E. Patterson O/U perc.

[keweenaw]

Simpson's Ltd. in Galesburg has a rather interesting late O/U precussion rifle for sale that has what looks to me like a caterpillar engraved on the patch box.  For a late rifle the patchbox is rather charming and quite well engraved.  Maybe Curt can tell us about E. Patterson.  Just in case anyone is interested.

http://www.simpsonltd.com/product_info.php?products_id=9464&osCsid=6cfda410bb1940fb2548c84e14eb1a28

Tom

[Tanselman]

The patchbox lide sure looks like it has one of those big green "tomato worms" crawing across the lid. Maybe the gun was made after all the small game animals were gone, so they used the big worms for target practice.... but them they couldn't call it a "squirrel rifle" any more, could they?   Shelby Gallien

[brokenflint]

I'm sorry guys this is a tomato gun, used for those old fashion 100 yard tobacco horn worm shoots.  Patch box must have been engraved for the winner 

Broke

[JTR]

If I had a bunch of money I'd buy it just for the patchbox!
It's got to be the Only caterpillar adorned patchbox around.
John

PS. I used to shoot those green horned caterpillars with my BB gun when I was a kid.

[Curt J]

Neat rifle, with a very unusual patchbox. I have two Pattersons in my Illinois books, but neither one seems to match. Billy Patterson was burned at the stake by the Wiinebago Indians, about thirty miles from where I live, in 1811. There was a J. A. Patterson, who was a farmer & gunsmith in Fairfield, Wayne County, circa 1865 - 1876. Vic Paul shows him in Grundy County, Missouri after that. Sellers mentions a percussion halfstock marked "E. Patterson", but has him as unlocated.