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LOT 3189
Percussion Over/Under Combination Gun by Philip
Kockler of Lewisburg of Pennsylvania - NSN, 44 cal., 34 1/2 inch octagon bbl.,
blue/German silver finish, curly maple stock. This 19th century American combination
gun is marked “P. KOCKLER/LEWISBURG” on the upper barrel which is .44 caliber and rifled
and has a dovetailed German silver blade front sight and dovetailed iron notch rear sight. The lower barrel is .43 caliber and
smoothbore. A shared ramrod is fitted to the right. The locks have scroll engraving. The mounts are German silver and include a stag
inlay on the cheekpiece. The stock is curly maple with a raised shell carved forend tip. A detailed write-up on Kockler accompanies the
rifle and notes that Philip Kockler (1828-1888) was born in Prussia and immigrated to the United States in the 1830s with his parents and
lived and worked in Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania, c. 1862-1888 after apprenticing under Frederick Beerstecher who worked
in Philadelphia in 1846-1857 and then Lewisburg c. 1857-1868 before moving on to Michigan. The consignor estimated this rifle was
manufactured around 1870.
CONDITION: Good with much of the refinished blue finish remaining over moderate pitting, light aged patina on the German silver
mounts, and mild overall wear. The refinished stock has repairs including screw affixed brass plates repairing a crack on the underside at
the breech, cracks, mild wear, and attractive flame figure. The triggers and locks need work.
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
LOT 3188
Desirable Engraved “J. Dickert Gill” Signed Flintlock American
Long Rifle - NSN, 45 cal., 43 inch octagon bbl., unknown/bright finish, curly
maple stock. Jacob Dickert (1740-1822) is among the most famous of all American
longrifle makers. He was a well-respected Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, gunmaker
with a career spanning from the 1760s to 1820s. He produced rifles under contract for the U.S.
government in the early
national period. He also briefly
partnered with his son-in-law
James Gill in a store in the mid-1790s,
and it has often been said that Dickert
& Gill made contract rifles. However,
these “J. Dickert Gill” rifles appear to have
actually been the work of his grandson
Jacob Dickert Gill (b. 1788). A “J. Dickert Gill” rifle was sent to J.J. Henry by the American Fur Company to base their trade
rifles on in 1831. This rifle features a lightly swamped octagonal barrel with seven-groove rifling, blade and notch sights,
and “J: Dickert [tomahawk and pipe cartouche] Gill” signed on top. The lock is marked “NOCK/WARRANTED” and has light
engraving and a roller on the frizzen spring. The rifle is equipped with a plain trigger and has lightly engraved brass
mounts, three small silver crescent moon inlays, an inlet for an oval wrist escutcheon (absent), and a later brass inlay
added to the cheekpiece. The nicely figured curly maple stock has a checkered wrist.
CONDITION: Good with dark brown patina and oxidation on the lock and barrel, moderate pitting concentrated at
the breech, replacement top jaw and jaw screw, re-faced frizzen, attractively aged patina on the brass mounts and
silver inlays, the noted absent wrist escutcheon, and general moderate wear. The stock is fair and has worn but visible
checkering, some chips and cracks, loosely fitting barrel wedges, attractive flame figure, mild scrapes and dings, small
hole on the underside of the butt, and general mild wear. The lock needs work as it does not hold in half or full cock. The
distinctive signature is crisp, and the maker’s marks is faint but legible.
Estimate: 6,000 - 9,000
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