Page 59 - 86-Book2

LOT 1060
Documented, Relief Carved, Silver
Accented and D. Cooley Signed Flintlock American Long Rifle Featured in “Thoughts
on the Kentucky Rifle in Its Golden Age” by Kindig - NSN, 40 cal., 42 inch octagon bbl., brown finish, maple stock. This rifle is no. 237 on page 505 of “Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in Its Golden Age” by Kindig. He notes that David Cooley (1790-1856) is buried in the Upper Bermudian Churchyard in
Huntington Township and had connections with Heidelberg Township in Adams County, Pennsylvania. He states “David Cooley was a fine gunsmith whose work lies between the Emmitsburg school and the Chambersburg school both geographically and stylistically...David Cooley made quite beautiful guns that are well designed with good carving and good engraving. He was one of the best gunsmiths of his section.” He notes that this rifle has similar aspects to Abraham Schweitzer’s work. Whisker in “Gunsmiths of Adams, Franklin and Cumberland Counties, Pennsylvania” indicates he was born in Huntington Township in York County and was taxed as a gunsmith from 1802 through 1831 in Tyrone Township, in Adams County and then from 1831 to 1856 in Franklin Township in Adams County. “Cooley’s work is rare, but is as fine as any Golden Age gunsmith anywhere. He probably spent most of his adult life as a farmer.”
Though Kindig lists the barrel as rifled, it is smoothbore. It has traditional blade and notch rifle sights and is signed “D* Cooley” in a nicely engraved panel. The lock is unmarked. The furniture is brass. The side plate has nice scroll, floral, and border engraving. The silver wrist escutcheon has a light wavy line border. The silver cheekpiece inlay is a finely engraved hunter’s star. The patchbox has the “hurricane” style scroll pattern on
the lid, wavy line borders, scroll and floral patterns on the side plates, and a pierced finial in the shape of a horse’s head. The
toe plate has floral and wavy line engraving. The stock has double incised line molding along the forend terminating in scrolls, nicely shaped tear drop flats, floral carving at the upper tang, single line molding along the butt, scroll at the front of the comb, a crosshatched half-circle under the cheekpiece, and very attractive raised relief and incised carved scrolls behind the cheekpiece. The carving and engraving has similarities with the other rifles in Kindig’s book as well as the example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but his rifles also show a lot of variety making each unique.
CONDITION: Very good as an old reconversion with mostly dark brown patina on the lock and barrel, moderate oxidation and pitting concentrated by the breech and the lock, repairs on the lock and cracked cock neck, attractive aged patina on the brass and silver, chipped rear barrel wedge, and distinct signature and engraving. The stock is fine and has some loss around the lock, tension crack at the rear lock screw, mostly crisp carving, subtle figure, and mild dings and scratches. The lock needs work. This is a very scarce and well-known David Cooley “Golden Age” American long rifle.
Estimate: 8,500 - 13,000
to documented “J. Welshans” rifles. The “J” and “W” and asterisks style stamped accents
are similar to his signatures on rifles with the complete surname. Pages 345-347 of Joe
Kindig Jr’s “Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in its Golden Age” features two signed examples, and rifle no. 150 from Kindig was sold
in our May 2022 auction. Photographs of the details, including the signature, can be seen on our website. Note the feather design
on both of the other signed rifles’ patch box lids that is similar to the design on our current rifle as well as the wrist checkering, the trigger and trigger guard, and other comparable design features. Kindig notes that Welshans was a good engraver but that he was
not certain which J. Welshans made this rifle or the other two examples he discusses due to the several J. Welshans listed in and near York, Pennsylvania in the late 18th century and early 1800s. “Gunsmiths of York County, Pennsylvania” by Dr. James B. Whisker lists
Jacob Welshans Sr. (1716-1763), Jacob Welshans Jr. (1742-1819), Jacob Welshans III, John Conrad Welshans (1761-1827), Joseph Welshans Sr. (d. 1793), and Joseph Welshans Jr. (b. 1755). Over the years there has been confusion due to the overlapping periods of
activity by these men all active in the firearms trade. The family operated a barrel boring mill on the Baltimore Pike south of
York that burned in 1800, and multiple members had government contracts for rifles and muskets and repairing arms in the late
18th century and early 19th century. Joseph Welshans Sr., for example, had a contract to make 328 rifles in 1792 as part of the
build up of the Legion of the United States. The legion was created for frontier duty in the Northwest Indian War during George Washington’s first term as president following St. Clair’s disastrous defeat at the Battle of the Wabash in 1791. The smoothbore
barrel has traditional blade and notch sights, “+J. W+” signature, and a sunken “GR” mark on the upper left at the breech. The lock
has an unclear maker’s mark and light engraving. The silver wrist escutcheon has light border engraving, and the brass furniture
features floral, scroll, and “track line” patterns. The stock has double line incised molding along the forend, checkering on the wrist, single line molding on the butt, and incised scroll carving on the left behind the cheekpiece.
CONDITION: Good as reconverted to flintlock configuration. The barrel and lock have dark brown patina and applied finish, mild oxidation and pitting, and moderate wear. The silver and brass have attractive aged patinas and distinct engraving. The stock is
good and has some thin cracks and chips most notably at the nose and tail of the lock, mild dings and scratches, distinct but worn checkering, and distinct molding and carving. The lock is inoperable.
Estimate: 5,000 - 8,000
57
LOT 1061
Engraved, Incise Carved, and J.W.
Signed Smoothbore Flintlock American Long Rifle - NSN, 52
cal., 44 1/2 inch octagon bbl., brown finish, maple stock. This “J.W.” signed smoothbore rifle has been attributed to J. Welshans and has many similarities
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK THOUGHTS ON THE KENTUCKY RIFLE IN ITS GOLDEN AGE BY KINDIG
SIMILAR EXAMPLES PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK THOUGHTS ON THE KENTUCKY RIFLE IN ITS GOLDEN AGE BY KINDIG