We have handled lots of original NW Trade Guns but have only seen a few with signs of paint and always questioned if it was added years later. I read about painted NW guns every once in a while. Look at the book by De Witt Bailey published in 1999, titled "British Board of Ordnance Small Arms Contractors 1689-1840."
TITLED: The Indian Fusils of 1710
"The next order for Indian gift fusils involved the same number, 400, and the same cost, 18/- each, but was divided amongst twenty five of the London contractors. (noted under names part 1) These guns again had 3' 10" barrels, but the stocks (wood unspecified but almost certainly beech) were to be 'painted and spotted according to pattern'.
This is the first mention of what came to be a common feature on Indian guns he quotes - the spotted stocks." Note: the words in the phrase 'painted and spotted according to pattern' are italicized in the book ?
I read years ago about trade guns with red painted stocks and that they cost more than standard. Jack Brooks has done some red stocks as I recall years ago, looked neat but how correct is that? Clay Smith has done different colors, don't know if that's correct or not?
TITLED: The Indian Fusils of 1710
"The next order for Indian gift fusils involved the same number, 400, and the same cost, 18/- each, but was divided amongst twenty five of the London contractors. (noted under names part 1) These guns again had 3' 10" barrels, but the stocks (wood unspecified but almost certainly beech) were to be 'painted and spotted according to pattern'.
This is the first mention of what came to be a common feature on Indian guns he quotes - the spotted stocks." Note: the words in the phrase 'painted and spotted according to pattern' are italicized in the book ?
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I read years ago about trade guns with red painted stocks and that they cost more than standard. Jack Brooks has done some red stocks as I recall years ago, looked neat but how correct is that? Clay Smith has done different colors, don't know if that's correct or not?
