Firearms and Military Artifacts
Firearms and Military Artifacts
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Description
French and Indian War Pewter Pipe Tomahawk
Lot # 1 (Sale Order: 1 of 712)
This rare example has survived in excellent untouched condition. It retains its original ash handle with pewter mouthpiece and fretwork section. It is likely that this type was manufactured in Canada for distribution to Indian allies of the French. An example is documented in 1756 in the Sir William Johnson papers.
A series of half-circle impressions are present on both sides of the tomahawk's eye. The consignor believes that these were made by the iron collar on the ramrod that receives the wiper (modern term: worm). When loading, sometimes the ball is reluctant to seat all the way down to the powder charge. This usually occurs after fouling builds up as a result of a series of discharges. The consignor believes the marks are from this collar made by using the side of the eye as a hammer to seat the ball.
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection. Stephen Fuller, Mike Tuccori to Wallace Gusler
Condition: Pipe is bent a little with some nicks and dings. This pipe tomahawk is in outstanding condition, totally untouched and in the black. A truly great museum piece.
(EST $ 35000 - 50000)
Early Brass & Iron Tomahawk
Lot # 2 (Sale Order: 2 of 712)
This excavated example was in the Jim Dresslar collection. No information was collected on its provenance, other than obviously being excavated. The graceful blade and square molded pole are typical of the 1750s. The turned brass pipe bowl is an outstanding rare feature.
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection:James Dresslar to Keith Collins to Gordon Barlow to Wallace Gusler July 2009.
Condition: Relic.
(EST $ 2000 - 3000)
Richard Wilson & Co. Cyphered Trade Rifle
Lot # 3 (Sale Order: 3 of 712)
This Richard Wilson & Co. gun is one of hundreds that were given to Indian headmen that were allies to the English during the Revolutionary War. Parts of these examples have been excavated on Indian sites from Niagara to Georgia, west into Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma, etc.
The guns have very standardized details. The thumb piece is engraved with a crown over GR and the locks often have the same engraving under the pan. This example was restocked with a Golcher lockplate and it has remained an original flintlock. All mounts, the engraved sideplate, guard and butt piece follow (with bird holding a twig) the same model.
These examples are rare and this one probably saw several generations of Indian use. The side-plate has many slashes from unscrewing the lock with a knife blade. Some of the slashes are witnesses in this stock while many others are from the first stock. The makeshift band on the forestock is a typical repair of Indian or frontier service.
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection; English auction 2008; Thomas W. Wood to Wallace B. Gusler, 2008.
Condition: Barrel is grey-to-brown with some pitting around the touch hole and on the breech end of barrel. Lock has a nice patina with pitting in the pan area. All brass has nice patina. Stock has one discoloration on the right side; the rest of stock has a dark patina.
(EST $ 3500 - 5000)
Full-Stock Percussion Rifle Attributed to Abraham Honaker of Virginia
Lot # 4 (Sale Order: 4 of 712)
This original percussion iron mounted rifle dates to the 1830s and could have been made by several Honaker gunsmiths. It probably originated in the Pulaski County, Virginia shop of Abraham, but could have been made by any of his sons - grandsons of Hans Jacob Honaker.
Like the Abraham example, this rifle has finely forged and filed iron mountings with exceptionally fine forged and filed iron mountings with exceptionally fine fore-stock stop fluted moldings. Like many examples from this family, it has four thimbles, however they are the most unusual known. The thimbles are graduated in increasing length; from the second thimble out, they get proportionately longer. Quite exceptional is the graduation continuing to the iron nose piece. The graduation appears to have been designed by using the length of the second thimble to form the long side of a golden mean rectangle. The length of the third thimble is established by the diagonal line of the rectangle. This process is repeated on the fourth thimble to establish the length of the nose piece. At least two of the Honaker gunsmiths were also carpenters and the use of classical methods of design would have come down in the apprenticeship system from Europe.
This rifle is an exceptional example of fine design and workmanship. While most iron mounted rifles have triggerguards held by wood screws, this example has tenons and pins following the usual technique seen on brass guards.
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection: Found near Roanoke, VA by Michael Tuccori; J. Roderick Moore;John Ashworth to Wallace Gusler, 2003.
Condition: Barrel is a deep dark brown with wear to the high edges, with pitting around the percussion drum and nipple. Lock is dark brown with some pitting under the drum. Stock is excellent and does suffer some burn-out behind the right side of tang. Stock does have some nicks and dings but still retains a very nice untouched patina. This is a rare opportunity for a collector to obtain a very rare rifle.
(EST $ 15000 - 25000)
Full-Stock Flintlock Rifle Attributed to Abraham Honaker of Pulaski County, Virginia,
Lot # 5 (Sale Order: 5 of 712)
This rifle has a worn signature on top of the barrel and appears to be a remnant of AH Abraham Honaker's mark. He is the son of Hans Jacob Honaker (the immigrant) and was born about 1774 in Shenandoah County, Virginia. His shop was in Pulaski County where he raised five gunsmith sons. This shop operated over thirty years and produced outstanding rifles in brass and iron mounts.
The finely filed and furnished mountings and beautiful relief carved and fluted fore stock molding distinguish this rifle. The lock mortise and side plate panels display outstanding sculptural fluting. The four-piece iron patch box has an engraved dash border and the door has a thumbnail latch at its base linking it with Hans Jacob's 1771 brass barrel rifle.
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection: George Stanford, 1964 to Wallace Gusler, Wallace Gusler 1969 to J. Roderick Moore, to John Ashworth, Mike Tuccori to Wallace Gusler 2010.
Condition: The rifle barrel has a smooth and dark brown patina with pitting around the touch hole and on the right side of barrel. Lock is sharp and crisp and a nice untouched dark brown patina. Iron hardware with dark brown untouched patina. Stock with a deep red to black patina. Rifle has a small splinter missing three inches from the nosecap on the right side and it is four inches long. Very nice untouched rifle.
(EST $ 25000 - 30000)
Early Brass Barrel Kentucky Rifle Dated 1771, Attributed to Hans Jacob Honaker, Frederick County, Vi
Lot # 6 (Sale Order: 6 of 712)
This rifle is one of the most important American long rifles known. Its prominent feature is the American-made long tapered and flared brass barrel. It is dated 1771 near the breech on the bottom of the barrel and has Do (short for "Anno Domini" 1771 engraved inside the box lid. It is the earliest known dated American long rifle with a hinged box, and is the second oldest dated American long rifle.
The earliest dated long rifle is signed by John Schrite of Reading, Pennsylvania; it has a Germanic style sliding wood box cover. A dated 1771 Pennsylvania side-opening detached box (probably excavated) is in a private collection. While much has been written regarding the hinged box (called "patch box" after 1790) being developed by 1750, the 1771 brass barrel rifle is the earliest survivor.
In addition to its date and extraordinary brass barrel, the architecture of the stock is the strongest Germanic example known to have been made in America. The massive long cheek rest is strongly molded on its edge with a convex section followed by concave molding. The back of the cheek rest ends with a graceful covered step down that terminates with a convex molding running perpendicular to the cheek piece molding. From this molding another curved step blends smoothly into the buttstock. At the wrist, the cheek rest terminates with a flowing serpentine step in concert with the serpentine relief line that forms the transition of the comb and wrist. The only other example of this complex architecture is a somewhat later (ca 1775) iron barrel rifle from the same shop. (See Shumway, Rifles of Colonial America Vol. II, 1980: fig 145, pp.610 and 616.) The cheek-rest of this brass barrel is convex and the overall nature of the buttstock has the bulbous qualities of the baroque style of the late 17th century, often retained by immigrant gunsmiths.
For an extended description of the gun, please go to www.cowans.com.
(EST $275,000-350,000)
Full-Stock Flintlock Rifle by JH
Lot # 7 (Sale Order: 7 of 712)
Rifle by the Hans Jacob Honaker family, third generation, Pulaski County, Virginia, ca 1830. This fine rifle is signed “J * H” in script on top of the barrel and displays a bird finial on the patch box. This same finial is repeated on at least five Honaker rifles. It also has the “Honaker style set triggers” identical to those of two iron-mounted examples. The “J * H” is undoubtedly the signature of John or Jacob Honaker, both sons of Abraham. Several rifles signed by their brother James are signed “Jas. Honaker,” distinguishing his work from that of his two brothers. Either John or Jacob appears to be the maker of this example, and another with an identical “J * H” signature. Both brothers moved to Ohio in the 1830s. This example appears to have been made in Pulaski County, Virginia. It was collected by Sheffield Clark in the 1960s from a family in east Tennessee.
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection: Sheffield Clark; unknown owners to Sumpter Priddy, to Michael Tuccori, to Wallace Gusler, 2010.
Condition: Rifle is very nice and in untouched condition.
(EST $ 20000 - 30000)
Pair of African Fang Knives Collected 1898
Lot # 8 (Sale Order: 8 of 712)
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection: Descended through the Osborne and Biddle families in Philadelphia.
Condition: Expected wear.
(EST $ 1500 - 2500)
African Kuba Ceremonial Knife
Lot # 9 (Sale Order: 9 of 712)
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection
Condition: Blade edges slightly dinged.
(EST $ 500 - 1000)
African Songye Axe
Lot # 10 (Sale Order: 10 of 712)
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection: Ex Roman Black Collection; Ex Bill Fagen:
(EST $ 2000 - 3000)
African Yaka Knife and Sheath
Lot # 11 (Sale Order: 11 of 712)
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection
Condition: Expected wear.
(EST $ 1000 - 1500)
African Luba Figural Head Rest
Lot # 12 (Sale Order: 12 of 712)
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection: Ex Bruce Larson.
Condition: Beautiful patina.
(EST $ 2500 - 3500)
African Didinga Hide Shield
Lot # 13 (Sale Order: 13 of 712)
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection. Ex Richard Pryor Collection: retains the comedian's printed label.
Condition: Expected wear.
(EST $ 2500 - 3500)
African Tuareg Ladle
Lot # 14 (Sale Order: 14 of 712)
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection
(EST $ 2000 - 3000)
African Yoruba Ceremonial Knife
Lot # 15 (Sale Order: 15 of 712)
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection
Condition: Expected wear.
(EST $ 1500 - 2500)
African Benin Ivory Trumpet
Lot # 16 (Sale Order: 16 of 712)
Provenance:Selections from the Wallace Gusler Collection
(EST $ 2000 - 3500)
Fiji Sali War Club
Lot # 17 (Sale Order: 17 of 712)
Condition: Very good. It has some minor old chips and It is in very good condition and its spur is intact. So often this region is broken or restored on many other clubs. Tiny dings as would be expected on a used weapon of this vintage.
(EST $ 1000 - 1500)
Brass Swivel Gun Cannon French and Indian War Era
Lot # 18 (Sale Order: 18 of 712)
Condition: Excellent.
(EST $ 8500 - 10000)
Brass Scottish Cannon with Wood Carriage
Lot # 19 (Sale Order: 19 of 712)
Condition: Excellent.
(EST $ 4500 - 6500)
Early American Patriotic Painted Drum
Lot # 20 (Sale Order: 20 of 712)
Condition: Very good. Batter head has a large tear across it. There is a 14" tear that has been stitched together intersecting the main tear. Head is stenciled "E.C." Leather snares are present.
(EST $ 8500 - 10000)
US Military Officer's Stirrups with Eagle Rosettes
Lot # 21 (Sale Order: 21 of 712)
Condition: Relic. 90% of medallion is missing, but profile underneath is still partially visible.
(EST $ 600 - 800)
Early Powder Horn with Contemprorary Engravings of Philadelphia Locations
Lot # 22 (Sale Order: 22 of 712)
Provenance:Ex John McMurray
Condition: Very good.
(EST $ 600 - 800)
Early American Powder Horn With Bee Hive End Cap
Lot # 23 (Sale Order: 23 of 712)
Condition: Very good.
(EST $ 6000 - 8000)
Early American Powder Horn to Capt. Israel Herrick
Lot # 24 (Sale Order: 24 of 712)
Condition: Very good. Missing in plug and some detereration near the plug end of horn.
(EST $ 16000 - 20000)
Early American Powder Horn
Lot # 25 (Sale Order: 25 of 712)
Condition: Very good.1.5" Crack at bottom of horn.
(EST $ 3000 - 5000)