Comments:
You have a very nice Jacob Kuntz "wender" or swivel barrel rifle. Great original condition, and interesting because it appears to be original percussion with a full patchbox. Jacob Kuntz (1780-1876) is known for his fine engraving, and overall artistic style of building guns. He worked in Philadelphia for about the years 1810 or 1811, to 1875, and was one of Philadephia's most prominent gunmakers, known for his high quality. The modified back action lock plate style and oval cheekpiece might indicate a mid-to-late 1830s date for this rifle, possibly a few years later. It's a very nice gun, in appealing condion to collectors since it hasn't been worked on or restored in recent history. I really enjoy the extensive engraving on this gun, on the patchbox, cheekpiece inlay, lock plates, hammer, breech block, below the nipple and "snail," and all in Kuntz' style. I also noticed both barrels have adjustable rear sights, another feature not always present on this type rifle. It's a fine piece, worthy of being well cared for. It looks like it might have had a sling on it at one time, based on the mark on the rib between the barrels 4 or 5 inches behind the muzzle. Any chance you can add a picture of the toe, the flat lower edge on the bottom of the butt, to see if it has a fancy toe plate, and if it ever had a sling attachment?
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Neat gun, even for that later period. Did anyone else look at the front sights? Did someone take these off at some time
and turn them around, they're just not on there correctly.
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I'll tell you, I've seen enough examples of the sights in this configuration that I'm starting to believe that some were meant to be that way. I can't remember where i saw it, but not too awful long ago I saw one in this configuration that was staked in the barrel. That is there was no dovetail base. Seems odd, but maybe some had different ideas.
On another note, the stock appears to be European Walnut to my eye. It seems I've seen photographs of a couple other later Kunz's that looked like Euro walnut as well. Certainly a neat gun in great condition.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The engraving is exceptional, even for a Philadelphia gun.
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In the book Steel Canvas, there is a picture of a J. Kunz swivel breech rifle. It is only half of the rifle, you cannot see the sights. The only thing the book said about the rifle is "More sophisticated percussion swivel breech rifle by J Kunz, Philadelphia: barrels part round, part octagonal, 36 inches; select walnut with scarce black-streaked grain; c 1835-45".
If you look at the patch boxes, you can see that they are the same but at the same time Kunz changed parts of the boxes to make them different. The lock is the same but the engraving is different. Does any one think the wood from both rifles could have come from the same tree?
XXXX, if you every take the lock off this rifle, could you post pictures of the inside of the lock. I like Kunz work, but without people posting more pictures we would never see some of these rifle.
