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SUBJECT: The NW Trade Gun Serpent Sideplate
Next are a number photos of “serpents” on different contract firearms, most are typical in shape, size and style. Note the direction of the “dragon’s” head and fins as well as how the size of the loop and screw holes change from one period in time to another.
After talking to several knowledgeable people on the subject, I was informed that many of the surviving arms found where missing brass butt plates, trigger guards and serpents. The Native Americans liked brass and would make other items out of the mentioned pieces rather than have it go to waste on the firearm. After hearing this I have found several old photos of Indians wearing serpents around their necks and butt plates tacked on chests. As well as trigger guards flattened straight and used to hold the side of a trunk together.
WHATELEY side plate by Charles E. Hanson, Jr.
For more material see "The Evolution of the Serpent Side plate" an article by Joel L. Shiner (Hamilton 66, 67), good descriptions and pictures of side plates recovered at several Forts and sites in North America.
The serpent side plates are very true to the design stated in the government orders or plans of the trade gun. You would think with the large number of contractors supplying arms the serpent would have had many different styles or faces. In Mr. Shiner’s article he shows early side plates recovered at Fort Frederica (1736-1743), the examples are of the flat casting, probably done in an open mold with very simple engraved lines and design, three holes for the lock and attaching screws. Later side plates from the Rock Turtle, Fort Prince, and Michilimackinac sites (1753-1760's) show the three attaching holes. As do older ones recovered, with a more rounded body and more detail in the castings seen in the later period arms. The heads of the serpents have clean details, as good as any seen on modern reproduction guns of today.
BARNETT side plate by Charles E. Hanson, Jr.
Blackfoot with breastplate of NW gun dragon side plates.
[Blackfoot Reserve, Alberta, Canada; circa-1889]
Notman Collection, McCord Museum, McGill University, Montreal, Ontario, Canada.
Some researchers like Hamilton and Hanson have written that many of the NW Guns have not survived, because the local Indians used as many of the pieces as possible from damaged guns for a variety of uses. Usually locks where used for spare parts, but brass was turned into a material for decoration as seen above with this gentleman’s breastplate (even today many of the surviving NW Guns are missing their serpent-dragon side plates and butt plates). Barrels were ideal for making pipe tomahawks and fleshing tools by traveling blacksmiths, only one’s imagination controlled the usage of the damaged trade musket.
WORKS CITED:
Photos gift to the author by Charles E. Hanson, Jr.
Hamilton, T. M. "Firearms on the Frontier: Guns at Fort Michilimackinac 1715-1781". MI: Trikraft Print 1976
Hamilton, T. M. "Early Trade Guns":1625 -1775. OK: Museum of the Great Plains.1968
Shiner, Joel L. "The Evolution of the Serpent Side plate" (Hamilton 66,67),
Hanson, Jr., Charles E., "Smoothbores on the Frontier" Book of Buckskininng IV. TX: Rebel Publishing,1994.
Hanson, Jr., Charles E., “The Northwest Gun”, Lincoln , NE : Nebraska State Historical Society,1955.
.
Next are a number photos of “serpents” on different contract firearms, most are typical in shape, size and style. Note the direction of the “dragon’s” head and fins as well as how the size of the loop and screw holes change from one period in time to another.
After talking to several knowledgeable people on the subject, I was informed that many of the surviving arms found where missing brass butt plates, trigger guards and serpents. The Native Americans liked brass and would make other items out of the mentioned pieces rather than have it go to waste on the firearm. After hearing this I have found several old photos of Indians wearing serpents around their necks and butt plates tacked on chests. As well as trigger guards flattened straight and used to hold the side of a trunk together.
WHATELEY side plate by Charles E. Hanson, Jr.
For more material see "The Evolution of the Serpent Side plate" an article by Joel L. Shiner (Hamilton 66, 67), good descriptions and pictures of side plates recovered at several Forts and sites in North America.
The serpent side plates are very true to the design stated in the government orders or plans of the trade gun. You would think with the large number of contractors supplying arms the serpent would have had many different styles or faces. In Mr. Shiner’s article he shows early side plates recovered at Fort Frederica (1736-1743), the examples are of the flat casting, probably done in an open mold with very simple engraved lines and design, three holes for the lock and attaching screws. Later side plates from the Rock Turtle, Fort Prince, and Michilimackinac sites (1753-1760's) show the three attaching holes. As do older ones recovered, with a more rounded body and more detail in the castings seen in the later period arms. The heads of the serpents have clean details, as good as any seen on modern reproduction guns of today.
BARNETT side plate by Charles E. Hanson, Jr.
Blackfoot with breastplate of NW gun dragon side plates.
[Blackfoot Reserve, Alberta, Canada; circa-1889]
Notman Collection, McCord Museum, McGill University, Montreal, Ontario, Canada.
Some researchers like Hamilton and Hanson have written that many of the NW Guns have not survived, because the local Indians used as many of the pieces as possible from damaged guns for a variety of uses. Usually locks where used for spare parts, but brass was turned into a material for decoration as seen above with this gentleman’s breastplate (even today many of the surviving NW Guns are missing their serpent-dragon side plates and butt plates). Barrels were ideal for making pipe tomahawks and fleshing tools by traveling blacksmiths, only one’s imagination controlled the usage of the damaged trade musket.
Early “Serpent” side plates:
• Queen Ann Dog lock 1707 (sometimes marked as a tradegun plate in collections).
Colonial (early side plate seen on tradeguns).
Early tradegun side plate.
HAMILTON NW GUN, c.1710-20.
Note the flatness of the side plate.
KETLAND NW GUN, c.1715.
Note the flatness of the side plate.
KETLAND NW GUN, c.1718-22.
Note the flatness and lack of detail on side plate.
GRICE NW GUN, c.1775.
Note the flatness of the side plate.
Later “Serpents” sideplates:
RICHARD WILSON NW GUN, c.1790-1800.
Note the more details with scales, turned head and fins.
ROBERT WHEELER NW GUN, c.1800-10.
Note the more details with scales, turned head and fins.
WHATELY NW GUN, c.1810.
“Tecumseh Gun”
Note details with scales, turned head and fins.
ROBERT PRITCHETT NW GUN, c.1819
Note the more details with scales and smaller size of loops.
WHEELER NW GUN, c.1815-20.
Note details with scales and size of loops.
CH & S CO. NW GUN, c.1830-10.
Note details with size of loop.
BELGIAN NW GUN, c.1854.
Note details with size of loop.
• Queen Ann Dog lock 1707 (sometimes marked as a tradegun plate in collections).
Colonial (early side plate seen on tradeguns).
Early tradegun side plate.
HAMILTON NW GUN, c.1710-20.
Note the flatness of the side plate.
KETLAND NW GUN, c.1715.
Note the flatness of the side plate.
KETLAND NW GUN, c.1718-22.
Note the flatness and lack of detail on side plate.
GRICE NW GUN, c.1775.
Note the flatness of the side plate.
Later “Serpents” sideplates:
RICHARD WILSON NW GUN, c.1790-1800.
Note the more details with scales, turned head and fins.
ROBERT WHEELER NW GUN, c.1800-10.
Note the more details with scales, turned head and fins.
WHATELY NW GUN, c.1810.
“Tecumseh Gun”
Note details with scales, turned head and fins.
ROBERT PRITCHETT NW GUN, c.1819
Note the more details with scales and smaller size of loops.
WHEELER NW GUN, c.1815-20.
Note details with scales and size of loops.
CH & S CO. NW GUN, c.1830-10.
Note details with size of loop.
BELGIAN NW GUN, c.1854.
Note details with size of loop.
WORKS CITED:
Photos gift to the author by Charles E. Hanson, Jr.
Hamilton, T. M. "Firearms on the Frontier: Guns at Fort Michilimackinac 1715-1781". MI: Trikraft Print 1976
Hamilton, T. M. "Early Trade Guns":1625 -1775. OK: Museum of the Great Plains.1968
Shiner, Joel L. "The Evolution of the Serpent Side plate" (Hamilton 66,67),
Hanson, Jr., Charles E., "Smoothbores on the Frontier" Book of Buckskininng IV. TX: Rebel Publishing,1994.
Hanson, Jr., Charles E., “The Northwest Gun”, Lincoln , NE : Nebraska State Historical Society,1955.
.
