Page 78 - 89-FLIPBOOK2

LOT 1099
Desirable Peter Moll, Hellerstown, Pennsylvania, Smoothbore Flintlock American Long Rifle -
Serial no. 141, 52 cal., 43 1/8 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened/brass finish, curly maple stock. Peter Moll (1799-1879) fought in the War of 1812 in Abraham Rinker’s Company in Colonel Thomas Humphrey’s 18th Riflemen. Afterwards, he became a gunmaker in Hellerstown, Pennsylvania. In addition to his rifles and smoothbore long guns, he and his relative David Moll manufactured pistols that have been considered “secondary martial pistols.”The barrel is bored smooth and has traditional low profile blade and notch sights,
76
“Peter Moll Hellerstown No. 141” signed on top in fancy script, and “D CHRIST” (“D” weakly stamped or has die breaks making it look like an “I”) stamped on the left. The lock has some simple engraving, a roller on the feather spring, and “JOHN WALKER/BIRMINGHAM” stamped at the center. The silver wrist escutcheon is inscribed with the initials “JA.” The two-piece brass patchbox has some light wavy line engraving and the typical Moll shape. The sideplate has the “arrowhead” rear finial. The small cheekpiece has a silver hunter star inlay. The stock also has some double incised line molding along the forend and bottom of the buttstock. Moll No. 140 is also known to survive and is very similar and also has a Christ barrel and Walker lock. A Jacob Christ of Berks County, Pennsylvania, has been previously listed as the maker of these barrels, but Shumway and others also list a D. Christ as a rifle barrel maker in Berks County. Some theorize he specialized in smooth-boring worn rifle barrels. There were at least three Daniel Christs in Berks County in the first half of the 19th century. CONDITION: Fine as reconverted to flintlock configuration with dark brown patina, mild pitting concentrated at the vent, attractive aged patina on the brass furniture and silver inlays, and general moderate overall wear. The stock is also fine and has some small chips along the edges, flash wear at the breech, mild scrapes and dings, and some faint cracks and repairs. Mechanically fine. Estimate: 10,000 - 15,000