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Frontier Firearms from the Lifetime Collection of Larry Ness
|
- Sale 1987
Live
| Cincinnati
Jun 8 | 10:00 AM EDT
Live
| Cincinnati
Sale 1987
| Cincinnati
| Cincinnati
Estimate$1,500 – $2,500
.60 caliber. 40" pinned three-stage octagon to round barrel. SN: NSN. Oxidized metal, brass and iron furniture, full-length walnut stock. Percussion altered flint lock marked with the American Fur Company "{Tombstone/Fox}/IA" mark of John Jacob Astor forward of the hammer and marked in a two line arc at the tail "W. CHANCE/& SON". Barrel with drum bolster alteration to percussion and marked with post-1813 Birmingham proofs and "LONDON" on the top flat. Stock with the "{Circle-Fox}" logo on the obverse butt. Typical trade gun features including a 3-screw brass "serpent" side plate and an oversized iron triggerguard. Flat brass screwed buttplate, corrugated brass pipes secure a wood ramrod.
William Chance was a Birmingham merchant who was in business circa 1777-1780, with the firm then becoming Chance & Homer and eventually William Chance & Son circa 1812-1821. They apparently had contracts with the American Fur Company as their guns are often found with AFC markings. The business continued under William II, the son of William I and with the end of American Fur Company operations the son concentrated on providing firearms to St. Louis merchant Pierre Chouteau who then resold them to traders, trappers and emigrants heading west during the early days of American western expansion.
Good. Metal moderately oxidized with moderate pitting around the breech and bolster area. Mechanically functional, fair bore is dark and pitted. Stock very good with scattered bumps and dings, good definition at the raised carved aprons and some minor wood loss around the upper part of the lock area and at the various pin holes.
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Tim Carey
Associate Vice President, Head of Department, Arms, Armor and Militaria
