A LIST OF SOME OF THE BETTER-KNOWN MANUFACTURERS
AMERICA (In 1807, the Missouri Fur Company and a year later the American Fur Company appeared and along with them came the trade items and NW guns from Pennsylvania).
DUTCH (arms didn't last long, as trading was not what was expected with the cheaper Holland guns). Schuckard & Gebhard, importers of the Dutch, Belgian guns are seen but limited in numbers.
ENGLISH (traders appeared in the 1620's with guns, powder and shot for trade through the Hudson's Bay Company). Two Canadian trading companies labeled the gun “Hudson’s Bay Gun” and the “Mackinaw Gun”. Those being the Hudson’s Bay Company and the Mackinaw Company of Michilimackinac but still manufactured in England. The Southwest Company is another firm name seen from company records.
FRENCH (dates of 1680 to 1730 for the oldest types being introduced into the new world. Later on, the firm of Tulle was the gun of choice for French made guns).
SPANISH (arms had one firms name on the lock with another’s on the barrel, etc.)
A LIST OF SOME OF THE BETTER-KNOWN MANUFACTURERS
BARNETT BARNETT & SONS
BLAIR BOND
BRAIZER F. BRAIZER
BROOK BROOKS
CH & S CO. DALES
DAWES (same manufacturer DAWSE)
DERINGER DeHUFF
E & W BOND GEOTZ
GALTON GILL
GRICE KREPS
HAMPTON HOLLAND
HOLLIS HEYLIN
DICKERT HENRY & CO.
HEYLIN HENRY
HENRY & SON JONES
JOYNER KETLAND & CO.
KETLAND & ALLPORT KETLAND - WALKER & CO.
GHRISKEY LEMAN
LOWNDES MORRIS & GRICE
MOXHAM PARKER
PARKER FIELD & CO. ROLFE
R & R SUTHERLAND WHEELER
R. PRITCHETT R & W HOLLIS
SANDWELL & JOYNER SANDWELL
SARGANT & WILSON SHARPE
SPENSER & CO. SPIES & CLARK
SUTHERLAND SUTHERLAND & ANDERSON
TRYON & SON TRYON & CO.
TRYON, MERRICK & CO. TULLE
CHANCE WISE & CO.
W. GRICE WHATELEY
WHEELER & SON R & W WILSON & CO.
WILSON & CO. W. CHANCE & CO.
W. CHANCE SON & CO. WILLETS & HOLDEN
This is just to show a few of the firms involved in the manufacturing of the North West gun, some firms opened additional companies using family names. Several of the joint ventures were operating at the same time working on the same or different government contract.
For more detailed information on such activities contact The Museum of Fur Trade.
Some of the examples shown are guns available for viewing at: The Museum of the Fur Trade
Other examples are from private collections and are marked as such.
……. continued
Buck