show pictures and who made

I have built lots of them; below is a NW Trade Gun (54 rifle because I have no need for a gun), and a Virginia .50 with a Curly Ash stock because soon there will be no more Ash trees.

That's some beautiful work!

Thanks.
One piece of trivia; the NW Trade guns had flat sheet metal butt plates nailed on with square nails (until the very late ones). Screws cost a tenth of a cent; too much for a gun that would only last one year in the field. Users were not big on maintenance. The trigger guards were big so the Indians could pull the triggers with two fingers, like they did with their bows. The Sea Serpent side plate, the Indians wanted to see on all their guns. And the Sitting Fox stamps were also used by more than one maker; the Indians like those too.

I have a real rifle that was built in 1840 ? in the Ohio region that has been passed down from generation to generation + we have used cameras since they have been invented to show the passing on of this to the next generation, oct. bbl. 45 cal. dbl. set triggers a piece of history. I still have the bullet moulds + flat horn powder flask. If interested p.M. your email + I can send you pics.

Always wondered about those trade gun trigger guards.

Design features of the Northwest Trade Gun were not random but carefully done to appeal to the customer and once set in the early 1700s, remained standard from maker to maker all the way until they got cartridge guns, which wasn't until 1900 or so. They did have to go to cap locks after about 1870 because no one was making flint locks any more and the makers told Hudson's Bay Company that they would have to convince the Indians to buy caps. Which they were resistant to do. They had to buy flints too but at least those would last more than one shot. Don't think the Indians made gun flints. They were imported by the millions.

Really beautiful work, Tom. I have long admired the Northwest Trade Guns. A favorite place to kill a day just drooling over originals is the Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron, NE.