Francis Bannerman is really the father of the modern military surplus industry, and in many ways a father of gun collecting as we know it today. Before Bannerman, “gun collecting” was generally something for the wealthy and revolved around fancy and bespoke guns. It was not about have representative pieces of normal arms, it was about having the fancy and exclusive things. Bannerman changed that by offering all manner of ordinary surplus at affordable prices to anyone who was interested. In addition to complete guns and other equipment, Bannerman also dealt in huge numbers of bits and pieces, and sometimes assembled them into various odd hybrid guns for sale, which we still see occasionally today…
Sample Bannerman catalog (1903):
https://archive.org/details/francis-bannerman-military-goods-catalogue-1903/
Ian- You absolutely have to go to Bannerman’s Island. Pick a nice day, and take the tour. You have to get reservations for the boat, which leaves from the dock in Newburgh. Great trip, loaded with history going back to the Revolution. And standing on the island, they will point out the spot where the door to the magazine landed after the explosion. The bottom of the Hudson is probably loaded with unexploded ordnance, and dropping anchor is not advised. The top dummy rifle is called a “Quaker Musket”, because it can’t hurt anyone. A friend was renovating an old house, and asked me to find a musket to hang over the fireplace. I found one of those- exactly- for $100. 1863 Springfield lock on it. I did not know of the Bannerman source.
Not advised by whom? My maiden aunt advised I never go outdoors since all awful accidents occurred there. One imagines the Thames had a fair amount of unexploded ordinance after the then ‘late unpleasantness’. I don’t recall hearing tell of myriad maritime mishaps because of it.And the Hudson is even worse you say? Drop a boot overboard and detonate one of the blockbusters lining the bottom? Could be I lead a shelters life
What is the location and How to contact them?
Just south of Newburgh, New York. You get on the boat at the Newburgh dock.
https://bannermancastle.org/tours-events/bannerman-island-tour/
Yes!! Bring it on. I would love to hear the stories and see the catalogues etc.
“(…)Bannerman is really the father of the modern military surplus industry(…)”
Observe that start of that take place in 19th century i.e. where tempo of technical progress lead to fire-arms becoming obsolete much quicker than before that and thus many specimens being put for sale, before being totally worn.
I think this statement is a bit overblown. Bannerman was not the first to do the military surplus thing. I inherited, from my sod-buster ancestors, a “sporterized” Springfield 1861 design Civil War rifled-musket. The barrel and fore stock were shortened and the barrel was converted to smoothbore by reaming it out. The point was that the homesteaders could purchase one firearm that could be used for both solid ball and shot. These were sold in large numbers by various companies.
So Bannerman was not the first. But he does get credit for doing this on a mass scale and being in operation for a long period of time.
Actually, Bannerman converted large numbers of musket to that exact configuration and sold them via their own catalog and also wholesaled them to Sears Roebuck and other dealers.
Just to clarify Bannerman’s island is located just off the eastern shore of the Hudson river in the town of Cold Spring which is in Duthess county NY.Cornwall is located on the west side of the river south of Bannerman’s and is in Orange county NY.I grew up very close to there and used to camp out there in the ruins as teens back in the 70s
Great presentation on Bannerman!
I am sure when growing up that Val had very strange reactions in school on the days the students told what their fathers’ job were.
Most boys then would have been highly impressed. Prissy-fuss passy-fism was not yet indoctrinated into kids
Ian, I absolutely loved this video. I hope it is only the first of many exploring the history of Bannerman’s Island. It’s a fascinating place in the history of surplus arms. 13 years of my sons 26 year military career were spent at West Point, so I was able to view and visit Bannerman’s Island many times. Localy I used to visit Springfield Sporters in Penn Run, PA, and buy surplus stuff. Sadly, they are no longer in business. Surplus was so much fun back in its heyday.
~11:30
Eli Whitney died in 1825. I suppose the letter must have been from one of his descendents.
Eli Whitney Jr founded the Armory, and his son Eli Whitney III ran it after his death in 1925.
Progress they call it, in the early 90’s you’d find a weathered porn mag in a bush. “I don’t know why it was there.” But it was, and wasn’t it great. Crinkly pages (Weather, etc.) readers wives. Not progress, this progress.
Just saying – Unrelated “But a golden age” in away, all gone, forgotten, hee…
‘I confess there is no God but Schlock and Hugh Hefner was his prophet’? Seems to work for some featherless bipeds dunnit?
‘Vintage Porn Mag Found In Bushes: Proof of Vanished High Civilization in Lower Hudson River Valley, Scientists Say.’ Somehow I’m still more impressed by humble li’l St. Ruprechtskirche in dear old Wien’s twisty Gassen und crookedy cobbled Strassen. Must be a philistine Boomer thing I got going