Beschreibung:

.59 caliber. 36.75" pinned three-stage octagon to round barrel with baluster turned rings at the transitions. SN: NSN. Bright barrel, brass furniture, full-length walnut stock. Percussion alteration of a Chief's Grade Northwest Trade Rifle with the lock marked WILLETS and with a small {CROWN-Broad Arrow} Ordnance inspection mark, upper left angled breech flat with Board of Ordnance proofs, including a {CROWN/GR/Broad Arrow} and ordnance {Crossed Scepters}. Top flat marked LONDON and with the {Circle-Fox} of the North West Company. Wrist with Indian Chief motif oval German silver escutcheon plate. Flat brass two-screw side plate and brass triggerguard with simple engraved motifs. Wooden ramrod secured by three corrugated sheet brass pipes. Benjamin Willets worked in Birmingham circa 1766 to 1817 and regularly did work for the Board of Ordnance, including 192 muzzleloading rifles and 25 Ferguson Rifles that were delivered in 1776. Willets was one of sixteen contractors used by the Board of Ordnance to produce arms for the British Native American Allies during the War of 1812 and under that 1813 contract Willets delivered a total 1,194 long arms between 1813 and 1816. This is one of those guns. Overall a very nice example of a relatively scarce War of 1812 Board of Ordnance contract Chief's Grade North West Trade Gun. Condition: Very good. Barrel with a mostly smooth and lightly oxidized brownish gray patina and some lightly scattered pitting. Clear markings, mechanically functional, very good smooth bore is moderately oxidized with some pitting. Brass with a medium golden patina, stock with scattered bumps, dings and marks.