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LOT 3267
Highly Attractive Engraved Gillespie Half-Stock Percussion Rifle - NSN, 36 cal., 35 1/2 inch octagon bbl.,
brown/German silver finish, highly figured walnut stock. Flayderman’s Guide indicates George D. H. Gillespie
was a hardware merchant in New York City in the 1850s and 1860s and noted that he is believed to have been retailing guns
made by other New York gunmakers, including copies of Henry Deringer’s iconic pocket pistols. It is unknown if he was related
to the Gillespie gunmakers of North Carolina earlier in the 19th century who are famously said to have made one of Daniel Boone’s rifles. This
classic 19th century American half-stock rifle likely originates from New York and is signed “GILLESPIE” on the barrel and the back action lock and displays
attractive scroll engraving, a hunter scene on the patchbox lid, German silver mounts, a short turned down section at the muzzle for use with a starter, dovetailed
brass blade front sight, dovetailed notch rear sight, double set triggers, and a nicely figured walnut stock with a checkered wrist and star inlay on the oval shadowline cheekpiece.
CONDITION: Fine with period refinished brown along the barrel and the lock plate mostly silvered out gray, mild oxidation/pitting, distinct engraving, attractively aged patina on the German silver mounts, and some dings and
scratches. The stock is very fine and has crisp checkering, glossy finish, scattered dings and scratches, and minor flakes. Mechanically fine.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000
LOT 3266
Desirable Klepzig of San
Francisco Heavy Barrel .50 Caliber
Half-Stock Percussion Rifle - NSN, 50 cal., 33 1/8 inch octagon bbl., unknown/casehardened finish, walnut stock. A
hunting/target rifle of this same pattern, possibly this exact rifle, is featured in plate 123 in “California Gunsmiths 1846-1900” by Lawrence P. Shelton who wrote that
John Christian Eberhart Klepzig (1817-1878) was born in Norway and worked in New York before coming to California during the gold rush. He was a gunmaker in San
Francisco by 1852 and originally was partnered with Charles Bauer, and then as J. C. E. Klepzig & Co. by 1856 and was a regular exhibitor at the San Francisco Mechanics Fair.
He was a known maker of rifles and Henry Deringer style pocket pistols and committed suicide with a pair of pistols possibly due to financial distress. This rifle’s heavy barrel is turned round at the
muzzle and marked “44” for use with a bullet starter and is equipped with a blade front sight and elevation adjustable rear sight. The breech plug is engraved on top and has a silver inlaid band. The upper
left barrel flat is stamped “KLEPZIG/SAN FRANCISCO.” The lock plate is marked “KLEPZIG.” The rifle has adjustable double set triggers, German silver escutcheons, iron mounts
(including a patchbox), a walnut half-stock with a checkered wrist and an oval shadowline cheekpiece. Numbered “2” internally.
CONDITION: Very good. The barrel, trigger guard, and lock plate have a smooth brown and gray patina overall. The stock is also very good with partially smoothed but visible
checkering and some scattered dings and scratches. Mechanically fine.
Estimate: 2,750 - 4,250
LOT 3264
Deluxe Engraved German Silver Mounted H. E. Leman Half-Stock
Percussion Rifle - NSN, 40 cal., 36 3/4 inch octagon bbl., brown/
casehardened/German silver finish, walnut stock. This stunning rifle was
manufactured in the mid-19th century in Henry E. Leman’s famous shop
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and is certainly one of his more deluxe rifles
with detailed scroll engraving, German silver mounts, a scrolling dragon
motif on the patchbox, small compartment between the trigger guard
and toe plate, traditional dovetailed sights, “LEMAN LANCASTER PA”
marked on top of the barrel, gold and German silver banded breech plug with sunken “LEMAN/PATENT” marking, oval silver inlay
on the back action lock, adjustable single set trigger, and figured walnut stock with checkered wrist and shadowline cheekpiece.
Includes documents relating to Leman’s business.
CONDITION: Very good overall with dark brown patina along the barrel, dark gray patina on the lock, minor oxidation/pitting,
attractive minor aged patina on the mounts, on the stock at the bolster, small crack on the left at the breech, crisp checkering and engraving, attractive figure, and fairly
minor overall wear. Mechanically functions.
Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500
LOT 3265
Slotter & Co. Philadelphia Half Stock .50 Caliber Percussion Rifle - Serial no. 534, 50 cal., 34 inch
octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This heavy barrel half stock rifle is marked “SLOTTER & CO. PHILA” on the top
flat behind the rear sight, and the left rear flat is marked “GAIN TWIST/WART/534”. The barrel tang is marked “21”. The front sight is a brass
dovetailed blade, with a fixed dovetailed rear sight. The lock plate is marked “SLOTTER & CO. PHILA”. Brass mountings with patch box and crescent
buttplate. Double set triggers and wooden ram rod. Straight grip half stock with checkering on the wrist, cheek piece, and fancy trigger guard. Slotter & Co.
are probably better known for their pocket pistol fashioned identically after the Deringer, with the company being formed by former Henry Deringer employees.
One could argue a case for the aforementioned gun being a Plains Rifle due to the large caliber and rugged design.
CONDITION: Very fine. All metal surfaces have a smooth brown patina with a very small area of minor pitting on the left side of the barrel. The brass has a nice aged patina. The stock is also very fine with overall scattered
minor dents, dings and scratches, and a few hairline cracks around the lockplate screw on the left side of the stock. The markings are clear. Mechanically fine.
Estimate: 2,500 - 4,500