
Arms, Armor and Militaria
Arms, Armor and Militaria
See Special Terms for additional fees
Description
Jacob Snider Fullstock Pennsylvania Rifle with Golcher Lock
Lot # 51 (Sale Order: 51 of 262)
.41" caliber. 41.5" barrel length. SN: NSN. Browned metal finish with brass triggerguard and brass buttplate, as well as German silver stock fittings and embellishments to curly Maple stock. Single-shot percussion fullstock rifle with fixed rear notch and German Silver front blade sights. Lockplate is signed JOSH GOLCHER in Serif text within double line border engraving with floral scrollwork to forward and rear ends of lockplate. Escutcheon to wrist engraved with the initials J.G.B. with teardrop shaped German Silver embellishments to both sides of the wrist, eight S-shaped plates the barrel with the counterpane and lockplate buttressed by crescent shaped decorative plates tacked in place. Barrel is engraved with the J{star}S initials of Jacob Snider, who primarily used commercially made locks and was noted for the extensive embellishment applied to his creations. Cheek rest to left stock mounts a punch-dot and engraved escutcheon depicting the {Bald Eagle clutching arrows and shield} in primitive style above triple plates, and an arrow shaped plate along the left edge of the toe. All features mentioned are common to pieces produced by Jacob Snider. Brass serpentine is lightly engraved sigmoid with similar motif to brass patchbox. Replaced ramrod.
Jacob Snider was the brother of gunsmith Tobias Snider, and a known Bedford County, Pennsylvania gunsmith active between 1842 and 1875. Born on October 6, 1821, Jacob Snider entered into an apprenticeship with gunsmith George Fay in 1842, following his elder brother Tobias into the trade. Jacob and Tobias continued in the gun trade in Bedford until 1860, when Jacob moved to Colorado to make his fortune investing in banks and silver mining in the region of Georgetown, Colorado. These ventures eventually made Jacob a very rich man, with his estimated wealth numbering in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yet his interests were not without challenges. As was common in the period, Snider's land claims were contested by his neighbor, Bishop, with both men attempting to settle their claims in court. Snider won the case, but the aftermath ended tragically. On May 20, 1875, after a verbal altercation with Bishop that soon involved a crowd, Snider mounted his horse and attempted to flee for home only to be ambushed and murdered by while dismounting. Tobias Snider collected his brother's body, and brought him back to Bedford County, Pennsylvania to be buried with his family. His grave still stands in St. Luke's Cemetery, resting beside his brother.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Very Good. Bore is Dark with strong rifling. Metal finish with flaking varnish over barrel, scattered nicks to edges, and pitting to breech at cone. Hammer and upper lockplate pitted with signature partly obscured. Tarnish to all German Silver and Brass pieces with crisp details. Stock with sanded edges and crack to right forend near lock, and along left forend above stock pins. Forward stock pin missing. Action partly functional with weak lockup and spring.
Half Stock Percussion Fowler by Manton & Co.
Lot # 52 (Sale Order: 52 of 262)
About .64 bore diameter. 35" two stage octagonal to round barrel. SN: NSN. Browned metal finish with brass stock fixtures. Walnut stock has checkering to straight grip and forearm, along with a German silver forend cap. Percussion fowler with a brass bead front sight. Markings include MANTON to lockplate along with simple floral scroll. Barrel has maker's mark WR (possibly W.R. Wallis) surrounded by two post-1813 Birmingham proofs including {crown/crossed scepters BPR} and {crown/crossed scepters V} to left of Nock's form. Top of barrel is marked LONDON. Engravings include simple foliate scroll to lock, triggerguard, upper tang, and heel of buttplate. Barrel has two silver or pewter inlays to Nock's form. Included with item is a wood ramrod.
This item is likely a Manton & Co. production from around 1847-1878 when the company was under the ownership of W.R. Wallis. According to Experts on Guns & Shooting by G.T. Teasedale-Buckell, Joseph Manton sent his son Frederick to Calcutta around 1820 to establish a branch of Joseph Manton guns in India. The branch became known as Manton & Sons and opened in 1825 (Not to be confused with Manton & Sons of London owned by Joseph's brother John Manton). Known for producing high quality sport guns and dueling pistols, Joseph Manton went bankrupt around 1826 and was sent to debt jail in 1829. Manton & Sons was then managed by his sons Frederick, John Augustus (also went to debt jail around 1836), and Edward until about 1846 or 1847 when the business was bought by W.R. Wallis. Without Joseph Manton closely involved, production quality diminished and the name was later changed to Manton & Co. at some point during the end of the Manton's ownership and start of Wallis' ownership. Wallis ran the business until he retired from India around 1878 and handed the company down to his descendants.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Fair to good. Bore is dark. Finish has thinned areas scattered to barrel, with darkened appearance due to pitting and patination. Wood stock is in good condition with some scattered scratches and mars overall. Wood to metal fit has very slight gapping to some components, stock possibly refurbished at some point. Action is functional.
Tack Decorated Percussion Altered Northwest Chief's Grade Trade Gun by Ketland
Lot # 53 (Sale Order: 53 of 262)
Fur Trade Period
About .52 bore diameter. 32" two stage octagonal to round barrel. SN: NSN. Browned metal finish to barrel and lock, with brass stock fixtures and brass tacks to grip. Walnut stock has cow's hoof style butt and full length forearm. Percussion action appears to have been converted from flintlock at some point, possibly shortened. Barrel is marked with several pre-1813 Birmingham proof marks including two {crown/intertwined GP} marks surrounding a WK mark to left side of barrel. Most Ketland trade gun examples have been seen with "TK" maker's marks for Thomas Ketland, therefore "WK" could possibly be the maker's mark of William Ketland. Top of barrel is marked LONDON followed by a seated fox within circle marking. Sources indicate that the fox within a circle marking was changed to a fox in tombstone following the Northwest-Hudson Bay Co. merger around 1821. Lockplate is obscured by pitting, but appears to be marked KETLAND to center. There is also an engraving of a hog with tusks within a hunting horn to tail of lock. Stock fixtures include several characteristics typically seen on Ketland Chief's guns examples including: three brass tacks to both sides of wrist, brass neoclassical vignette fixture to top of wrist, brass buttplate and sideplate, and brass ramrod guides. Buttplate and sideplate are engraved with simple neoclassical motifs and simple scroll. Includes wood ramrod.
Known as an early English manufacturer and merchant of locks for North American trade guns, the Ketland company was established in Birmingham and is believed to have been active from the last decade of the 18th century up through the 1820's. Seeing opportunity in the newly formed American frontier, Thomas Ketland opened an office in Philadelphia around 1789. The company was run by Thomas Ketland Sr., his brother William (little known information), and his sons John and Thomas Jr. It is believed that Thomas Sr. returned to England after only a few years, but Thomas Jr. continued to operate in Philadelphia until about 1815 when he returned to England following Thomas Sr.'s death. Information was gathered from Vol. 1 of Great Gunmakers for the Early West by James D. Gordon.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Poor to fair. Bore is dark. Finish has darkened overall to barrel, lock, and brass fixtures. Barrel and lock both have heavy pitting and patination overall. Wood stock shows losses near muzzle and around lockplate. Corrosion around touch hole bolster. There are hairline stress cracks around lockplate and wrist, as well as to heel of buttplate. There is a moderate to heavy crack on bottom of stock extending from triggerguard. Action is non-functional, appears hammer is loose and has no spring tension.
A 19th Century Percussion Altered Trade Fusil
Lot # 54 (Sale Order: 54 of 262)
Fur Trade Period
About .68 bore diameter. 44.5" octagonal to round barrel. SN: NSN. Browned metal finish to barrel and lock, with brass stock fixtures. Full walnut stock has cow's hoof style buttstock with slight Roman curve to it. Percussion altered action converted from flintlock at some point, with low profile blade front sight. Stock features brass fixtures around lock screws, cleaning rod guides, and buttplate. Lock features a flat high spur hammer and is marked with a manufacturer name. However, name is obscured due to pitting and wear, only the first character W and last two characters CE are legible. Barrel appears to be marked with simple scroll to octagonal portion in front of breech plug. Barrel also appears to have obscured marks that read ENA or something incomplete/similar on left side of octagonal portion. Included with item is a wood ramrod that does not appear original, possibly contemporary addition with "applied age".
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Poor to fair. Bore is dark. Barrel has two blowouts, one to mid-barrel on left side and another near muzzle on right side. Finish has heavy pitting and oxidation overall. Wood stock is missing several stock nails and has scratching and mars overall. There is a Brass fixtures have dark mottled appearance. Action is functional.
Reconverted Chief's Grade Flintlock Trade Gun
Lot # 55 (Sale Order: 55 of 262)
Fur Trade Period
.45 caliber. 38" pinned round barrel. SN: NSN. Browned finish, brass furniture, walnut stock. Single shot, reconverted flintlock muzzleloading trade gun. Commercial lock marked with illegible maker's mark and WARRANTED. Barrel with post-1813 Birmingham proofs. Brass furniture includes a lightly engraved open work two-screw side plate, lightly engraved buttplate tang, lightly engraved triggeguard bow with pineapple finials. Forend restored with nose cap and upper pipe replaced. Includes a contemporary steel ramrod.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Good as restored. Metal moderately oxidized with a plum brown patina and minute traces of what appears to be old brown. Metal with some pitting, particularly at the breech. Reconverted flint lock functional, bore heavily oxidized, dark, dirty and pitted. Brass with a golden patina. Stock with wear, the forend restored forward of the middle pipe and with numerous bumps, dings and mars.
Reconverted Flintlock Tack Decorated Trade Gun
Lot # 56 (Sale Order: 56 of 262)
Fur Trade Period
.66 caliber. 35.25" pinned round barrel. SN: NSN. Bright finish, brass furniture, European hardwood stock. Single shot muzzleloading reconverted flint trade musket. Reconverted English commercial lock is marked WARRANTED below the pan. All external flint parts are replaced. No external proof marks. Brass buttplate, triggerguard, nose cap, and ramrod pipes, as well as two crudely inlet lock screw escutcheons. Gun appears to be a late 19th century trade gun that was decorated with brass tacks in the form of a Native American used gun, but the square shank brass tacks appear to have been added sometime in the last 40 to 50 years rather than being contemporary to the period of use of the gun. Lock may be a replacement as it fits poorly in the mortise and extra wood has been relieved in the mortise to allow the lock to fit flush. Includes a wooden ramrod of more recent vintage. A neat looking gun with the appearance of an "Indian trade gun" without the associated price.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Good. Metal moderately oxidized with some pitting and scattered surface roughness. Reconverted to flint. Lock mechanically functional, bore fair, heavily oxidized and pitted. Stock moderately worn with a repair at the upper rear of the lock mortise, scattered bumps, dings and aura and a couple of smaller grain cracks.
Composite Tack Decorated Flintlock Trade Pistol Marked "H.J. Meunier"
Lot # 57 (Sale Order: 57 of 262)
Fur Trade Period
.70 caliber. 11.5" pinned octagon to round barrel with tapering top flat. SN: NSN. Bright finish, brass furniture, hardwood stock. Single shot muzzleloading flintlock pistol. Flat faceted and stepped flint lock is marked H J MEUNIER forward of the replaced rounded swan neck cock. Lock with a faceted bridled and fenced integral iron pan. Interior of lock with maker's mark GDB, that of the Belgian lock maker. Barrel with typical Low Country style blade front sight. Pistol is crudely restocked with crudely installed brass furniture, oversized steel pins securing the barrel and added brass tacks for decoration. H.J. Meunier was a gunsmith working in Liege, Belgium during the 3rd quarter of the 18th century and the barrel and lock definitely have the general appearance of Low Country gun parts from that period. The stocking and furniture is much later than the period of the lock and barrel. The lock has a replaced, incorrect cock and a replaced frizzen and is secured to the stock by two modern machines screws. Despite the replaced parts the lock appears to be in an original flint configuration with the apparently original pan. The crude stocking could be non-professional work from the 19th century or could be more recent than that, although the stock shows some real age and use. The decorative tacks have a rich, uncleaned patina and have square brass shanks.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Good. Bore is poor, dark, dirty, oxidized and pitted. Barrel with a mottled brown and gray patina, moderate oxidation and moderately pitted. Lock essentially functional, but the cock is very loose and ill fitting on the tumbler, the modern hammer screw does not fit appropriately and the entire lock is spongy and feels weak. Brass with a golden patina. Wood with moderate wear, most parts ill fitting and showing little skill in the stocking of the pistol. Wood with numerous scattered bumps, dings, mars and some grain cracks.
Extremely Rare G.V. Brecht St. Louis Air Gun
Lot # 58 (Sale Order: 58 of 262)
Western Expansion
.34 caliber. 22" octagon to round barrel. SN: 24. Bright finish, brass furniture, German silver decorations, walnut stock with raised cheek rest and smooth semi-Schnabel forend. Single shot breechloading tip down barrel smoothbore spring piston air rifle. Top barrel flat marked G.V. BRECHT ST. LOUIS 24. Round metal receiver serves as an air reservoir that stores air compressed by the 10" long brass lever under the action that doubles as a triggerguard. A push release on the reverse of the forend allows the barrel to be unlocked and tilted down for loading. The rifle is mounted with an elevation adjustable brass leaf rear sight which is dovetailed into the barrel and there is also a dovetailed brass blade front sight. The gun is decorated with two German silver squirrels on the obverse, a German silver star on the cheek rest and a dog on the reverse forend. Brass oval escutcheons and decorations are also present, along with a decorative sheet brass plate around the breech tang and a brass buttplate.
Gustavus von Brecht (1821-1891) was born on December 20 in the state of Wurttemburg (Germany) and emigrated to the United States in 1848 at the age of 26. He arrived in New Orleans, LA on the Hercules, sailing from Antwerp, on February 21. He was listed on the passenger manifest as machinist and was accompanied by a 6 year old boy named Oscar, who appears to have have been his younger brother. The 1850 Census showed him living in St Charles, MO working as a gunsmith and doing miscellaneous repair services living in the home of 69 year old August Brecht, likely his father who had apparently preceded Gustavus in emigrating. By 1853 Brecht was living in St. Louis and on October 31 of that year he married Maria Valerius.
Over the next three plus decades Brecht would build a successful manufacturing business in St. Louis producing butcher's tools, wagon maker's tools, velocipedes (early bicycles) and apparently at least a few air guns. Brecht received at least couple of patents during his time in business, most notably for an adjustable hub boring machine for wheel hubs. He may have received a patent for a sausage stuffing machine, as examples of his sausage stuffers are known with markings suggesting they were patented by him. His air guns are extremely rare and if the handful of known extant examples are any indication it is unlikely that he produced more than a few dozen. #3 is known and is in the collection of the Cody Firearms Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center for the West and #5 and #19 were cataloged in private collections by the late DeWitt R Pourie while he was working on his book about St. Louis gunmakers and allied tradesmen.
Further research has not uncovered any other surviving examples, although they may exist. The notes regarding the gun at Cody indicate that production of these was circa 1865-1875. Air guns have a rich history in the St. Louis area due to the fact that Lewis & Clark's Corps of Discovery traveled with air rifles as part of their equipment in 1803. This is an extremely rare air gun, worthy of the most advanced collection of St. Louis based arms or American air guns.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Very good. Smooth bore dirty and partly bright with scattered oxidation and discoloration. Metal with a mottled and oxidized patina of brown over gray on the barrel, with more even brown on the air reservoir. Markings remain clear and crisp. Brass with a rich butterscotch patina. The action opens and locks up as it should and the charging handle operates correctly but the reservoir does not store air, suggesting old seals have failed. Trigger operates but there is no air to discharge. Stock with scattered bumps, dings and mars with a couple of tight cracks in the forend and some chipped loss around one of the escutcheons.
U.S. Model 1803 Harpers Ferry Transitional Rifle Dated 1816 in Original Flint
Lot # 59 (Sale Order: 59 of 262)
Western Expansion
.54 caliber. 33" wedge retained octagon to round barrel with under rib. SN: NSN. Bright finish, brass furniture, walnut half-stock with raised cheek rest. Single shot muzzleloading flintlock US military rifle. 5.25" flat beveled flint lock in original flint configuration with rounded and fenced iron pan and flat beveled reinforced cock. Lock marked with a {Spread-Winged Eagle} with US in a shield in its breast forward of the cock and in three vertical lines to the rear HARPERS/FERRY/1816. Barrel with raised US and {Eagle Head}/P proofs in sunken ovals on the left angled breech flat. A deeply struck V/JS script cartouche is present on the counterpane, the mark of Harpers Ferry's longest serving superintendent James Stubblefield. The tail of the counterpane is stamped with a clear V/AT, an unknown Harper's Ferry inspector whose mark appears on guns circa 1815-1830. Butt with two-piece brass patchbox in obverse with release in top of buttplate. Fixed notch rear sight, dovetailed brass blade front sight. Not equipped with sling swivels or to accept a bayonet. Retains an original, full-length trumpet head ramrod with good threads at the end.
The original Model 1803 Rifle was produced at Harpers Ferry from 1804-1807 with a 33" barrel and a total production of 4,013. In 1814 production was resumed and a new 36" barrel length was adopted, although it did not become standard until the supplies of the shorter barrels were used up. This gun is a wonderful example of one of those transitional guns using an earlier 33" barrel. Between 1814 and 1820 an additional 15,707 rifles were produced, the majority with the new 36" barrel, including 4 sample rifles produced in 1813 for the use of Springfield Arsenal as patterns. A total of 2,052 M1803 Rifles were produced in 1816, and it was during 1816 that the new barrel length finally became standard with the older barrels being used up between 1814 and mid-1816.
The Model 1803 Rifle was unique in that it was the first official US military rifle to be produced at a National Armory and not a rifle acquired from contractors outside the US arsenal system. These rifles saw substantial use during the first half of the 19th century with many having a second life as percussion altered arms. Finding an original flint US Model 1803 Rifle with a strongly rifled bore is rare indeed these days and this is a very nice example worthy of being added to any advanced collection of early American martial arms.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
The Collection of John Vagnetti
CONDITION: Very good to near fine. Bore very good with strong rifling consisting of 7 narrow grooves. Bore with a moderate amount of scattered oxidation and some scattered pitting. Metal with a mottled, moderately oxidized gray patina. Moller notes that all Type II 1803 Rifles were finished in the bright. Breech with some light pitting and touchhole shows moderate erosion but remains completely unmolested, as verified by endoscopic examination. Markings remain relatively clear in the metal and in the wood. Mechanically functional lock remains in original flint and is quite crisp. Stock very good to fine and fairly crisp with good lines and edges. Wood shows no indications of sanding, but does show some lightly added oil, otherwise with scattered bumps, dings and mars. A really lovely and correct example.
Dimick St. Louis Marked Percussion Cape Gun
Lot # 60 (Sale Order: 60 of 262)
Western Expansion
.45 caliber & 10 gauge. 35.5" wedge-retained barrels. NSN. Browned finish, iron furniture, walnut stock with raised cheek piece. Muzzleloading double barrel percussion combination rifle shotgun. Percussion locks marked in two lines DIMICK & CO/ST. LOUIS and equipped with adjustable double set triggers. Long wasp waisted two-screw iron tang, iron double finger spur triggerguard, crescent iron buttplate, iron forend cap. Fixed semi-buckhorn rear sight 4.75" from breech with the original dovetail cut 9" from breech now filled. Dovetailed German silver front sight blade. Includes a wooden ramrod secured by two iron pipes. Acquired from Norm Flayderman as item #1432 in Catalog #116, a copy of the catalog is included with the gun.
Horace E. Dimick (1809-1874) was probably the most prolific of the famed St. Louis makers of Plains Rifles. A direct competitor with the famous Hawken shop, Dimick produced his variation of their famous plains rifle, as well as smaller caliber sporting and hunting rifles, target rifles and even delivered roughly 1,000 rifles that were used to arm Birge's Western Sharpshooters (14th Missouri Volunteer Infantry) which was later redesignated as the 66th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Those Dimick rifles did yeoman's service during the first 12-18 months of the Civil War in the Western Theater, in particular at battles like Fort Donelson and Shiloh. Dimick also imported large numbers of guns from England and Belgium and offered these guns with his retailer mark on them along with American produced guns like Metropolitan Navy percussion revolvers and derringer style pistols. Next to the Hawkens, Dimick is probably the most famous and collectible of the St. Louis Gun makers.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Good. Both bores about good, moderately oxidized with the rifled bore retaining good rifling with scattered pitting and the shotgun bore remaining mostly smooth. Metal with some old brown finish mixed with a moderately oxidized brown patina. Cleaning and marks on top of the breech suggest either the removal of some pitting or some minor repair to the barrel rib in that area. Lock markings remain legible, but somewhat weak. Locks mechanically functional, left hammer with an added copper or brass washer. Left wedge escutcheon an old copper replacement, the original German silver escutcheon is in place on the opposite side. Wood with moderate wear, a tiny chip missing at the toe and a small piece missing below the hammer from the left lock mortise, otherwise with scattered bumps, dings and mars from handling and use.
St. Louis Half-Stock Heavy Barreled Plains Rifle by Frederick Hellinghaus
Lot # 61 (Sale Order: 61 of 262)
Western Expansion
.54 caliber. 33.75" single key heavy octagonal barrel with break off breech. NSN. Browned finish, brass furniture, pewter forend cap, walnut stock. Single shot percussion muzzleloading heavy barreled rifle with muzzle turned for bullet starter, measuring 1.25" across the flats at the muzzle. Back action percussion lock weakly marked F HELLINGHAUS as is top barrel flat. A very weak ST LOUIS is also present on the barrel. A long double screw tang, typical of St. Louis plains rifles, projects from the rear of the break off breech. Rifle is equipped with a double finger spur brass triggerguard, adjustable double set triggers, elevation adjustable leaf rear sight and dovetailed front sight blade. A brass tipped wooden ramrod is secured in two plain ramrod thimbles.
Frederick Hellinghaus (1811-1862) was born in Germany and emigrated to the United States circa 1830, initially working as an apprentice gunmaker in Philadelphia for about six years and finally opening his own shop in New York City in 1837. Circa 1840 he relocated to St. Louis and in 1842 became a Naturalized Citizen. Hellinghaus worked in St. Louis for about seven years before he enlisted in Company C of Rall's 3rd Missouri Mounted Infantry to fight in the Mexican-American War in 1847. After the war, Hellinghaus moved to California and in 1858 relocated to Dalles in Oregon Territory. He died there in 1862.
Hellinghaus competed directly with the Hawken Brothers, Beauvais and Albright during the heyday of percussion plains rifle production in the 1840s and despite his roughly seven years in business in St. Louis, his guns from that period are not commonly encountered on the market today. He is probably best known for making a percussion double barreled gun attributed to being owned by Kit Carson, which is crudely engraved with the Hellinghaus name and with the "Dalles OT" (Oregon Territory) location on the barrel rib. That gun is in the collection of the Museum of the Fur Trade. This gun was acquired by the consignor from Norm Flayderman & Co and was listed in Catalog #117 as item #1676. A copy of the catalog is included.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Good. Bore moderately oxidized with some pitting and strong rifling. Barrel with much of an old applied brown finish, showing some scattered areas of minor oxidation and some light pitting. Markings weak in metal due to the old refinish. Lock needs attention to function correctly, as the hammer will not hold at full cock. Nipple replaced, clean out screw in bolster replaced. Stock with moderate wear, a nominally 11" long and .35" wide piece of wood extending from the breech to the stock tip has been replaced along the upper edge of the forearm. A 3" diagonal piece of wood is replaced just forward of the lock and the toe of the stock is repaired. A couple of surface cracks are filled on both sides of the butt. Otherwise, wood with scattered bumps, dings and mars.
J&S Hawken Percussion Sporting Rifle
Lot # 62 (Sale Order: 62 of 262)
Western Expansion
.43 caliber. 31" single-keyed octagonal barrel. NSN. Browned finish, brass furniture, pewter nose cap, German silver wedge escutcheons, walnut half-stock with raised cheek rest. Single shot percussion muzzleloading rifle. Both lock and barrel are marked J&S HAWKEN, although the barrel marking is weak. Lock marked J&S Hawken guns are extremely rare. Single screw percussion lock is unadorned and equipped with double-set triggers. Rifle of typical Hawken sporting form circa 1840s, with long, double screw iron tang, single keyed half-stock with pewter nose cap, double finger rest brass triggerguard, brass butt plate and plain brass toe plate. Barrel mounted with a dovetailed buckhorn fixed rear sight that has been moved at least once and a secondary dovetail notch is present on the barrel, now filled with pewter. A dovetailed German silver front sight blade is in place on the barrel. Medium weight barrel measures .95" across the flats. Two added ramrod thimbles are present on the lower lug of the barrel, with the gun appearing to originally have had only one pipe. Includes a wooden ramrod that is a more modern replacement. This rifle was previously part of the noted collection of St. Louis rifles of DeWitt R Pourie, as his item #P-536 and includes his 10-30-72 dated collection note card on the rifle. Pourie was the co-author of Gateway Gunsmiths - A Survey of St. Louis, MO Gunmakers, Gunsmiths, Gun Dealers and Patentees 1764-1940 with Victor Paul.
No name is more synonymous with the rifles of the great plains and pre-Civil War western expansion than that of Hawken. Jacob Hawken moved to St. Louis from Hagerstown Maryland in 1818 and was followed by his younger brother Samuel in 1822. Jacob had learned the trade of gun making from his father Christian and also spent time working at the US Arsenal at Harpers Ferry. Initially the Hawken brothers appear to have focused more on traditional gunsmithing and repairs in St. Louis than firearms manufacturing. The earliest guns they produced would have certainly been flintlocks with percussion guns not becoming typical until the early 1830s. Early St. Louis Hawken-marked percussion rifles were brass mounted full-stock guns that followed the general form of the Pennsylvania style rifles they would have produced in Hagerstown.
Subsequently, the brothers introduced the prototypical "Plains Rifle", also referred to at times as the "Rocky Mountain" rifle. These were typically very sturdy iron mounted large bore percussion rifles with double-set triggers that ranged from .52 to .60 caliber. They utilized heavy octagonal barrels that were typically 30" to 40" in length, normally measured at least 1.125" across the barrel flats, were usually rifled with seven grooves and were typically retained by two iron keys. The guns regularly utilized commercial locks marked by their makers or retailers. Fixed sights of the buckhorn rear and Rocky Mountain blade front were typical as well. These rifles were so perfectly adapted to the life of the mid-19th century plains hunter and mountain man that their popularity inspired a number of local gunmakers to offer guns of the same general pattern. Variations of the Hawken theme were produced by such famous St. Louis makers as Albright, Beauvais, Dimick and Gemmer.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Good. Bore fair to good, with visible rifling and heavy oxidation with moderate pitting. Barrel with some traces of old brown mixed with surface oxidation and discoloration, showing some moderate pitting in the breech and bolster area, and some lightly scattered pitting here and there. Tang with a filled hole, possibly where a screw post tang sight was located at some point in time. Lock with moderate oxidation on its exterior surface remains partially functional but will not hold at the full cock position when installed in the gun. The lock does hold when removed, suggesting an issue with shrinkage of the wood in the mortise or with the double set trigger system. Brass furniture with a deep, dark greenish black patina that is uncleaned. German silver deeply tarnished. Wood with some moderate wear and traces of finish, showing a small, tight crack in the counterpane. Otherwise the stock shows scattered bumps, dings and mars from handling and use.
S. Hawken Heavy Sporting Rifle
Lot # 63 (Sale Order: 63 of 262)
Western Expansion
.48 caliber. 32.5" double-keyed octagonal barrel. NSN. Browned finish, brass furniture, pewter nose cap, German silver wedge escutcheons, maple half-stock with raised cheek rest. Single shot percussion muzzleloading rifle. Barrel marked S. HAWKEN ST. LOUIS. Externally unmarked, single screw percussion lock is unadorned and equipped with double-set triggers, marked T GIBBONS on the interior. Rifle of typical Hawken sporting form circa 1849 with long, double screw iron tang, double keyed half-stock with pewter nose cap, double finger rest brass triggerguard, brass butt plate and plain brass toe plate. Barrel mounted with a dovetailed buckhorn fixed rear sight that is likely an old replacement and a dovetailed German silver front sight blade. Heavy barrel measures 1.11" across the flats. Includes a wooden ramrod that is a more modern replacement. This rifle was previously part of the noted collection of St. Louis rifles of DeWitt R Pourie, as his item #O-1164 and includes his 6-18-68 dated collection note card on the rifle. Pourie was the co-author of Gateway Gunsmiths - A Survey of St. Louis, MO Gunmakers, Gunsmiths, Gun Dealers and Patentees 1764-1940 with Victor Paul.
No name is more synonymous with the rifles of the great plains and pre-Civil War western expansion than that of Hawken. Jacob Hawken moved to St. Louis from Hagerstown Maryland in 1818 and was followed by his younger brother Samuel in 1822. Jacob had learned the trade of gun making from his father Christian and also spent time working at the US Arsenal at Harpers Ferry. Initially the Hawken brothers appear to have focused more on traditional gunsmithing and repairs in St. Louis than firearms manufacturing. The earliest guns they produced would have certainly been flintlocks with percussion guns not becoming typical until the early 1830s. Early St. Louis Hawken-marked percussion rifles were brass mounted full-stock guns that followed the general form of the Pennsylvania style rifles they would have produced in Hagerstown.
Subsequently, the brothers introduced the prototypical "Plains Rifle", also referred to at times as the "Rocky Mountain" rifle. These were typically very sturdy iron mounted large bore percussion rifles with double-set triggers that ranged from .52 to .60 caliber. They utilized heavy octagonal barrels that were typically 30" to 40" in length, normally measured at least 1.125" across the barrel flats, were usually rifled with seven grooves and were typically retained by two iron keys. The guns regularly utilized commercial locks marked by their makers or retailers. Fixed sights of the buckhorn rear and Rocky Mountain blade front were typical as well. These rifles were so perfectly adapted to the life of the mid-19th century plains hunter and mountain man that their popularity inspired a number of local gunmakers to offer guns of the same general pattern. Variations of the Hawken theme were produced by such famous St. Louis makers as Albright, Beauvais, Dimick and Gemmer.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Good to near very good. Bore good, with strong rifling and moderate oxidation with some pitting. Barrel with some traces of old brown mixed with surface oxidation and discoloration, showing some light to moderate pitting in the breech and bolster area, and some lightly scattered pitting here and there. Tang with some vise marks. Lock with more moderate pitting on exterior surface remains mechanically functional. Brass furniture with a medium golden patina. Wood with some moderate wear and traces of finish, showing a repaired crack in the counterpane, a small piece of replaced wood on the opposite side of the tang and some minor loss along the front edge of the lock. Otherwise the stock shows scattered bumps, dings and mars from handling and use.
H.E. Dimick & Co Marked Derringer Style Pistol
Lot # 64 (Sale Order: 64 of 262)
Western Expansion
.45 caliber. 2.5" octagonal wedge retained barrel. NSN. Browned finish, German silver mountings, checkered walnut bird's head grip. Single shot percussion ignition derringer pocket pistol. Top of barrel marked in small letters with a correct style gang stamp H.E. DIMICK & Co. Back action lock unmarked, with simple flowing foliate engraving, hammer neck with foliate engraving as well. Hammer retained with spanner nut, somewhat uncommon on derringers of the era, other than those made by Constable in Philadelphia. Dimick was both a maker and retailer, so often his retailer mark was applied to guns that he did not produce. Breech with German silver bands and lightly engraved with feathery motifs. Breech plug tang engraved ensuite. German silver triggerguard, stock flat escutcheon and butt insert are all engraved as well. The shield shaped thumb plate has a border line engraved but is otherwise blank.
Horace E. Dimick (1809-1874) was probably the most prolific of the famed St. Louis makers of Plains Rifles. A direct competitor with the famous Hawken shop, Dimick produced his variation of their famous plains rifle, as well as smaller caliber sporting and hunting rifles, target rifles and even delivered roughly 1,000 rifles that were used to arm Birge's Western Sharpshooters (14th Missouri Volunteer Infantry) which was later redesignated as the 66th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Those Dimick rifles did yeoman's service during the first 12-18 months of the Civil War in the Western Theater, in particular at battles like Fort Donelson and Shiloh. Dimick also imported large numbers of guns from England and Belgium and offered these guns with his retailer mark on them along with American produced guns like Metropolitan Navy percussion revolvers and derringer style pistols. Next to the Hawkens, Dimick is probably the most famous and collectible of the St. Louis Gun makers.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Good. Bore good, moderately oxidized and pitted with decent rifling remaining intact. Barrel with an oxidized and mottled smoky gray patina, lock similar. Markings and engraving remain clear. Wedge replaced with a crude brass one that appears to be period. Hammer spur may be repaired as it is shows some discoloration and light filing around where it meets the body. Mechanically functional lock, hammer slightly loose on tumbler. Wood with a well executed and well concealed repair between the hammer and the breech plug tang. A small crack is present at the lock screw. Otherwise with scattered bumps, dings and mars.
H.E. Dimick Plains Rifle
Lot # 65 (Sale Order: 65 of 262)
Western Expansion
.50 caliber. 35.75" double-keyed hook breech octagonal barrel with underlug. NSN. Browned finish, blued iron furniture, walnut half-stock with pewter nose cap. Single shot percussion ignition muzzleloading plains rifle. Unmarked single screw percussion lock with double set triggers, barrel marked H.E. DIMICK & Co/ST LOUIS in two lines. Heavy barrel measures 1.125" across the flats at the muzzle with an exaggerated snail shaped bolster and a long wasp-waisted two-screw tang. Scroll shaped triggerguard with finger extension, crescent iron buttplate and plain toe plate. Elevation adjustable Buckhorn rear sight, dovetailed German silver Rocky Mountain front sight blade. Wood ramrod with brass tip and base appears to be original and is secured by two plain iron thimbles. A very attractive example of a prototypical Plains Rifle by one of the most notable of the St. Louis makers.
Horace E. Dimick (1809-1874) was probably the most prolific of the famed St. Louis makers of Plains Rifles. A direct competitor with the famous Hawken shop, Dimick produced his variation of their famous plains rifle, as well as smaller caliber sporting and hunting rifles, target rifles and even delivered roughly 1,000 rifles that were used to arm Birge's Western Sharpshooters (14th Missouri Volunteer Infantry) which was later redesignated as the 66th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Those Dimick rifles did yeoman's service during the first 12-18 months of the Civil War in the Western Theater, in particular at battles like Fort Donelson and Shiloh. Dimick also imported large numbers of guns from England and Belgium and offered these guns with his retailer mark on them along with American produced guns like Metropolitan Navy percussion revolvers and derringer style pistols. Next to the Hawkens, Dimick is probably the most famous and collectible of the St. Louis Gun makers.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Good to very good. Bore very good, moderately oxidized with strong rifling and some lightly scattered pitting. Barrel with some of the old brown finish that shows moderate thinning, wear and loss. Metal mostly smooth with scattered surface oxidation and some pinpricking. Barrel marking clear and legible. Rear sight and buttplate with traces of blue. Iron furniture with moderate oxidation, lock somewhat mottled and oxidized. Percussion lock functions correctly. Stock with old repair at wrist including a dowel reinforcement, broken wrists are not uncommon on Plains Rifles due to the heavy barrels and typically thinner wood in that region. Otherwise the wood remains rather nice with light to moderate wear, good edges and scattered bumps, dings and mars.
Percussion Pistol by Krider
Lot # 66 (Sale Order: 66 of 262)
Western Expansion
.40 caliber. 8" octagonal wedge retained barrel. NSN. Bright finish, German silver mountings, checkered walnut stock. Single shot percussion muzzleloading rifled pistol. Back action percussion lock is lightly engraved and marked KRIDER. Breech and tang are engraved with similar foliate patterns with the top flat of the barrel marked PHILADA. Engraved German silver triggerguard with pineapple finial. German silver nose cap, wedge escutcheons, entry pipe and thumb plate. Fixed notch rear sight and dovetailed German silver front sight blade. An iron thimble retains an old wooden ramrod. A prototypical percussion "Plains" style pistol of the type popular during the 1840s. From the Collection of Charles Worman, co-author of the two volume set Firearms of the American West. For similar examples by Krider see James D. Gordon's Great Gun Makers for the Early West Volume II.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
From the Collection of Charles Worman
CONDITION: Good. Bore dark, oxidized and pitted with strong rifling. Metal with a salt and pepper patina, showing scattered surface roughness and oxidation with some light pitting. Mechanically functional lock. German silver with a nice dull patina. Wood with moderate wear, showing a repaired crack through the lock area and fairly crisp checkering at the grip.
St. Louis Half Stock Rifle by T.J. Albright
Lot # 67 (Sale Order: 67 of 262)
Western Expansion
.46 caliber. 33" octagonal barrel secured by a single wedge. NSN. Browned finish, brass furniture, German silver wedge escutcheon, pewter forend cap, walnut half-stock. Single shot percussion ignition muzzleloading sporting rifle. Percussion lock with double set triggers marked in two lines forward of the hammer, ALBRIGHT/ST. LOUIS, lock is unmarked on the interior. Top flat of barrel marked in two tiny lines behind the rear sight: T.J. ALBRIGHT/ST. LOUIS, with the lower line weak. Rifle with scroll shaped brass triggerguard with single finger extension, crescent brass buttplate, simple toe plate, dovetailed buckhorn rear sight and dovetailed Rocky Mountain German silver blade front sight. Two iron thimbles retain an old wooden ramrod. The rifle is from the collection of noted arms historian and author Charles Worman who co-authored the two volume set Firearms of the American West.
Thomas John (TJ) Albright (1808-1890) was a third generation Pennsylvania gunmaker, whose grandfather had been the Lancaster, PA master gunmaker Andrew Albright. TJ's father Henry Albright worked in PA and OH with the greater part of his time spent working in Nazareth, PA, where he died in 1845. Around 1842 TJ relocated to St. Louis where he worked as both a gunmaker and retailer. A large number of imported shotguns are known with his mark, with lesser quantities of his plains style rifles known. It appears that like the shotguns, many of the pistols that bear his mark were imported and simply retailer marked. Albright was a contemporary of the Hawkens, Dimick and a number of other famed St. Louis gunmakers and worked during the heyday of the plains rifle period in the 1840s and 1850s. A desirable St Louis maker to add to any collection of rifles from that era. This is an honest, used Albright rifle that helped to carve out the path for western expansion.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
From the Collection of Charles Worman
CONDITION: Good to very good. Bore poor, dark, dirty, heavily oxidized and with only traces of rifling. Metal with a thickly oxidized plum and brown patina, showing scattered surface roughness and some scattered pitting, most notable at the breech and bolster area. Nipple damaged, lock mechanically functional, although the hammer is a little loose on the tumbler. Stock with moderate wear, showing scattered bumps, dings and mars.
Lovely H.E. Dimick St. Louis Half-Stock Percussion Heavy Sporting Rifle
Lot # 68 (Sale Order: 68 of 262)
Western Expansion
.40 caliber. 30.5" double-keyed hook breech octagonal barrel with underlug. NSN. No finish, iron furniture, walnut half-stock with German silver nose cap. Single shot percussion ignition muzzleloading sporting rifle. Engraved single screw percussion lock is stamped H.E. DIMICK in small letters, the same mark as found on the Dimick marked derringers and on some other Dimick marked locks. Equipped with double set triggers. Barrel marked in two lines H.E. DIMICK & Co/ST LOUIS. Heavy barrel with German silver bands at breech, an exaggerated snail shaped bolster and a long wasp-waisted two-screw tang. Barrel measures 1" across the flats at the muzzle. Scroll shaped triggerguard with two finger rest extensions, crescent iron buttplate and toe plate. Two piece iron patchbox in obverse stock. Breech, tang, lock, triggerguard, patchbox, buttplate tang and toe plate are all nicely engraved with foliate scrolls and some geometric patterns. Elevation adjustable Buckhorn rear sight, dovetailed German silver Rocky Mountain front sight blade has been moved back from the original dovetail cut near the muzzle and is probably a period of use replacement. Wood ramrod with brass tip is secured by two plain iron thimbles. A very attractive example of a higher grade Plains style rifle by one of the most notable of the St. Louis makers that would only need to be a larger caliber to be an official "Plains Rifle".
Horace E. Dimick (1809-1874) was probably the most prolific of the famed St. Louis makers of Plains Rifles. A direct competitor with the famous Hawken shop, Dimick produced his variation of their famous plains rifle, as well as smaller caliber sporting and hunting rifles, target rifles and even delivered roughly 1,000 rifles that were used to arm Birge's Western Sharpshooters (14th Missouri Volunteer Infantry) which was later redesignated as the 66th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Those Dimick rifles did yeoman's service during the first 12-18 months of the Civil War in the Western Theater, in particular at battles like Fort Donelson and Shiloh. Dimick also imported large numbers of guns from England and Belgium and offered these guns with his retailer mark on them along with American produced guns like Metropolitan Navy percussion revolvers and derringer style pistols. Next to the Hawkens, Dimick is probably the most famous and collectible of the St. Louis Gun makers.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Very good. Bore very good, partly bright with strong rifling and moderate oxidation. Metal a dull steel color with no finish and mottled oxidized discoloration and some scattered surface roughness and pitting. Lock functional but double set triggers do not operate correctly and need attention. Stock crisp with scattered bump, dings and mars from handling and use.
Percussion Full Stock Sporting Rifle with Goulcher Lock
Lot # 69 (Sale Order: 69 of 262)
Western Expansion
.45 caliber. 43.5" barrel length. SN: NSN. Gray painted finish to the barrel with brown patinated lockplate set in walnut stock with applied tiger stripe pattern, full length forend, and a 10.5" long iron sun shade/sun shield over rear notch sight. Single shot percission rifle with double set triggers and mounting rear notch and front blade sights. Furniture includes a crescent-shaped brass buttplate, brass triggerguard and patchbox, and pinned stock with brass forend cap and ramrod loops. Barrel is unsigned, but the rifle mounts a G. GOULCHER signed lock, a common sight on gunsmith assembled and finished arms of the 19th Century. Lockplate is engraved with a double line border and floral scroll banner to the maker mark. A vignette of two pheasants on walking on the ground is engraved behind the cock. Patchbox features a spring-loaded release catch on the top of the butt, and is unsigned. Comes with a wood ramrod with tacked on iron tip. Inconsistent edges to the drum and uneven spacing within the lock suggest it may be replaced.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Good. Bore is Frosty with some oxidation and residues to the grooves and strong rifling. Painted finish has flaked off much of the barrel and shows scattered bubbling, scratches, and abrasions. Steel and iron components display a deep brown patina. Pitting to the chamber area and hammer. Brass components show a light tarnish with some indications of buffing on the outer edges. Stock cracking behind the tang with scattered light dents and handling wear. Stock also shows some chips to the edges along the barrel, and has a substantial chip to the toe. Action not functional. Hammer fails to engage the sear.
St. Louis Percussion Pistol from the DeWitt R. Pourie Collection, Possibly Attributed to Hawken
Lot # 70 (Sale Order: 70 of 262)
Western Expansion
.45 caliber. 7" wedge retained octagonal barrel with hooked breech. NSN. Browned finish, iron and German silver mountings, engraved pewter nose cap. Single shot muzzleloading percussion pistol. The gun is unmarked externally, with the back action percussion lock marked T GIBBONS internally. Fixed notch rear sight on top of breech, German silver blade front sight set in notch on top of barrel. Pewter nose cap lightly decorated with crude engraving. Simple iron triggerguard with rudimentary geometric finial. Wood ramrod retained by a single German silver thimble.
Hawken pistols are the ultimate enigma to the collector as identical examples are nearly non-existent. As the Hawken mark was applied to imported English and Belgian guns, we know that in those cases it is only a retailer mark. Whether the Hawkens ever produced pistols themselves or simply marked guns made by others and retailed by them is a question that may never be definitively answered. This "St. Louis Pistol" from the DeWitt R. Pourie collection was believed by him to potentially be something offered in their shop, although unmarked. The "T GIBBONS" marked lock is something found on the majority of the later production Hawken rifles. Additionally the 7-groove rifling style, pewter nose cap and sturdy efficient design are typical of Hawken products. A very similar pistol which is "S. HAWKEN" marked on the barrel is shown on page 397 of James B Gordon's three volume set Great Gunmakers for the Early West Volume III. That gun was part of the late Forrest Fenn's collection. From a stylistic standpoint this gun is certainly a prototypical "St Louis Pistol" and does conform to some of the features found on Hawken made and sold guns. It comes from the well known and thoroughly researched collection of DeWitt R. Pourie and includes his collection note card on the gun, dated 8-20-67 as well as some photos and written correspondence with the consignor.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Good. Bore very good, moderately oxidized with some pitting and with deep, strong rifling. Barrel moderately oxidized with some surface roughness and light pitting, retaining traces of old brown. The German silver wedge escutcheon on the obverse is missing and has been replaced with a crude brass one. The front sight has been filed down to a smaller blade during the period of use. Lock is mechanically functional. Wood shows moderate wear and a major repair to the area above and to the rear of the lock, at the top of the wrist. This entire area has been broken and re-glued to the gun. A section of wood along the barrel channel on the obverse has been repaired running from the front of the lock to the nose cap. Two smaller cracks are repaired on the reverse as well, one at the lock screw and one between the nose cap and wedge. Otherwise, the wood shows moderate wear and scattered bumps, dings and mars.
Liddle Marked San Francisco Heavy Barrel Percussion "Bear Rifle"
Lot # 71 (Sale Order: 71 of 262)
.56 caliber. 31.375" wedge-retained octagonal barrel with break off breech and muzzle turned for a bullet starter. NSN. Blued finish, iron furniture, brass patchbox, checkered walnut half-stock with pewter nose cap. Unmarked single-screw percussion lock with double set triggers. Barrel marked somewhat weakly LIDDLE SAN FRANCISCO on the top flat. Rifle equipped with a replaced elevation adjustable leaf rear sight, a dovetailed brass Rocky Mountain front sight blade, a finger extension scroll shaped iron triggerguard, a brass commercial patchbox in the obverse butt and an old wooden ramrod secured by two iron thimbles. From the Collection of Charles Worman, co-author of the two volume set Firearms of the American West.
Robert Liddle (1824-1812) was born in England and emigrated to America in 1829 as a child with his parents. He was working in Baltimore as early as 1836 as an apprentice gunsmith 1840s and early 1850s who moved to San Francisco circa 1854, establishing Liddle & Co, which was a gunmaking and gun retailing company. Sometime in the latter part of the 1860s he partnered with Charles V. Kaeding establishing what would become the largest sporting goods retailer in the region and their advertising claimed that they offered "the largest and best assortment of guns, fishing tackle and sporting articles on the Pacific Coast." Liddle and Kaeding operated until 1889, when Liddle returned to working independently until circa 1898.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
From the Collection of Charles Worman
CONDITION: Good to very good. Bore dark, heavily oxidized and evenly pitted with good rifling. Barrel moderately oxidized with rich brown patina mixed with traces of old blue and some scattered surface roughness and pitting, most notably around the breech and bolster area. Lock mechanically functional, nipple replaced, rear sight replaced, front sight blade appears to be a period of use replacement. Wood with scattered bumps, dings and mars and a small crack at the lock screw escutcheon on the reverse.
Full Stock Percussion Long Rifle by J. Douglass, Most likely Joseph Douglass Jr. (Huntingdon County,
Lot # 72 (Sale Order: 72 of 262)
About .44 caliber. 41" octagonal barrel. SN: NSN. Browned metal finish. Curled maple stock has a narrow butt with straight edges similar to most Huntingdon County rifles, with simple incised line to both sides of forearm. Percussion rifle with fixed notch and brass teardrop blade front sight. Item features double set triggers with lathe-style post trigger also typical of Huntingdon County makers, as well as faceted brass triggerguard, buttplate, and forend. Patchbox is twice pierced with parallel sides in the style used by some gunsmiths of the Lancaster and Bethlehem County Schools, including those made by Melchoir Fordney, John Rupp, and the Pannebecker Family shown in Kindig's Thoughts. The patchbox cover is deeply engraved with floral scroll, dash-dot borderwork, and cross-hatching. Barrel is marked J. DOUGLASS, and lockplate is engraved with a simple game scene and scroll that is obscured by pit marks. Unlike other rifles attributed to Joseph Douglass Jr., this rifle only has the trademark silver four-petal floral escutcheon to top of wrist, incised lines to forearm, an engraved hunter's star to cheekrest, and wrigglework engravings to both brass sideplate and toeplate. The other documented Douglass rifles (such as the one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's arms collection) appear to be profusely mounted with silver fittings overall. Includes a wood ramrod, most likely replaced at some point.
This rifle is attributed to Joseph Douglass Jr. (1819-1890) of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, and was most likely made sometime around 1840-1850. As mentioned, his rifles are typically adorned with many silver fittings and are sometimes seen with "Pannepacker" marked barrels. One Joseph Douglass rifle that was sold by Rock Island in 2017 can be seen with a "W. Pannepacker" barrel. This is perhaps why we see a similar patchbox style on this rifle as to a Samuel Pannebecker rifle documented in Kindig's Thoughts. Samuel Pannebecker, was known to have worked in Lancaster County, and is from a well known family of barrel makers. According to Kindig, other documented rifles signed "Pannepacker, Pennypacker, and Pannebecker" are all believed to have spawned from this same Berks County family. A very strong possibility considering there were at least eight known barrel makers in the Pannebecker family from the late 1700's to 1880 who advertised and sold "superior" barrels to various locales, according to the Kentucky Rifle Foundation.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Very good. Bore is dark and has residue to rifling. Finish has a mottled brown appearance overall due to pitting, scratching, and thinning. Wood stock shows scattered scratches and mars, as well as a 3" crack/possible repair to left side of forearm in front of lock. Brass fittings show scattered pitting and discoloration. There are losses to wood around lock, and light corrosion around bolster/barrel area. Action is functional, but may need work.
Highly Decorated and Published Half Stock Percussion Long Rifle by W. Shockey (Washington County, Oh
Lot # 73 (Sale Order: 73 of 262)
.36 caliber. 35.5" octagonal barrel. SN: NSN. Possibly blued at some point. Curled maple half stock with straight wrist, high comb, and carved cheek rest. Percussion rifle with fixed notch and silver blade front sights. Item features double set triggers, many silver and brass fittings, and a brass capbox. Capbox is deeply engraved with simple scroll that resembles branches overall. Stock has 23 silver and brass fittings overall including an 8" long brass griplate to forearm, a 5" silver plate to comb, and various silver fish, eye, heart, spade, and crescent shaped escutcheons lightly engraved with simple branch scrollwork. Top of barrel is engraved W. Shockey in script and is surrounded by branch scrollwork. Other fittings include faceted brass buttplate, triggerguard, thimbles, and a pewter forend cap. Lockplate is engraved with simple scroll and marked LEMAN/LANCTR, PA to center.
Most likely made by William Gifford Shockey (1842-1919) of Washington County, Ohio. According to Hutslar's Ohio Gunsmiths & Allied Tradesmen, this W. Shockey rifle was made in the ornate style of master Ohio gunsmiths John Vincent (1809 - 1882) and his son John Caleb Vincent (1841-1919). It is very possible that Shockey was an apprentice of or was directly influenced by the style of John Vincent, considering they were both located in Washington County, Ohio around the same time.
This rifle is also published in Ohio Gunsmiths & Allied Tradesmen Volume V by Donald A. Hutslar, a copy of which is included with this lot. Information about W. Shockey is described on page 90 and this rifle is pictured on page 122.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Very good to fine. Bore is frosty and has moderate to heavy oxidation. Finish has a mottled grey/brown appearance overall due to scattered finish loss, pitting, and scratches. There is corrosion around bolster. Wood stock also shows scattered
Half-Stock Percussion Rifle with Attractive Five Piece Patchbox
Lot # 74 (Sale Order: 74 of 262)
.42 caliber. 37" octagonal barrel. SN: NSN. Browned metal finish. Curled maple half stock with straight grip, raised comb, and carved cheek rest. Smoothbore percussion rifle with fixed notch rear sight and small silver teardrop blade front sight. Item features a single trigger, silver forend cap, and five piece brass patchbox. Plain patchbox has billowed edges and finial, similar to how some Lancaster County gunsmiths fashioned their patchboxes. Lock is marked A.W. SPIES/WARRANTED, barrel is unsigned. Includes wood ramrod.
From the Collection of Charles Worman, co-author of the two volume set Firearms of the American West.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
From the Collection of Charles Worman
CONDITION: Very good. Bore is frosty and has residue. Finish has an attractive mottled brown/plum color, with scattered pitting, scratches, and thinning. Stock shows scattered scratches, mars, and forearm with cracks and repairs to length of both sides. Toe possibly repaired as well. Wood to metal fit has some slight gapping. Action is functional.
Percussion Cape Gun by Nelson Lewis of Troy, NY
Lot # 75 (Sale Order: 75 of 262)
.45 caliber/20 gauge. 31" wedge retained barrels. NSN. Browned finish, iron furniture, hardwood half-stock with raised cheek rest. Double barrel percussion combination muzzleloading rifle and shotgun with back action locks and double triggers. Locks unmarked, barrel rib marked N LEWIS MAKER TROY NY. Elevation adjustable semi-buckhorn rear sight, dovetailed German silver Rocky Mountain front sight blade, hole in tang for peep sight that is not present. Iron furniture includes a simple two-piece iron patchbox, double finger rest triggerguard, crescent buttplate, plain toe plate, wedge escutcheons and combination nose cap and entry pipe. Two plain iron thimbles retain an old wooden ramrod.
Nelson Lewis (1811-1888) was born in Speigletown, NY. According to his obituary in the Troy Daily Times he "lived in this city (Troy) nearly all his life. He was a gunsmith by trade, and the rifles of his manufacture had a national reputation while muzzleloading firearms were in vogue. He was also celebrated as a marksman, and his gun shop at the corner of Congress and Church streets was a rendezvous for the sportsmen for miles around Troy. He was the inventor of many improvements to firearms. He was the incorporator of the Central Gun Club of Rensselaer County." Lewis had worked as a market hunter during his career and was apprenticed to J.M. Caswell of Lansingburg, NY prior to opening his shop in Troy in 1843, where he remained in business for more than 40 years. He was particularly well known for his high quality target and match rifles, as well as for making cape guns and was known for using gain twist rifling in most of his rifles. He also produced sharpshooter's rifles during the Civil War and was himself a consummate target shooter.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.
CONDITION: Good. Bores good, both moderately oxidized with some pitting, the shotgun bore being mostly smooth and the rifle bore with deep, crisp 7-groove rifling with the lands roughly twice as wide as the grooves. Metal with a mixture of old brown and moderately oxidized brown patina, with some areas of lightly scattered pitting and some freckles of surface roughness as well as some surface rust. Markings mostly legible. Locks mechanically functional, both hammers show some chipping and wear around their skirts and the left hammer screw is replaced. Stock is solid with scattered bumps, dings and mars from handling and use.