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Forums10
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Apr 29th, 2024
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 890
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 890 |
An old studio pic of American hunters from the 1870's Anyone want to try identifying the guns they are holding? 
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,386 Likes: 1324
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,386 Likes: 1324 |
Can't identify them, but whoever built them sure didn't believe in "wasting" wood on a fore-end !
Looks like rubber boots on the far left. Wonder how far back they were made ?
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,999 Likes: 113
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,999 Likes: 113 |
Neat picture! Those boots on the L do look sort of like rubber.
Socialism is almost the worst.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,304 Likes: 222
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,304 Likes: 222 |
To me the clothing looks Continental, so the guns may be the same.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,758 Likes: 110
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,758 Likes: 110 |
I wonder with these types of photographs whether or not the subjects were just a bunch of 'city slickers' who dressed up in the clothing hired from the photographer and also hired the prop guns too. I suppose they could then take the pictures back to their wives as 'proof' that they really did go on a hunting trip and not some boozy do with the rest of the lads. Reminds me of the old Laurel & Hardy film where they went off to a meeting of the Sons of the Desert after giving their wives a false story. Lagopus.....
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,737
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,737 |
All 4 guns are Purdeys. Bests, of course.
How about their game - Marmots? Martens? Sable? Fox?
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,304 Likes: 222
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,304 Likes: 222 |
It appears all of the guns have a left side opening lever.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,211 Likes: 224
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,211 Likes: 224 |
They may be Americans, but all of the props are European. The assumption is that this is a staged studio picture or a real hunting picture taken in Europe. These could also be heads stuck through holes in a backdrop.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,966 Likes: 96
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,966 Likes: 96 |
Two back actions and a bar action visible. Looks as though all three are sidelevers. Not Jones underlevers. Sling on one. All three forends are wedge fastened. All appear to be in good condition. Fourth gun on right might use a top lever that raises up. These dudes definitely did not just walk in from a hunting trip. Animals appear to be pelts? Not many hints on origin but I'm gonna suggest Russia?
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,737
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,737 |
I would agree with you, Joe, on Russia being the country represented, or rather Russian America, that 19th century fur trading region whose capital was Kodiak, although that's technically late 18th - early 19th century. The capital changed to Sitka a little later. If I recall I think the trade with the Aleuts stretched further into the mid-19th century, but I think it was pretty much dead by the time this photograph was taken(?)
I'll take a gamble and say this photo was a set-up representing a way of life that was at its very end or dead completely.
I'd have to hit the books and verify the dates to be absolutely sure.
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