Chicken thief gun

[J. A. EARLY]

The engraved scene fascinates me. I do not think he is a chicken thief. A chicken thief would not have a gun, would he?

In reading about George Washington and his plantations, illegal hunters were dealt with harshly, in accordance with English tradition whereby only those with permission to hunt the plantation were allowed to do so. Even the slaves were rewarded for catching illegal hunters, and they were told to respond to the sound of any shots heard on the four plantations.

You have a man with some type of fowl in hand, and I agree it does look like a chicken, but then you have a man with a whip closely approaching (under armed I would say). The picket fence does indicate a domestic scene though, and not in the wild. The dog has a collar, indicating domesticated and probably associated with the man and the whip.

Secondly, the man is a gentleman, with tall boots, wearing a coatee (I think the coatee tails in the air, but can't tell), and he has sideburns. I have no idea what is attached to the top tails of the coatee. Again, he has a weapon. I wish I knew what the engraver was relaying to the viewer or what the owner requested from Parker in this scene. Lost to time.

Perhaps a poacher?

[Dean Romig]

I think if we delve too deeply into what the engraver was attempting to portray some folks might be offended. Personally, to me, it is a "chicken thief" being chased by the plantation owner or overseer... nothing more - nothing less.






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[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

I think if we delve too deeply into what the engraver was attempting to portray some folks might be offended. Personally, to me, it is a "chicken thief" being chased by the plantation owner or overseer... nothing more - nothing less.






.

God forbid it was politically incorrect 👎🏻

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

I think if we delve too deeply into what the engraver was attempting to portray some folks might be offended. Personally, to me, it is a "chicken thief" being chased by the plantation owner or overseer... nothing more - nothing less.






.

Offended? How would that be? Do we have chicken thieves among our membership?

With the apparent wealth of the man being chased, who has a gun, I doubt he would have to resort to being a chicken thief given the abundance of game during the time period. Notice he is missing his hat, which is mandatory part of ones clothing that he has lost.

Fred is probably correct in that it is a powder flask.

My theory is the purchaser of this Parker had a memorial event in his life told in the panel done by the engraver. Perhaps he was a poacher or a professional hunter, or had mistakenly killed someone's chicken. You can bet he proudly showed the depicted event to all of his friends.

[Snap Cap]

Originally Posted by Jerry Harlow

I have no idea what is attached to the top tails of the coatee.

Perhaps a hanging powder flask or shot pouch on a sling or string?