British Board of Ordnance Canadian Indian Chief's Presentation Rifle by Henry Tatham Inscribed to J Brant

Lot 27

About Seller

6270 Este Ave.
Cincinnati , OH 45232
United States

With offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver, Cowan’s holds over 40 auctions each year, with annual sales exceeding $16M. We reach buyers around the globe, and take pride in our reputation for integrity, customer service and great results. A full-service house, Cowan’s Auctions specializes in Am...Read more

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About Auction

Live

Arms and Armor Day 1: Live Auction

By Cowan's Auctions

May 6, 2020

Set Reminder 2020-05-06 10:00:00 2020-05-06 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Arms and Armor Day 1: Live Auction https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/cowans/arms-and-armor-day-1-live-auction-5055 Cowan’s is pleased to offer for its May 2020 Premier Auction an enviable collection of fine antique arms and military accessories. While the entire sale is indeed a showcase of rare and desirable items, several lots showcased in the May sale are of special interest to advanced collectors. Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com

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Lot Description

24 Bore (.58 caliber), 30.625" wedge-retained octagonal barrel, S/N 32. Browned and blued finish, figured walnut stock with checkered wrist and raised cheek rest. Flat beveled flint lock with rounded, fenced and bridled water proof pan, roller frizzen and flat beveled swan neck cock. Lock with sliding safety at rear, platinum lined touchhole. Lock with lightly engraved decorations and further engraved Tatham in script under the pan. Lock and barrel remain in original flint configuration. Barrel with {crown}{broad arrow} and {opposed broad arrows} markings and a silver plaque set into the top of the breech engraved J Brant in script, with platinum bands on either side. Stock with same {crown}{broad arrow} and {opposed broad arrows} markings forward of patchbox, as well as what appears to be the number 32. Large blued Baker rifle-style patchbox in obverse stock engraved with panoplies of arms and geometric borders. Triggerguard with extended scroll to the rear, bow engraved with panoplies of arms, with additional fine engraving at the scroll and rear of plate. An engraved pineapple finial is present at the front terminus. Buttplate engraved with panoplies of arms and foliage themes as well. Barrel wedges surrounded by German silver escutcheons, with an additional lozenge shaped escutcheon at the wrist. Three-leaf rear sight with 200- and 300-yard folding leaves, blade front sight, horn forend tip, two blued steel thimbles and an entry pipe secure a horn tipped wooden ramrod with a ball puller at the end.

Henry Tatham (1770-1835) was a London gunmaker initially working at Firth Street and moving to 37 Charing Cross ca1800, where the firm remained until 1833, where he also worked in partnership with Joseph Egg ca1801-1814. He was listed as Sword Cutler & Beltmaker-in-Ordinary to King George III in 1798 and Gunmaker to the Prince of Wales in 1799. (Blackmore) He is probably most famous for producing presentation rifles for the British Board of Ordnance in 1816 for distribution to Upper Canadian Indian Chiefs who were loyal to the British. Most of the extant examples of these scarce and important presentation rifles are in the museum of the Royal Armories at the Tower of London.

This example appears to be personalized to "J Brant" and while at first blush this would suggest the famous Mohawk chief Joseph Brant (1743-1807), that leader's death in 1807 exempts him from being the recipient of this ca1816 rifle. However, his son John Brant (1794-1832) was a supporter of the English and fought on behalf of the English at the battle of Queenston Heights and at other battles during the War of 1812, serving as a Lieutenant in the British Indian Department.

Brant was an important leader within the Mohawk tribe and Iroquois Nation and a hereditary sachem through his mother's lineage in the matriarchal Iroquoian society. In 1821, he traveled to Great Britain as a representative of his people, in an attempt to lobby the Crown regarding land rights for the native peoples in Canada. In 1830, Brant was the first Canadian Native to be elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada as a representative for Haldimand. However, he did not own enough land to be a member of the assembly under the law at that time and was removed from office the following year.

An important and historic presentation rifle to a famous Canadian Indian Chief. This is the type of gun that rarely comes to market and of which only a handful of examples exist outside of institutional collections.

Condition

Good to very good. Barrel cleaned to bright with some traces of brown underneath where it has been protected by the stock. Scattered minor surface oxidation and discoloration is present on the barrel. Markings on metal remain extremely clear and sharp. Lock in fine mechanical condition with some traces of niter blue on the hammer. Patchbox with some on of the bright blue remaining and crisp engraving. Bore fine, with deep 11-groove rifling with sharp edges, showing some scattered oxidation and light pitting. Missing the lower barrel wedge. Stock with old added varnish and a poorly executed repair to cracks running from the lower wedge escutcheon on the obverse to the barrel channel, with a piece of chipped wood reset along the barrel line at the top edge of the stock. A competent wood repairman could significantly improve the appearance of this damage. Otherwise the stock shows only scattered bumps, dings and mars.
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