expand through
the 19TH Century and many surviving examples
of the firearms carried by the Indians exhibit heavy use
and very effective repairs and modifications which were
necessary to keep them functioning and in use. To a
significant portion of the collecting world who actively
seek these trade guns, such repairs are viewed as a
desirable feature which adds considerably to the value.
The ability of native gunsmiths to effect repairs, and
the availability of European gunsmiths to the Indians,
is particularly specific to this Chief’s Gun. At some
point, the wrist of the stock was broken, a common
casualty due to the reduced diameter of the stock
profile in this area and all of the inletting necessary
to mount the lock, barrel and trigger assembly. The
impact which caused the break must have been substantial
as the trigger guard was also severed along the same
line of the break in the stock. A very well executed
repair was applied, with the stock rejoined so that it
was very solid structurally with no looseness or
movement due to the repair. The joint was further
supported with the application of two sheets of metal,
one nailed to each side of the wrist with small nails
around the perimeter. The metal sheets were cut in such
a way as to not cover the decorative oval plate on the
top of the wrist nor the tang of the trigger guard. The
metal sheets have a nicely aged gray color, but they are
not made of a ferrous metal such as iron or tin, and
they are too hard to have been made of lead. The color
precludes them having been made of brass. I suspect
they were fashioned from thin sheets of pewter which
would account for their color, and certainly pewter was
common enough on the 19TH Century frontier in
the form of table ware, serving pieces and other
household furnishings. To complete the repair, the
trigger guard tang was silver soldered to repair the
break. As noted above, the repairs are very solid,
allowing no movement in the stock, and it presents as a
classic style of repair executed during the period.
The most readily identifiable feature of a Chief’s Gun
supplied by the British is the silver oval plate which
is inlet into the top of the wrist. Featuring an Indian
warrior looking over his right shoulder and armed with
bow and quiver of arrows, the plate was cast in high
relief. The plate is full form with no misshaping or
damage and all of the details remain legible.
This Chief’s Gun is maker stamped “HAMPTON” forward of
the hammer on the lock plate. The lock plate is also
stamped forward of the maker’s stamp with the British
Board of Ordnance crown and broad arrow acceptance
stamp.
The tail of the lock plate is
engraved with the correct boar’s head within a curled
hunting horn.
This gun was originally manufactured as a flintlock, and
as was the case with so many of these guns, at some
point in the period of its use it was converted to
percussion. The frizzen and pan were removed from the
original lock plate which was retained, the flintlock
hammer was replaced with a percussion hammer, and a drum
and nipple was installed on the right side of the
barrel. The conversion was well executed and likely the
work of a skilled gunsmith, were he European or Indian.
The lock functions properly with a notably strong hammer
cock, and a smooth trigger pull.
The half round, half octagon barrel, measuring the
original 36 ¾” in length, is stamped on the top flat
“LONDON” and with the Fox-in-the-circle mark used by the
British Board of Ordnance beginning in approximately
1798. The left flat of the barrel is stamped with the
three correct government proof marks and all three are
still legible. The barrel features the two sets of
“wedding band” rings where the barrel transitions from
octagon to round. The barrel is mounted with an inlaid
silver front sight, shaped like an “X”, referred to at
the time of manufacture and trade as a “spider sight”.
The full form side plate is engraved with the correct
trophy of arms consisting of a shield over a crossed bow
and arrow. The plate is attached with the two lock
screws and a third wood screw anchoring the tail of the
plate, in accordance with the established pattern. The
stock is stamped immediately above the side plate with
the initials “J.S.H.” just to the right of the upper
lock screw head, an acceptance stamp applied during the
inspection process by a Board of Ordnance inspector.
The trigger guard is full form in spite of the tang
having been broken. Both the front and rear tang finals
retain all of their form and detailed engraving, and the
face of the trigger bow is engraved with the same trophy
of arms consisting of a shield over a crossed bow and
arrow that is engraved on the side plate.
The butt plate is full form and solidly attached. The
tang is engraved with the proper boar’s head within a
curled hunting horn.
The three beaded ramrod pipes are all present, the front
two pipes having survived the shortening of the fore
stock. These two pipes were remounted to the underside
of the barrel with solder joints, albeit somewhat
crudely executed. Not the prettiest application of
solder, but obviously effective to have survived the
passing years. There is a wooden ramrod present, and
while I doubt it is the original rod, it does show
evidence of age and use and probably is a period
replacement.
All of the brass furniture has a pleasing naturally aged
patina and all of the original engraving is fully
legible and easily viewed.
The stock, retaining a rich aged color, is in full form
save for the reduction of the forearm length and shows
very little wear in view of its age and obvious use.
The stock retains its original shape and form. Other
than the repair to the wrist, there are no other splits
or cracks. The stock is generally smooth, having a
naturally worn feel to it, with the edges softened
through years of handling. There are some naturally
occurring minor dings and marks from the long term use.
There is the “mirrored
script R’s” storekeepers’ stamp immediately behind the
rear tang of the trigger guard, a known inventory
control measure used during the war to monitor
distribution. This stamp does not appear on all of
these guns, so that it is present and remains legible is
an added value.
Despite obvious evidence of long and regular use on the
frontier, this Chief’s Grade Trade Gun has survived in
very good condition with a wonderful look and feel
attesting to the history it witnessed, and is a very
nice example of a very early 19TH Century
trade gun that rarely appears on the open market today.
(1008) $5750
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