Firearms of the Fur Trade book, a quick look

[rich pierce]

I just received "Firearms of the Fur Trade", volume one in The Encyclopedia of Trade Goods by James Hanson. It has 583 pages and is hardcover and available through the Museum of the Fur Trade at www.furtrade.org.  This is a terrific work.  Color photos are outstanding.  If you are interested in French or English trade guns from 1750 onward, this is an amazing resource.  There are some earlier pieces, Dutch guns, etc. but these of course are rare.  Perhaps the most amazing to me is that the author found original, "as new" 18th century trade guns in a Swedish museum that show what these guns looked like new.  They looked good.  I've just begun to delve into the book and I'm sure it will be a source of enjoyment and knowledge for decades.  The Northwest guns section is huge.

Hanson does not re-classify trade guns that Hamilton previously classified in an alphabet soup, but there are more color photos of each type than seen anywhere else and he summarizes features well.  Importantly, he does give the weights of the guns in the book and they are shockingly light, some around 5 and a half pounds with long barrels (48" for example).

[LynnC]

Hey Rich,

Sounds like a good book but I'm having trouble finding it on the fur trade site

Thanx,
Lynn

[Randy Hedden]

Me Too!

[LynnC]

OK, I emailed Rich and he told me its not listed on the website but if you visit the museum they will sell you a copy
Quite a drive for me

Seriously, he suggested we call or email and I will after Christmas

[rich pierce]

Great book, great breadth.  The color photos are well worth it alone.

[Jim Kibler]

Perhaps the most amazing to me is that the author found original, "as new" 18th century trade guns in a Swedish museum that show what these guns looked like new.  They looked good.  I've just begun to delve into the book and I'm sure it will be a source of enjoyment and knowledge for decades.  The Northwest guns section is huge.

Rich,

I don't have the book, but will add it to the list.  I am curious about the "as new" guns in the Swedish museum.  What type of guns are they?  How are they finished?  Is there certainty that these guns were not somewhat lightly used and then re-surfaced / refinished as seems to sometimes occur with some European museums and collectors?


Thanks,
Jim

[rich pierce]

Good question; not sure, but a French type "C" on page 82 was "purchased new at the factory, (etc etc) and in storage since that time in Sweden."  Similar legends to the pictures of a Dutch trade musket (pre-1734), an English 'buccaneer" style musket for the African trade and other trade guns for the west Africa trade.  A few later unfired Belgian NW guns are shown as well.

The finish on the "new" French type C looks good/new.  It would not surprise me if there was some maintanence.

[Agent 006]

Firearms of the Fur Trade is selling for $135.00 plus $12.00 shipping.  If you belong to the Museum it's $120.00.  It will be part of an encyclopedia consisting of six or seven volumes.  I don't believe the other books are available yet but will focus on other aspects of the fur trade.  An email to the Museum will provide details and allow one to order and /or join.  It's an excellent organization with a fantastic collection of trade guns and other fur trade weaponry.
Jim

[Tony Clark]

Chadron, NE. is a ways off the beaten path for many folks but the collection of trade guns at the museum is probably the largest of its kind in the world. Many other fur trade related items of course but the firearm collection is one of a kind. James Hanson is an outstanding researcher as was his father Charles.

[JV Puleo]

We received a review copy at Man at Arms and were extremely impressed... it is a first rate job.

I haven't really looked at the guns mentioned above from the Swedish museum, but I see no reason to presuppose they are refinished. 18th century governments frequently collected examples of other countries products... just as governments do today. In a country like Sweden, which hasn't fought a war since the early 19th century and hasn't actually been over run in in anything like modern history, its not surprising that things like this survive. The US Military Commission to Europe in the 1850s brought back a shipload of current military issue items from every country they visited. They also distributed examples of American goods - so some of the very best examples of pre-CW small arms are in European collections.