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LOT 1242
Extraordinarily Finely Engraved, Gold Inlaid, and Silver Mounted Half-Stock Flintlock Sporting Rifle by Haslett of Baltimore - NSN, 42 cal., 38 3/4 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened/silver finish, deluxe walnut stock. This extraordinarily beautiful rifle at first glance appears very much to have been a rifle made in England; however, this beautiful rifle was in fact produced and originally sold in Baltimore, Maryland, around the end of the War of 1812. This history is discussed in the included typed and signed 1985 document from W. Keith Neal who noted the rifle was never used and “is in original condition... throughout and is the finest American made rifle of the period circa 1810-1815 in existence.”The rifle was made by renowned gunmaker James Haslett (1773-1833), one of the most talented gunmakers working in the United States in the early 19th century. The majority of the limited number of firearms by Haslett that we have examined could easily have been misidentified as from one of the leading London gunmakers if it were not for their Haslett markings and
lack of London or Birmingham proof marks and hallmarks. He was born in Ireland in 1773 and completed an apprenticeship at “one of the first gun makers in Europe” as his advertisements stated before being brought over to the U.S. by Robert McCormick to serve as the foreman of his factory in Philadelphia in 1798. He remained in Philadelphia when McCormick went bankrupt in 1801 and worked privately there until moving to Baltimore in the middle of
1803. That June, he advertised that he had opened a shop at 64 North Gay Street. His shop moved again to 4 Light Street and then was located at 28 Water Street by 1805 under the “sign of the golden gun.” He served as an officer in both the Maryland Militia and the U.S. Army during the War of 1812 and also repaired and inspected arms used in the fight against the invading British Army. With the return of peace, Haslett continued to work at his gun shop. See “James Haslett, Baltimore Gunsmith, and the War of 1812” by Frederick C. Gaede for more details. The fact that Haslett actively served in the War of 1812 makes the jointly British and American nature of this rifle particularly fascinating. This incredible rifle is featured in “Steel Canvas” by R.L. Wilson on page 80.
This rifle features a browned Damascus barrel with seven- groove rifling, decorative design on the muzzle, gold bands at the muzzle and breech, a band of gold floral inlays between the bands at the breech, a dovetailed silver blade front sight, dovetailed notch rear sight, “HASLETT. BALTIMORE” in gold inlay on top of the breech section, and a gold lined vent. The breech plug is hooked, and the standing breech features floral and rabbit engraving. The lock features a sunken gold lined “HASLETT/BALTIMORE” maker’s mark, a rainproof priming pan with gold lining, frizzen spring roller, burst design between the cock and fence, floral engraving towards the rear, and a sliding half- cock safety. The rifle is equipped with a single set trigger.
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