Brass Escutcheon Thumbplate off an Indian Trade Flintlock

Description

This is a decorative brass escutcheon off what was probably an American Indian fur trade era flintlock, possibly even a pistol, which would have been inlaid into the wooden stock of the weapon right about where the thumb would be placed when firing. These are sometimes called thumb plates. This particular one was found by Robert Bennett at an Ottawa village site along the coastline of Michigan. So far I’ve been unable to identify the particular type of trade gun this came from, but I’m still looking. From the small size, I think it’s possible it was on a pistol.