Bodenheimer, attributed

[JCKelly]

My favorite UPS man brought this rifle last week. 43-1/2" barrel, original percussion built on a former flint lock, trigger guard also from some other rifle. .50 cal bored smooth (sigh) and seems to be loaded. All brass mounts are black - it has never been "Cleaned" by some enthusiastic fellow.


It is this curl, or round thing, at the end of the cheek piece that defines it (I think) as a Bodenheimer.

The lock was originally flint, and the front side nail hole is drilled only in the plate, not the stock

Beautiful (?) side plate


I like the heart design on the rear sight.
Various sources say that Bodenheimer worked in Lancaster County, Ohio which is just southeast of Columbus. He arrived there (from??) in 1817, trade wheelwright. By 1837 he had changed to gunsmithing. He made ". . .long range rifles and the first globe sights seen in Lancaster."  Died sometime around 1850 or 1860.
A rather more fancy half-stock, signed Bodenheimer, was sold by RIA in 2013:
http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/59/lid/1289

I have a weakness for long black rifles. 

[Avlrc]

Nice rifle, congratulations on your acquisition. You can be extra grateful  this coming Thanksgiving Day.

[JCKelly]

Messed around w Ancestry.com
There were two William Bodenheimers that were gunsmiths, father and son.
Dad was born in Pennsylvania, lived in Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio at least through the 1870 census. His wife was Mary a., and his Occupation was shown as Wheelright

Son William, age 48 in the 1870 census, lived in the same household as his parents, occupation Gunsmith

In 1860 Dad was shown as a gunsmith, but one son John, age 40 then, was a Wheelwright.
Son William lived in his own household with a wife, Rachel, children George W, Mary C. and Frank S.

In 1850 both William Senior and son William were gunsmiths, John age 30 was a Wheelright, all living in the same household.

Found none of them in either the 1840 or the 1820 census.
However in 1830 a William Bodenheimer in Lancaster, Fairfield County

[JCKelly]

Oh yeah, to repeat this shows two William B.'s as gunsmiths. Perhaps that is why I have this old rifle build on a former flintlock, while other sources talk about a William B. making long range rifles with globe sites. I wonder if both father and son used the same style cheek rest?

[GrampaJack]

Just between you and me, I like the one you got much more than the "fancy" RIA gun. This is one that would bring a smile each time I looked at it. Thanks for sharing.  Since you guys beat us up pretty good on the football field last weekend I think the least you could do would be to send it on down to Ohio so I can keep it in the State it was born in. Hint, Hint, ............ Jack

[smokinbuck]

Jc,
Wm Bodenheimer Sr was born in PA in 1799 and Jr in Oh in 1824-25. Lancaster, oh is in Fairfield county. I will say your but carving is similar to Bodenheimer's but does not look right to me. His scrolls are always complete and make more than one turn. He sometimes put them on both sides and sometimes eliminated them altogether. The quality of work on this rifle is less than what is usually seen. Is the gun signed?
Mark

[JCKelly]

No, this gun is not signed, which is why I said "attributed" Both William born ~1798 and William born ~1824 were gunsmiths. The older was also a Wheelwright now & again.

I would be interested to see photos of his other work, in particular relating to that scroll. There is nothing in that 5-volume Ohio Longrifles set. All I have found, so far, is two fancy half-stock rifles in recent auctions.

In general I have found better gun photos on auction sites, than in published books. IF one has the patience to sort through a few thousand guns.

As far as the general quality of work on this gun no, it is not up to the standards of those two half-stocks on recent auction sites. However this gun appears to me that it might have been made rather early in the percussion period, considering that he re-used a flint lock from some older gun. At least the general style is earlier than those half stocks.

There are two auction sites which featured half-stock Bodenheimer rifles:

One Rock Island page no longer available, didn't realize they disappeared so fast. But I do have copies of the photos. -
http://www.rockislandauction.com/photos/59/p_standard/XQH46-S-CU2-L.jpg    2015

The second is signed, with a Conestoga Rifle Works barrel -
http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/desirable-william-bodenheimer-ohio-conestoga-rifl-1289-c-af1ad5f30b      (didn't sell)

Do you have other photos you might share? My email is under member list.

[smokinbuck]

The one I currently have is without scrolls on either side. I will try to find an example with scrolls or scroll.
Mark