Author Topic: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)  (Read 12876 times)

Offline Curt J

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Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« on: October 12, 2008, 07:00:37 AM »
Some of you might recall my post on the old board, about a fullstock longrifle I bought in October of 2007. It had been found in the top of an old barn, with some old lumber. It was found near Annawan, Illinois, about five or six years ago, after a farm that had remained in one family since before the Civil War, changed hands. When the new owners found the rifle, they contacted the elderly (in his 90's)gentleman who sold them the farm, and asked him whether he wanted it. He told them he had been born and raised on that farm, had lived there his entire life, and had never seen that rifle nor had he known it existed.

I first saw this rifle about four years ago. It was beyond filthy, rusty, covered with soot, but it was evident that there was a nice old rifle beneath all the crud. I knew that it had a hand-cut script signature on top of the barrel, but it was illegible at that point. It took me three years to buy this rifle. Not because they were unwilling to sell it, but because we just never got around to making a deal. Last October I decided that I should not let it get away, so called the owner and finally set up a time to meet. I was waiting in his driveway when he arrived home from work the following evening. I made him an offer, he accepted it, and I brought the rifle home. Believing that the signature was too pitted to ever be legible, I put off my disappointment by standing the rifle in the corner for the next several weeks. Eventually, curiosity got the best of me, and I carefully removed the barrel from the stock. After soaking the barrel with penetrating oil, I made a brass scraper and started working on the flats of the barrel. It was immediately evident that I was wrong about the pitting, it was mostly surface scale, and came off quite easily. That old wrought-iron rusts differently than steel.  It didn't take long bfore I realized that the script on the barrel was legible after all. When I finished scraping and wiped away the rust, there it was...."H. Tope". The rifle went from being an interesting old gun, to a prized possession in seconds! Henry Tope was a local gunsmith here. He worked in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois, from 1844 -1848. In March of 1848, he moved to Peru, LaSalle County, Illinois, and opened a shop near the "Steamboat Hotel". Tope and his wife both perished in the cholera epidemic in July of 1849. I have a detailed estate inventory of his tools, a sale bill telling who purchased his tools, and quite a bit more information found in his estate file in the LaSalle County courthouse. This rifle is the first signed example of his work that has ever turned up.

I subsequently did some further research, and learned that Tope was born in Ohio in about 1810. He apprenticed to a gunsmith named John M. Holmes, in Carrollton, Carroll County, Ohio. After completing his apprenticeship, he had a shop at Tope's Mill, Carroll County, Ohio, before moving to Illinois. Neither Tope nor Holmes are listed in the five volume set of books on Ohio gunmakers.

After spending some time in the very capable hands of Dan Breitenstein, the Henry Tope rifle is once again the handsome piece that Henry made, some 160 years ago.















« Last Edit: October 12, 2008, 07:05:37 AM by Curt J »

54ball

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2008, 08:48:37 AM »
Wow!! :o

Offline Majorjoel

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2008, 02:29:49 PM »
A great story and a great gun!! Thanks Curt for showing us the pictures. You know that old foundling barn gun I recently acquired has the exact same side plate as your Tope! All I can say about mine is when the farmer put it away in those ole barn rafters, it had been well used, abused and stashed away with all the fanfare of a pack-rat saving food scraps in a hole. :D The only restoration I made to it was to glue the broken stock (through the lock mortice) and lightly clean and oil the barrel. It was a pleasant surprise to find the bore to be in very good  condition. I hung it up over the doorway leading into my shop as a conversation piece. Ya, that one does talk to me. ::)
Joel Hall

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #3 on: October 12, 2008, 03:42:53 PM »
Quote
When the new owners found the rifle, they contacted the elderly (in his 90's)gentleman who sold them the farm, and asked him whether he wanted it. He told them he had been born and raised on that farm, had lived there his entire life, and had never seen that rifle nor had he known it existed.

How on earth do you spend that much time on a place and never find something like this? When I was a kid, we were into everything, no stone was ever unturned for very long.

That is a great rifle. Lucky you.  ;D
Psalms 144

Offline smokinbuck

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #4 on: October 12, 2008, 08:00:08 PM »
Curt,
Certainly glad you found, and saved, the Tope rifle. As nice a job as Dan did for you, and it really is nice, I hope you got some pictures of the "before" condition. Some of our current artisans don't get the credit they deserve. I will be looking into Mr. Holmes of Carroll County. Thanks.
Mark
Mark

Offline Fullstock longrifle

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2008, 12:37:37 AM »
That's a great story, you should write it down on a slip of paper and put it in the patchbox.  It's always nice to know some of the history of a gun.  Also, I like the patchbox, I've never seen another quite like it.

Frank

Offline Curt J

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2008, 01:53:24 AM »
Thanks for your interest everyone. I hope to have the man who sold it to me write down the details/cicumstances under which it was found, so that I can keep it with the rifle. The stock was quite black, and we almost left it that way. Dan had used masking tape around an area where he replaced a small piece of wood, to protect the surrounding area from his tools. When he removed the tape, it lifted all of the old black stuff with it, it was mostly soot. After getting a glimpse of the nice stripe underneath, we decided to expose it.

I too, am amazed that the old gentleman had lived all those years on that farm, yet never explored it the way I would have as a kid.  I think it was put up there, simply because the owner hated to just throw it away. As a packrat myself, I can relate to that.

 When I first dropped a light down the bore, it looked hopeless, no trace of rifling visible. But when I tipped it up to retrieve the light, the light had stuck to something. I had to rap the barrel to break it loose. It turned out to be old hardened-up grease. After unbreaching it and running a brush soaked in Kroil through it a few times, I was surprised at how well it cleaned up. The rifling is pretty fair, although I have no intention of shooting it.

Offline Dphariss

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2008, 06:02:57 AM »
Wonderful find.
Beautiful rifle.

Dan
He who dares not offend cannot be honest. Thomas Paine

Offline mr. no gold

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2008, 08:14:08 AM »
Fine gun, Curt! Thank you for letting the rest of take good look at her. Those home state gun makers could compete with the best of them, in my opinion. A pretty, pretty rifle.
I came through Princeton a number of weeks ago, but was in a big hurry and had no chance to phone you; next time for sure. As it happened, later in the trip, I found a grand Tim Tansel horn down in So. Illinois on the way back to the coast.
Regards-Dick

Offline Curt J

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2008, 01:00:20 AM »
Dick, thanks for the compliments on the Tope rifle. Next time you are in these parts, give me a little advanced notice and we will get together. (And congrats on finding that Tansel!)

Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #10 on: October 14, 2008, 01:11:41 AM »
As it happened, later in the trip, I found a grand Tim Tansel horn down in So. Illinois on the way back to the coast.
Regards-Dick

 Would you post pictures of the horn?

Thanks, Tim C.

Offline mr. no gold

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2008, 05:37:28 AM »
Glad to Tim, just as soon as I can get some decent photos of it. Thank you for asking.
Hey Curt-I will let you know well in advance next trip. I had hoped that we mignt spend the night in Princeton, but we hit there in the middle of the day and had to head on toward Cleveland. Still have hopes of getting to one of your show soon, even if I don't get to the KRA
anytime. Everyone raves about the Princeton Show, so I know that it's good.
Regards-Dick

Offline Curtis

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #12 on: October 14, 2008, 06:12:13 PM »
Curt,
I had the pleasure of seeing the rifle and having a conversation with you at Friendship this past June.  I am glad to see you got some photos posted, it is truly a wonderful rifle and a tremendous find.  Awesome gun and even better story.
Curtis Allinson
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Offline Tanselman

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #13 on: October 14, 2008, 11:31:58 PM »
Dick,  I'd like to see the Tansel you picked up in Illinois as well, as soon as you get pictures. I enjoy hearing about new ones, always hoping some new detail shows up that we haven't seen yet.  Shelby Gallien

Offline mr. no gold

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #14 on: October 15, 2008, 01:18:52 AM »
Folks-As it happens, I am awaiting photos from a friend whom I showed it to, coming back to CA. If he doesn't get to me soon, I will contact him and ask where they are. He is a pretty
good photographer and the photos will be good ones.
As such horns go, I would say this one is pretty standard in decorative elements. It has the gentleman with rifle, eagle and riband, the flourish, and three deer fleeing, but no dogs; good base and fish mouth decoration and a ball spout. No name or date on this one, however. Butt plug looks to be walnut and has a bulb or dome shape.
Thank to all for your interest, and Curt, sorry; I didn't mean to upstage your wonderful Tope rifle. It get better and better every time I look at it. It could be a one gun collection piece.
Best-Dick

wwpete52

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #15 on: October 15, 2008, 08:12:33 PM »
I need to take a look in my barn! The only thing I find out there is mice!

Offline mr. no gold

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #16 on: October 15, 2008, 09:13:34 PM »
Unless you have a good cat, mice is about all anyone can expect to find. Illinois is full of good barns and old houses, however. No telling how many good things are in the eaves of the barns or in the attics of the houses. Some years back, Mike D'Ambra sold a fine Frederick Sell rifle that had been found sticking out of a barrel in a barn somewhere up in Illinois. The farmer hired a man to clean the barn out and told the fellow he could have the gun in the bargain. The fellow certainly earned some high wages that day.
There are a sizable number of abandoned houses in the countryside, mostly old. If you're adventurous, it might pay to look in the closets and attics for old guns, left behind.
Dick

Offline Robby

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #17 on: October 15, 2008, 09:58:57 PM »
A fellow the next town over was remodeling the kitchen in his old farm house. Tore out some plaster & lath on one wall and found a civil war uniform complete with gun and accessories in excellent condition. Still has them.
molon labe
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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #18 on: October 16, 2008, 04:14:25 PM »
Some folks have all the luck.  A buddy in the Army years ago bought an old trunk at an auction for $15--no one could open it because the lock was rusted too much.  He got into it and found old rotted clothes and papers until he got to the bottom where resided a fine walnut case and inside was a mint condition Colt Patterson and accoutrements!  I knew a garbage collector in PA who used to pull original PA longrifles out of garbage cans back in the 50s.

Offline T*O*F

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #19 on: October 16, 2008, 07:29:39 PM »
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Tore out some plaster & lath on one wall and found a civil war uniform complete with gun and accessories in excellent condition

It seemed to be a common practice in the South to hide guns in the walls.  Maybe the metal detectors should check the walls of abandoned homestead houses instead of searching for artifacts around the houses.

Dave Kanger

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Offline Curt J

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #20 on: October 17, 2008, 12:50:08 AM »
I aso have a 10 gauge percussion double shotgun, made by "JAS. DONN & BRO. CANTON ILLS", which was found inside the wall of a house in Dubuque, Iowa.

An old man that I knew here years ago, had been an antique dealer back during the late 1930's. He told me he guessed he had bought and sold about 300 muzzle-loaders of various types, for $3 to $5. He cleaned out the attic of a large victorian home here in town. When he was all done, the elderly lady who owned it told him there were three old guns down inside an interior wall....get them out of here. He had to lay on the attic floor and reach down inside the wall to retrieve them. Two were long rifles, and he was able to reach them and pull them up with no difficulty. The third one was a percussion double shotgun. It being shorter, he could not get a good hold on it, but finally managed to work two fingers into the muzzles of the barrels and pull it up. When he got it out, it was loaded, capped, and cocked. Yikes!
« Last Edit: October 18, 2008, 03:34:35 AM by Curt J »

willyr

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #21 on: October 17, 2008, 12:26:54 PM »
If you lived in the South during the Martial Law period known as "reconstruction" you had to hide your guns if you wanted to keep them. No telling how many were hidden, then something happened to the owner, or they were evicted for delinquent taxes. The four years after the war for Southern Independence were hard times here in the South.
Be Well,
Bill Ridout

Offline kentucky bucky

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Re: Found In A Barn-H. Tope rifle (Part II)
« Reply #22 on: October 18, 2008, 05:51:58 AM »
I am so jealous........happy for you, but jealous.