The Black Tariff of 1842 - Brass Screws & German Silver Inlays?

[Loudy]

Those of you that have zero interest in longrifles made post 1810 may want to stop reading now.  Those of you that still get a kick out of the history represented by these later vintage "modern" longrifles may find this topic of interest.

Recent discussion threads over on the Gun Building forum got me wondering about when brass screws and German silver first started being used regularly by American gunsmiths.  Quick internet searches didn't turn up much regarding the subject.  However, I did find that imported brass screws and German silver sheet metal were both specifically listed as items subject to hefty 30% duties per the Tariff of 1842 (aka The Black Tariff). See pages 18 and 70 on this digitalized copy of this document (see link below):

http://books.google.com/books?id=RZ1VAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1&dq=tariff+1842&hl=en&sa=X&ei=6OmfUvOOMues2QXlwIGIAw&ved=0CEwQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=tariff%201842&f=false

Imported percussion caps were also subject to heavy taxation under this protectionist tariff.  Note: brass screws & German silver were not listed on the previous tariff of 1832.

Is anyone aware of dated or otherwise documented pre-1842 longrifles decorated with German silver inlays or furniture, or made with original brass wood screws?  I would be surprised to see these materials used on any guns made prior to 1820. 

Mark Loudenslager

[Tanselman]

You have raised an interesting question regarding the use of German silver, which I'd guess most collectors would like more information on. For a tariff to be put in place, there must have been a prior concern about that item, so German silver must have been coming into the US before the tariff date. I've seen a couple full-stocked rifles in original percussion with German silver inlays that appear to date to the late 1830s from Ohio and Indiana, but they could also have been a few years later.

The brass screws intrigue me. I have not seen what I think are original brass screws on a pre-1842 longrifle...maybe on a REALLY late gun. I think the metal might have been too soft and prone to twist off when used on very hard wood...so I wonder if the tariff was concerned about them being used on something other than guns in 1842???  Shelby Gallien

[T*O*F]

I have not seen what I think are original brass screws on a pre-1842 longrifle...maybe on a REALLY late gun. I think the metal might have been too soft and prone to twist off when used on very hard wood

The crux of your statement might be pointless (pun).  Prior to the invention of the self-tapping wood screw, they were installed with the aid of a gimlet.  Even if the wood were hard, a soft screw lubed with beeswax could still be installed.  They had the advantage that once installed, they could not be tightened deeper.  The self-tapping wood screw can also be used to date a gun, however I seem to recall the date being 1863 or thereabouts.  Many gunmakers round off the end of the screw for authenticity.  I seem to recall this discussion took place many years ago with Ron Paull  and Gary Brumfield providing much of the documentation.

Also, there is a definitive date when German silver became commercially available as an alloy here.  It did not occur until nickel deposits were discovered and commercially mined.

[Loudy]

Shelby,

Here is a Sam Loudenslager swivel-breech with a cast German silver capbox mounted with what appear to be original brass wood screws: 



I haven't taken any of them out to see if they are "self tapping" wood screws.  By the 1840's German silver sheet metal and castings were being used for all sorts of things.  It was commonly found on musical instruments, tableware, and things such as eye-glasses.  In my internet diggings I also found that German silver became quite popular with counterfeiters back in those days.     

I'm wondering if the tarnish & corrosion resistant properties of German silver was actually viewed as a performance advantage over coin or sterling silver by gunsmiths back in the mid to late 1800's.  Or was the use of German silver strictly a way to reduce cost?   

Mark

   

[Jim Kibler]

If you're going to put ANY 18th or 19th century screw in hard wood such as maple, you better have a pilot hole.  Whether you drill it or use a gimlet is immaterial.  The hold needs to be sized properly and would need to be on the bigger side for something such as brass.  Brass is CERTAINLY less forgiving, more prone to twist off and having the slot buggered, even with a pilot hole.  All things perfect it may work, but that's not the world we live in.  So it's not pointless.  

[Dphariss]

Perhaps the tariff was to PROTECT AMERICAN JOBS AND INDUSTRY. Or or to promote a domestic supply of  percussion caps perhaps?

Dan

[whitebear]

Perhaps the tariff was to PROTECT AMERICAN JOBS AND INDUSTRY. Or or to promote a domestic supply of  percussion caps perhaps?

Dan

Good thoughts Dan!

[Tanselman]

Mark,  Neat to see your rifle with brass screws in the cap box. Where do you date your rifle at...1840s? I chase the guns made in Kentucky and have never seen brass screws yet on a KY gun, although perhaps on later guns where German silver inlays used small screws might be a possibility. I have seen brass nails used on 1820s flint rifles in KY to attach patchbox side leaves and some inlays...but not brass screws. Neat discussion to learn more about an interesting aspect of materials used on these old rifles. Shelby

[Loudy]

Shelby,
Here is another closer shot of the capbox on my percussion Sam Loudenslager swivel-breech rifle. 



The screws used to secure the capbox are clearly made of brass.  I could not get a small magnet to stick to any of them.  The one in the finial head is made of iron.  Sam Loudenslager had a long and active career.  He made guns as his primary occupation from abt. 1830 thru 1880.  He died in 1891.  I'm guessing this rifle was made sometime about 1845-1855. 

The Black Tariff of 1842 was enacted to protect domestic manufacturers from lower cost imports... mostly from England.  The industry that stood to benefit the most from this particular tariff was the iron industry.  Imports into this county promptly fell by almost 50%.  However, important high value exports also suffered.  These were very shaky times for the fledgling US economy.  Within a few years most of the restrictive duties imposed by the protective Tariffs of 1842 had been rolled back.     

Mark   

[Dphariss]

Perhaps the tariff was to PROTECT AMERICAN JOBS AND INDUSTRY. Or or to promote a domestic supply of  percussion caps perhaps?

Dan

Good thoughts Dan!

The military was in the process of converting to percussion ignition so there was good reason to have a domestic supplier.
Why a tarrif on German Silver. No clue. But it was meant as a replacement for Silver in coinage when the Europeans were working to recreate the oriental look-a-like metal "Paktong" which the British at least were using for gun mountings in the mid-late 18th c. It just took well into the 19th c for the Germans to figure out how to make a metal that looked like it.

Dan