Page 37 - 85-Book3

LOT 3058
Kentucky Rifle Association Award Winning Golden Age Allentown-Bethlehem School Flintlock American “Smooth Rifle” - NSN, 16 gauge, 41 1/4 inch octagon bbl., brown finish, cherry stock. This gun has
many similar aspects to known pieces signed by Golden Age American longrifle makers John Moll and Herman Rupp. See for example rifle No. 57 in “Rifles of Colonial America Vol. 1” by Shumway signed “HERMAN RUPP 1793” and the John Moll rifles in “Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in Its Golden Age” by Kindig. The patch box finial and decorations are nearly identical to the John Moll patch box shown on page 284 of “Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes & Barrel Marks” by Chandler. This smoothbore may have originally been rifled and later bored out or have been made as a “smooth rifle” all along. It is a very attractive example of the Golden Aged arms of this region. Attached to the trigger guard is a silver plate engraved “Kentucky Rifle Assn./1981/Best Non Carved Rifle.” The barrel has a silver blade front sight and iron notch rear sight. The flat-faced lock plate has beveled edges, a pointed tail, a fenced iron pan, and no visible markings. The stock appears to be cherry and has brass and silver fittings, simple molding, and no carving. The
brass sideplate is the classic Moll and Rupp style with a rear arrow finial. The brass trigger guard has a spurred grip extension and squared finials. The wide, curved buttplate has a faceted heel and square toe. The brass patch box is the classic design noted above and has some light engraving. The oval silver wrist escutcheon
is secured by two pins and is engraved with floral and border designs, and the cheekpiece has a second
silver inlay and is a design found on Moll and Rupp rifles. It is similar to the German hunter’s star often
found on German and early American rifles but with a more floral style and has floral engraving. It is
secured by four pins.
CONDITION: Very good. The barrel has an even brown patina. There is some minor pitting at the breech
and faint signs of work at the vent. The reconverted lock also has dark patina and mild pitting, a resurfaced
frizzen, and tail set back into the stock. The brass and silver furniture display attractive aged patinas and mostly
distinct engraving. The stock is also very good and has a very attractive dark patina, some scattered handling marks, some thin cracks and faint stabilized cracks in the forend, minor flakes at the edges, and This is an exceptional, award-winning, Golden Age Pennsylvania rifle.
Estimate: 10,000 - 18,000
LOT 3059
Reading, Berks County, Attributed, Silver Accented, and Relief Carved Smoothbore Flintlock American Long Rifle - NSN, 58 cal., 43 1/4 inch octagon bbl., brown finish, curly maple stock. The consignor attributed this
“smooth rifle” as “in the style of Wolfgang Haga” of Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately no signed rifles by
Wolfgang Haga are known, but many Reading area rifles that are not signed have been attributed to him, including rifles with
the style of patch box on this rifle. This type of four-piece patch box was used by multiple makers, particularly in and near the
Reading area of Pennsylvania. The engraving on this particular example is very similar to the rifle on page 358 of “Kentucky
Rifle Patchboxes Barrel Marks” by Chandler on a rifle signed “H. Shultz.” The smoothbore barrel is equipped with traditional
low profile blade and notch sights and secured by four captured keys with silver escutcheons. The lock has “A. SCHR[rest
illegible]/WILM. DEL.” signed near the center and is fired using a plain single trigger. A silver oval escutcheon is on the wrist
with traces of initials, the cheekpiece has an engraved silver hunter’s star, and there is a small silver tear drop ahead of
the toeplate. The remaining furniture is brass. The patch box lid opens via a button by the heel of the buttplate. The brass
holder for a vent pick under the cheekpiece, the toe plate, and the patch box are lightly engraved. The curly maple stock has double line molding along the forend and butt, evidence of carving at the ramrod entry point, nicely shaped tear drop flats, floral carving by the barrel tang, scroll flourishes in
raised relief on either side below the nose of the comb, and attractive raised relief and incised scroll designs behind the cheekpiece.
CONDITION: Very good as reconverted to flintlock configuration with mix of original dark brown patina and applied brown finish on the
lock and barrel, some mild oxidation and pitting, nice aged patina on the silver accents and brass furniture, nice engraving, and general
mild overall wear. The partially restored stock is good with some thin cracks and small chips, a repaired spot that was worn through into
the ramrod channel in the grasping area of the forend, a partially stabilized and repaired break at the breech that flexes a bit, repaired toe,
worn but mostly distinct carving, mild dings and scratches, and very attractive figure throughout. The lock needs some work. This is a very
attractive Pennsylvania long rifle attributed to Wolfgang Haga and featuring the classic patch box design often attributed to him.
Estimate: 6,500 - 11,000
35