AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: jruff5585 on October 16, 2022, 12:16:31 AM

Title: Pratt brothers Alvin and Henry. But Nathian is never talked about
Post by: jruff5585 on October 16, 2022, 12:16:31 AM

Alvin and Nathian partnered for a short time in Watertown Mass, 1812 and 1813 before Alvin moved on to Concord.
Has anyone else come across any of Nathians guns?

(https://i.ibb.co/rcMZNwp/IMG-0548.jpg) (https://ibb.co/z7bSD42)

(https://i.ibb.co/dPLJ6wc/IMG-0549.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0CFVZRX)

(https://i.ibb.co/dbBD0Cf/IMG-0550.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DG4QDc1)

(https://i.ibb.co/8BfBRw5/IMG-0551.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3sjs8bN)

(https://i.ibb.co/mSgDLwF/IMG-0552.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QXtb2Rj)

(https://i.ibb.co/0VqrH2k/IMG-0553.jpg) (https://ibb.co/R42cRb1)

(https://i.ibb.co/mv3cn99/IMG-0554.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Gsq5ZWW)

(https://i.ibb.co/q92BKL4/IMG-0555.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZKbd5Rw)
Title: Re: Pratt brothers Alvin and Henry. But Nathian is never talked about
Post by: smart dog on October 16, 2022, 01:18:49 AM
Hi,
Thank you for posting those.  They are so wonderfully different than most NE guns of that time.  What a nice bit of variation.  I am sorry, I cannot contribute to your information request but I appreciate you posting the guns.

dave
Title: Re: Pratt brothers Alvin and Henry. But Nathian is never talked about
Post by: RAT on October 16, 2022, 05:15:58 PM
Can we see more photos of the half stock rifle from the first photo?
Title: Re: Pratt brothers Alvin and Henry. But Nathian is never talked about
Post by: Jim Kibler on October 16, 2022, 06:46:42 PM
That fullstock is a fine gun for sure!  You can even see some traces of an oxide blue on the tang.
Title: Re: Pratt brothers Alvin and Henry. But Nathian is never talked about
Post by: jruff5585 on October 16, 2022, 09:40:08 PM
RAT, here you go.
(https://i.ibb.co/7NWDRNF/IMG-0557.jpg) (https://ibb.co/G32Dt3j)

(https://i.ibb.co/mSMGQBN/IMG-0558.jpg) (https://ibb.co/4J57Bf1)

(https://i.ibb.co/ws5B7XP/IMG-0559.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cL4kwHZ)

(https://i.ibb.co/C8Xyrw8/IMG-0560.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kBrTdGB)

(https://i.ibb.co/wCrdp9g/IMG-0556.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jGZ83cf)
Title: Re: Pratt brothers Alvin and Henry. But Nathian is never talked about
Post by: spgordon on October 16, 2022, 10:08:59 PM
Probably his name was "Nathaniel," I'd think?

The barrel signature seems to be Nathl, a standard abbreviation for Nathaniel.
Title: Re: Pratt brothers Alvin and Henry. But Nathian is never talked about
Post by: jruff5585 on October 16, 2022, 11:38:43 PM
You are correct, but it is hard to see the i looks like it's there so I assumed the a and n was worn. American Gunsmiths by Frank Sellers has him listed as Nathaniel brother of Alvan. please pardon my miss spelling, I'm dyslexic
Title: Re: Pratt brothers Alvin and Henry. But Nathian is never talked about
Post by: spgordon on October 17, 2022, 03:21:30 PM
Quote from: jruff5585 on October 16, 2022, 11:38:43 PM
You are correct, but it is hard to see the i looks like it's there so I assumed the a and n was worn. American Gunsmiths by Frank Sellers has him listed as Nathaniel brother of Alvan. please pardon my miss spelling, I'm dyslexic

There is a gap between the first name and the last--these gaps often puzzle me. In the "J GRAEFF" barrel being discussed on a different post (https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=73753.0), there's a big gap between the "J" and the last name but no writing at all seems to have once filled that gap. Not sure why makers signed barrels in this way.
Title: Re: Pratt brothers Alvin and Henry. But Nathian is never talked about
Post by: JV Puleo on October 22, 2022, 12:32:19 AM
I think it's a very nice rifle. I have examples by both Henry and Alvin but I'd never heard of Nathaniel. Both Henry and Alvin had very long working lives, perhaps Nathaniel didn't...or he may have worked with either of his brothers and thus we don't see his name anywhere near as much.

I also have one of those mystery NE rifles...signed "W. Allen". Presumably a relative of the better known Silas Allen but, as yet, I haven't seen any reference to him.