A silver wire English beauty!

[FlintRock Rob]

Paktong was the metal alloy from China. I can't find my old economic geology book, but I think they were using it over 2000 years ago. It is not listed as a mineral in any of my newer (up to date) mineralogy references.

We know today it's a copper-nickel-zinc alloy, but nickel wasn't even considered an element until the later part of the 1700's. Once it was figured out to be an alloy, it was being made in Germany by the early 1800's (obviously so they didn't have to buy it from China.) This is what we call German Silver. Not sure the exact percentages of each in Paktong, but some lists show a range for German Silver as: (45-70% Cu, 10-30% Ni, 10-45% Zn)

Tutenag and Paktong, by A. Bonnin, published at Oxford in 1924 (look at pages 107-110 in the online preview.)
http://books.google.com/books?id=xdVkzs6iI1YC&pg=PA109&lpg=PA109&dq=Tutenag+and+Paktong,+by+A.+Bonin&source=web&ots=pnh0zgA21i&sig=khFOeALPUjdh_pETZatvdCjcAAM&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA108,M1

and I think this is the book Zack is talking about…
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1851493247/sr=1-2/qid=1217835170/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1217835170&sr=1-2&seller=

[FlintRock Rob]

Zack,

That book looks very interesting, too bad it only seems to be available from the UK (and cost a penny or two!)

[FlintRock Rob]

Dick,

I really appreciate all the info you gave us on this unique gun, somehow it makes it even more beautiful  to know about your part in it's history

[Photog]

This is a stunning gun.
And, on a side note, as a complete novice, I have learned a lot from all the responses. Thanks for posting and to all who replied.

[J.D.]

This is a stunning gun.
And, on a side note, as a complete novice, I have learned a lot from all the responses. Thanks for posting and to all who replied.

You bet, that is beautiful piece.

Since I live in a longrifle black hole,  I do appreciate the postings of photos of well done antiques shared by the very generous collectors who are members of this forum.

I have learned more about architecture from studying these photos and reading Guy's descriptions of these wonderful old guns than from reading the threads on the gunbuilding forum. 

Many thanks,
J.D.

[flintman-tx]

W_O_W !!!

[Colonial Riflesmith]

Nice gun. There has been a long standing debate as to whether Pactong 'nickle silver' was used before the 1800's. I only found one other example of the use of silver on a Pre Rev War gun, and that was a 1720's Jaeger that migrated to the colonies with it's owner from Germany. Probibly Stearling silver. Another contributer found an example of a rev war fowler in Neumann's, Battle Weapons of the American Revolution. So this makes 3. I guess, though not that common, silver furniture on a 18th century LR would be accurate. Thanks for the pic's. 

[Mike Brooks]

Nice gun. There has been a long standing debate as to whether Pactong 'nickle silver' was used before the 1800's. I only found one other example of the use of silver on a Pre Rev War gun, and that was a 1720's Jaeger that migrated to the colonies with it's owner from Germany. Probibly Stearling silver. Another contributer found an example of a rev war fowler in Neumann's, Battle Weapons of the American Revolution. So this makes 3. I guess, though not that common, silver furniture on a 18th century LR would be accurate. Thanks for the pic's. 

Silver is very common on euro guns going clear back into the 1600's at least.

[G-Man]

As Mike pointed out, Silver mounts were used on lots of high end English sporting guns during the Georgian period.  My understanding is that silver mounts on London made guns were usually (not always) hall marked by the maker, who in turn might provide mounts to a number of gunmakers, hence the appearance of identical but rather ornate sideplates and guards on guns that came out of the shops of a number of different gunmakers.

Silver mounts on American longrifles are rare.  As I recall Kindig shows at least one but I can't remember the era - I think it was post 1800.  

I have seen references to Lt. Vincent Hobbs, a militia officer from southwestern Virginia, being presented with a "neat" silver mounted rifle in return for his tracking down and killing the famous half Cherokee/ half Scot Robert Benge in 1794 and putting an end to his raids into Virginia , Tennessee and Kentucky.  I sure wish that gun still existed today.  

Check out Gary Brumfield's silver mounted Virginia rifle in progress on his website - it's really cool.

Guy

[Eric Laird]

A truly beautiful and inspiring piece - thanks for sharing it with us! One of the other things that I find intriguing about it is that it looks like it has actually been used! Enough wear to lose some detail on relief, but well cared for and no abuse - it appears to me that this was not a museum piece acquired from the maker and then hung on the wall with umpteen others to impress the peerage and only taken down for a yearly wipedown. Again, thanks for sharing.
Eric

[Doug Cline]

Guy, I had been following Gary's Virginia rifle, but I haven't seen him update the progress for a while. Gary any chance of getting an update on your project?