J.W. Parker rifle (maker unknown or located) with all of the Silver inlays (8'+ silver wire) has curly maple stock(dark closet condition)barrel is 36" x 7/8" x 40 caliber, incised carving @ forend with poured pewter cap, original 1/2 stock & ram rod. Rifle has Comb molding like those found in North Carolina, but, must have been made further South...Tenn., Kentucky, Georgia?
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Comments:
Boy, we get some "different" looking rifles from time to time. This one is late, perhaps 1860s, with rather odd, non-standard decoration. There seem to be some indications it might be a North Carolina gun, particularly the incised comb lines, high comb, dark finish, long 2 screw tang, big Ger. silver inlays with screw attachment, large geometric lock bolt washer, etc., but that's pretty much a guess. I doubt it was made in KY.
These late rifles, made after strong regional characteristics have faded, and more whimsical decoration takes over when a gun is decorated, are hard to place. I think it's probably safe to assume this is a southern gun, perhaps North Carolina, but open to other possibilities. Unfortunately, I haven't seen enough Georgia and Alabama guns, ones we really know are from those states, to make an informed guess as to how much this gun has in common with those gunmaking areas.
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I concur with XXXXX. No maker of that name has been located in Georgia as yet.
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I will put my 2 cents worth in on this one. That side-plate is the same as the one on the Mathew Gillespie rifle in Bivins NC book. The stock is like ones used by Harvey Gillespie. I never heard of this guy but I bet he lived near Henderson County NC.
