This trade gun closely matches other identified "Chief's grade" guns given to various Indian allies by British agents around the War of 1812 and as late as the 1830s; they are sometimes also termed "war trade guns" and are also known to have been used by the Canadian militia. Note the similarities in design with the example on page 762 of "Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values, 9th Edition." Though generally categorized as trade guns, these weapons were used diplomatically rather than for commerce, and their design is based more closely on the English fowling guns of the same period rather than the Northwest Trade Guns. Higher end firearms were appropriate gifts when the British asked their native allies to take up arms against the Americans given the importance of gift giving in tribal alliances. The lock on this example has an obscured maker's mark. The three-stage barrel has "wedding bands" at the transitions, a silver "spider base" front sight, and a pair of Tower private proofs on the upper left flat at the breech. The trigger guard and side plate have the common bow and arrow engraving. The buttplate tang and lock have appropriate boar and horn designs. The stock has a silver medal thumb plate with a bust of an Indian armed with a bow and arrow.