fahnenschmied wrote:"[snip]I sometimes see references to trade guns being painted all colors of the rainbow, as found on the steamboat Arabia. They were not, just a red stain, as here, from an eyewitness: he later figures the stocks weren't pine but beech or something like it. "A couple clarifications here-1856 painted stock Arabia guns aside (colors supposed to include "red,
blue, yellow, black, green & white:) gun stocks in the 18th c period could be either painted or stained and varnished to achieve common colors.
Cuthbertson's system for the complete interior management and oeconomy of a Battalion of infantry
By Bennett Cuthbertson MDCCLXXVI [1776 edition]
* By going to some little expence, it will not be difficult to bring the stocks of the firelock to one uniform colour,
by staining them either black, red, or yellow; and then by laying on a varnish, to preserve them always in a glossy,
shining condition. p91Cheapo English trading guns in the 18th century like the ones Galton were turning out were usually stocked in beech or walnut
(see Richards, W. (1980). The Import of Firearms into West Africa in the Eighteenth Century. The Journal of African History, 21(1).)
sometimes these guns were indeed painted
(Stuart's letter to Knox Nov. 1778 PRO, Colonial Office Papers 5/80 Page 19)
"1000 Commom Trading Guns (
painted stocks)"
fahnenschmied wrote:[snip]"One mention from the 19th century about the 18th century, and it is not clear whether blue meant blue barrels or not. There are lots of references to natives liking or wanting blue barrels, lots of trade ledgers listing blue barrels - but no blue stocks."Blued stuff- plenty of refs around for blued barrels on 18thc trade guns in America.
“400 Indian Fusees London provd blue Barrels Walnut stocks polishd Locks Brass Furniture 16/320”
Inventory of Sundry Merchandise…, London 5 Sept 1770."
SWJP Vol VII, pg 885-888
Blue painted stocks quote is from a man who saw them first hand, I see no reason to doubt that some "painted stock" guns in Williamsburg Va in 1775 were painted blue as mentioned in the 1833 Pension application of Henry W. Nicholson (
http://revwarapps.org/r16768.pdf) in sworn testimony by Robert Greenhow.
"Given under my hand, at the Auditor's Office, Richmond, this
2nd day of November 1833
.
S/ Jas E. Heath, AUDITOR Virginia
:
City of Richmond,
To Wit
:
This day Robert Greenhow
an inhabitant of said City & in the seventy third year of his age–being by me duly sworn deposed
–That at the beginning of the Revolutionary War the youth of Williamsburg, among whom he was one, formed themselves into a military Corps and chose Henry Nicholson for their Captain. That on Dunmore's flight from Williamsburg–they repaired to the magazine and armed themselves with
the blue painted stock guns, kept for the purpose of distribution among the Indians –and equipped as the minute men and volunteers werein military garb, that is to say, with hunting shirts–Trousers–bucks tails [?]—cockades[?]and Liberty or Death appended to their breastsas their motto –That they could and did perform all the evolutions of the manual exercise, far [?]better than the Soldiers who were daily arriving from the adjacent counties."
We also have this primary quote from 1775 putting "indifferent" trading guns in the Magazine
Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia
1773-1776, Volume 13, Pages 223-4.
Tuesday, the 13th of June, 15 Geo. iii. 1775
"Your Committee farther Report, that before they proceeded to examine any Witnesses they waited on his Excellency, to request that he would be pleased to direct the Keeper of the Magazine to give them access thereto, and, having received the Keys three days after their first application, they immediately proceeded to inspect the Magazine, and found therein nineteen Halberts,
one hundred and fifty seven Trading Guns in pretty good order, but very indifferent in kind, "
