Good ID Albatrosdva
Chief’s Gun FM:
McPheeters Antique Militaria
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