Early 1800's T. Ketland & Co. Trade Gun Converted to Percussion
Item #: AA3089
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This is a black powder trade gun from the early 1800's manufactured by Thomas Ketland & Company of Birmingham, England. The Ketland Company operated from Birmingham from 1760 until 1821, when the company went bankrupt. This old trade gun was originally flint, but has been converted to percussion. It measures 48 1/2" overall, with a barrel length of 33". The barrel is the typical fowling piece design, with the first 7 1/2" being octagon at the breech, with the remainder of the barrel being round. The smooth bore barrel gauges out at .59 caliber, or 20 gauge. There is no front or rear sight on the barrel. The barrel has an untouched brown patina and shows two Birmingham proofs marks on the left barrel flat at the breech end. I suspect the top of the barrel is marked as well, but an old rawhide patch covers the area typically stamped. The rawhide has been on this piece for a very long time, and is sewn together with sinew. The lock plate and hammer have a matching patina of the barrel. The lock is stamped just forward of the hammer in three lines, T/KETLAND/&Co. The lock still functions properly, although the main spring is a little weak. The ramrod thimbles, trigger guard and butt plate are all brass. This one has been together for a while, as all the brass has taken on a dark chocolate patina. The barrel keys look to be original to the gun. The stock is dark and shows considerable wear from heavy use. Both sides of the barrel channel show some wood loss that extends from the forward barrel retaining key to the muzzle. The left stock flat has a crack where the lock plate screw enters. The right stock comb has a few cracks and a chip of wood missing at the butt plate, but what do you expect from a 200+ year old gun! Each side of the stock comb has five brass tacks in the shape of a cross offset from each other. The wooden ramrod that came with the gun is a later replacement. Who knows how many ramrods this old smoke pole has gone through. This is a good representative of an untouched, early 1800's trade gun made by the Ketland's for export to America and Canada for the fur trade, and could have been used by trappers, mountain men or Native Americans. It makes a great addition to your early 1800's firearms collection.
Shipping Weight:
6 lbs
Item # AA3089
Your Price $2,150.00 USD
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