Family heirloom research
 

I am researching a couple family heirlooms. They are not mine but could be in the future so I wanted to know more than just that they were my great great uncles guns. The first is a flintlock rifle that has some bird and dogs engraved. Also has "T. Bailey New Orleans" on it. I have found zero relevant links on any internet searches for any combination of "T. Bailey New Orleans Flintlock Rifle"

I don't know much about black powder rifles so any info is appreciated.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...ps5u72f8j7.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...psfqoi93hh.jpg

The other I will post up later when I get home and can cut and paste it from Colt forum.

That's beautiful.

Wish I could help......

sorry no help but that is really cool!

are you sure it's a Flintlock? hard to tell from the pictures but it looks like it uses percussion caps not flint.

I did a quick search for info but, nothing. I did find a Thomas Bailey from New Orleans in the 1800's tho, he was a writer and did not mention anything about a rifle.

good work Caleb, could be T. Bailey was the owner of the rifle and not the maker.

Gatorade, are there any other proof marks?

Almost looks as if it could be P Bailey... just my 2 cents.

However, I did find this after a Google search....

http://www.damonmills.com/Sold-37.htm

Zane, I don't have access to it but I will ask if hey can send another picture of the mechanism.

Wow! First time I have seen T. Bailey mentioned! Thomas Bailey an English gunsmith from New Orleans. The author says the pistol he evaluated was possibly from the 1830's.

This is a great lead! Thanks for the info!

Check this one out:

http://americansocietyofarmscollecto...41_Sellers.pdf

It lists Thomas Bailey as a gunsmith working in New Orleans from 1853 -1861 and again from 1879 - 1884.

Bailey is listed here as well, with an address (for his shop?): http://www.earmi.it/USA%20Gunmakers/B.html

Dang, this is getting interesting - really enjoy seeing this kind of info, etc. :cool:

From another Damon Mills listing:

"Thomas Bailey was active in New Orleans from the early 1850's until 1863. After New Orleans fell to the North during the Civil War, he immigrated to England and never returned. I guess he gave up on America and left, like some of us might like to do now."

I also found a historical listing of gunsmiths in New Orleans. They list Thomas Bailey as active from 1853-1861 and 1879-1884 and noted he was in London in between.

So I have a pretty good idea of where and who made it and a possible 30 year period it could have been made in.


Edit- LittleGator looks like we were on the same pages this morning! I saw that listing with the address as well. I will try to research the address. It would be interesting to know what is there now and if the building still exists.

Not to side track the research / info side of the thread but, from those couple of pics that piece looks to be in very nice shape, would love to see some additional detail pics of it when/if possible .... very cool indeed !! ;)

160 Chartres, New Orleans, La Is the address listed. Looks like it was just off Canal street. It also looks like it is now a parking garage possibly for a hotel. However the garage is a cross the street from a jazz club that looks exactly how I was picturing architecture from the era.

Found another reference to Thomas Bailey (apparently residing at the time (1871) in Birmingham, County of Warwick, England). The entry deals with his patent No.: 1789. It reads:

THOMAS BAILEY of Birmingham in the County of Warwich, Gun Maker. No. 1789, July 8, 1871. Nine pages of specifications and two sheets of drawings of an underlever, hammerless single shot rifle with straight chamber.

Found it here: http://www.armorypub.com/images/catalogs/catalogs.htm

Love a good mystery. Interesting stuff!