Trade Musket Side Plate Thing

[WawaDuane]

Today I found another piece of a trade musket side plate....this is the fourth piece I've found now. Apparently the natives used to tear the snake/dragon plate off the rifles as they felt they were evil, bad luck or some kind of demon thing. I've love to find a whole one but I don't think it will happen.



These are the others I have found.

 

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[DigIron2]

those are really neat

 

[vpnavy]

Great find! Thanks for sharing...

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

It's not whole; it's a fragment, but what a beautiful fragment! I'd love to recover such a find. I've been hoping for one of those for a long time.

Good Hunting

 

[Iron Patch]

I've seen a couple of complete ones posted... they're great relics. Hunting good non disturbed sites I'm sure is the way to get a whole one.

 

[l.cutler]

Great find! In studying to build a replica Northwest trade gun I have actually seen several photos of native Americans wearing the serpent sideplates around there necks as jewelry so I don't think they removed them because they were evil. More likely removed to repurpose them as decorations.

 

[WawaDuane]

I've also read that the natives used to "ritually sacrifice" the rifle when it had served its purpose and that's why the side plates are often destroyed. I'm not sure but I sure like finding them.

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

How about that ! that is very odd the natives would toss that relic ,
who would figure out that looks like an evil spirit .........

imo it's something that looks kool interesting thread,


thanks

dawg

 

[BuckleBoy]

That's one relic that's been on my list for years. Would love to find a complete one. Seems like most of them come from fur trade sites, and the upper northern and mid-northern U.S. and Canada.

Congrats,

Buck