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It is estimated he joined Bonewitz as an apprentice in 1790, at age 14,
and achieved Master Gunsmith status 7 or 8 years later. He remained in
the Bonewitz, Womelsdorf shop after completing his apprenticeship and
moved with the Bonewitz family to Pine Grove, Pa. in 1809. Sometime
after the conclusion of the War of 1812 he moved to Gratz, Pa. where he
continued as a Master Gunsmith and also became a local Justice of the
Peace...Leonard Reedy’s account journals, while in Gratz, are the subject of
10 pages [13-22] in Joe Kindig’s famous book ‘Thoughts on the Kentucky
Rifle in its Golden Age’ printed in 1960. His Gratz account journals are also
reviewed in an article published by the Gratz Historical Society. ‘The Lost
Years of Leonard Reedy’ were the subject of a private research effort by
KRA member H. I. Bishop presented to KRA members in 2004.” This rifle is
similar to several Reedy attributed rifles, especially an example shown in
the Bruce Miller Virtual Library at AmericanLongrifles.org which features a
tear drop and series of descending dots ahead of the toe plate somewhat
similar to the inlays on the heels of the pistols in the following lot which
are attributed to Reedy. The pistols, the current rifle, and others attributed
to Reedy also have similar carving by the barrel tangs. While many rifles are
attributed to Reedy, only a few are signed.
The swamped octagonal barrel has seven-groove rifling, dovetailed blade
and notch sights, “L Reedy” signed on top, and a pointed tang. The flat
beveled lock has no visible markings and has a groove cut in the pan to
align with the vent. The trigger has a pierced design. The rifle has brass
mounts consisting of a forend cap, two ramrod pipes, a ramrod entry
pipe, trigger guard, engraved patchbox with pierced side plates and finial,
engraved and pierced toe plate, plain side plate, and buttplate. There are
also eight lightly engraved silver pin escutcheons along the forend, a blank
silver wrist escutcheon, and an engraved silver eagle on the cheekpiece.
The beautiful curly maple stock has molding terminating in scroll carving
with crosshatching at the entry point, nicely shaped drop flats, additional
molding along the butt, scroll carving at the tang with crosshatching, and
stunning relief carved scrollwork with floral accents and crosshatching on
the butt.
Greg Lampe stated: “The gun remained in the original Connery family
from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, for several generations and was passed
along from father to oldest son at the time of his marriage. The latest
owner moved to California and decided to sell the rifle due to ill health. He
gave the rifle to a local gunsmith who removed the breech plug, pulled
out the ramrod tip and reattached it. From the Richard Headley collection
who purchased the item from this gunsmith who offered the rifle for sale
for the family. Pictured with an article in the spring 1989 Kentucky Rifle
Association magazine. The rifle comes with an original signed Leonard
Reedy document and copies of others, photos of his grave stone and his
wife’s and his later home in Gratz, Dauphin County, PA. This rifle is noted
as one of the finest Leonard Reedy rifles known and one of only three that
are signed.” A handwritten document from Vic Walker Gun Shop in Grover
City, California, suggests the rifle was presented by the City of Philadelphia
or a patriotic group in the city to a man named William or Campbell who
had become a member of the Seneca tribe and had helped negotiate a
treaty and was then reported by the Connery family to have been taken by
force from the Seneca and passed down through their family. The original
document from Reedy that is included details with the sale of a property
on October 30, 1829, for $1,250 in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.