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LOT 3286
Desirable Martin Smith Signed New England Percussion American Long Rifle with Horse Head Patchbox - NSN, 52 cal., 40 1/2 inch octagon bbl., unknown finish, cherry stock. Martin Smith Jr. appears to have been
born in Shrewsbury in 1797, trained under Silas Allen Jr., and purchased a shop in Greenfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts, and worked there c. 1819-1836, including making Indian trade rifles for the American Fur Co. The smoothbore barrel may have
originally been rifled and has “M. SMITH” crisply stamped on top, a fixed blade front sight, and a dovetailed notch rear sight. There are silver
wire scroll inlays around the barrel tang. The converted lock is marked “ASHMORE/& Co/WARRANTED” and has some floral designs. The trigger is brass and is enclosed in a brass trigger guard with a distinctive pointed finial commonly found on Worcester County rifles. The four-piece patchbox has
a horse head finial and wavy line and floral engraving. The wedge escutcheons are silver, and the side plates and toe plate are wavy line and floral engraved. The stock has a checkered wrist and rounded cheekpiece.
CONDITION: Very good with gray and brown patina on the lock and barrel along with mild oxidation/pitting, attractive aged patina on the silver and brass, part of the patchbox hinge cracked, and mild overall wear. The refinished stock is good and has visible but smoothed checkering, some cracks and chips mainly on the forend, a repaired wrist, and scratches and dings. Mechanically fine. Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000
LOT 3287
Finely Engraved John Fleeger Percussion American Long Rifle - NSN, 36 cal., 42 1/4 inch octagon bbl., brown finish, curly maple stock. John Fleeger (1808-1882) was a long time gunsmith from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and ran the Allegheny Gun Works. The barrel has circle and dot patterns on the muzzle of the rifled barrel, traditional
blade and notch sights, “J. FLEEGER/ALLEGHENY” marked on top, and a nicely shaped bolster with cleanout bolt and long tang running to the back of the wrist. The lock is marked “B. WOLFF JR./PITTSBURGH PA” and has a bird hunting scene and floral patterns. The rifle is equipped with double set triggers. The trigger guard is spurred. The patchbox is rather elaborate and features pieced plates and fine engraving. The lid button is in the engraved toe plate. The engraved side plate is German silver, and the silver oval cheekpiece inlay is engraved with a spread wing eagle and
shield design. The buttplate has a pointed heel, and the stock has nice molding along the forend. This rifle was purchased off of Damon Mills Fine Antique Firearms List #11 dated August 1990 (copy included). CONDITION: Very good with dark brown patina and mild oxidation/pitting on the barrel and lock, aged patina on the brass and silver, crisp engraving, and general mild overall wear. The stock is also fine and has distinct molding, general light scratches, some loss at the breech, and faint cracks and repairs, including a repair in the wrist. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: Damon Mills Fine Antique Firearms; Property of a Gentleman.
around the screws, engraved side plate, and incised carving on the butt mainly behind the cheekpiece. The patch box contains a pair of iron worms. CONDITION: Very good with dark brown patina on the lock and barrel along with moderate oxidation/pitting, heavy flash wear at the breech, attractive aged patina on the silver and brass, and crisp engraving. The stock is also very good and has a partial repair at the nose of the lock, mild scrapes and dings, mostly distinct molding and carving, some thin cracks, and general mild overall wear. The set trigger needs work (adjustment screw absent), but the lock functions. Estimate: 2,250 - 3,500
LOT 3289 Drepperd Lancaster Percussion American Long Rifle - NSN, 36 cal., 38 inch octagon bbl., blue/bright finish, maple stock. “DREPPERD/ LANCASTER” is stamped on the barrel and lock. John Drepperd (also spelled Dreppert in the period) appears to have built percussion “trade rifles” of this pattern in some quantity given other
extant examples with nearly identical details. The Kentucky Rifle Foundation lists him as appearing in tax records for 1837 to 1864. His locks were also used by other Lancaster gunmakers. The rifle features engraving on the muzzle face, a dovetailed brass blade front sights,
dovetailed notch rear sight, floral and wavy line engraving, spurred trigger guard, double set triggers, four-piece patchbox, toe plate, German silver wrist and cheekpiece inlays, and checkered wrist.
CONDITION: Very good with dark brown patina on the barrel and lock, attractively aged patina on the brass patchbox and furniture, moderate oxidation at the breech, most of the dark finish remaining on the stock along with some areas worn back, some chips and cracks in the wood, broken ramrod, and mild scratches and dings. Mechanically fine.
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
LOT 3288
Engraved, Silver Inlaid, and Incised Carved Frederick Stover Percussion American Long Rifle - NSN, 45 cal., 41 3/4 inch octagon bbl., brown/silver/bright finish, curly maple stock. Frederick Stover is recorded as working in Maryland and then later on
in York County, Pennsylvania. This rifle has a fairly heavy barrel that is neatly signed “Fredk * Stover” on top and features traditional
blade and notch sights, adjustable double set triggers, seventeen engraved silver inlays including a very attractive eagle and shield design on
the cheekpiece, brass furniture, attractive four-piece patchbox with floral engraving, release button in the toe plate which has floral blooms engraved
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750 173