Hunter's star or Moravian star?

[Paddlefoot]

Something I have been pondering for some time from a builders point of view and then finally popped into my head that you guys collect and study the originals. I was wondering if there were particular old masters who used the cheek piece star and what it's significance might have been. I found a reference to a "Moravian Star", which was developed in about 1830 as a school project to teach geometry in a Moravian school. I did some reading and found that there was a Moravian community in Bethlehem PA, established in the early to mid 1740s. Another Moravian center was in South Carolina about a decade later. Might we see the stars on Carolina rifles too? There may be plenty of information on this that you folks have discussed or published that I am not aware of. If you could kindly point me in that direction I would appreciate it greatly.
                                                        Cliff

[Seth Isaacson]

They are definitely found on rifles by many makers in Pennsylvania, some of whom were Moravians. I believe my wife said when she was learning to quilt from her grandmother that the hunter star patterns on quilts also came from the Pennsylvania Dutch (Germans) which is not surprising. I can't recall seeing them on rifles from the Carolinas, but I have seen few guns from there by comparison and definitely fewer than many members here. I know I have seen them on rifles from Virginia and other areas outside of Pennsylvania. My recollections certainly aren't hard data, so take them for what they are. This one on a rifle by Peter Neihart (Pennsylvania) is probably the nicest looking one I've seen:




I like the treatment on this Simon Lauck (Virginia) as well:

[OLUT]

Paddlefoot, per your question, "might we see the stars on Carolina rifles too?" ..... Givens book "Longrifles of North Carolina" shows similar 8 pointed star  inlays on Vogler guns from Salem, N.C. He states, " An eight pointed star in silver is inlaid on the buttstock behind the cheekpiece; many Salem rifles carry this inlay in this position and it is typical of the school".

[Arcturus]

Paddlefoot, I believe the area of the Carolinas you are thinking of when speaking of a southern Moravian establishment is the area in North Carolina around Salem.  The Moravians bought a large tract of land there and traveled the Great Wagon Road between SE Pennsylvania and their holdings in North Carolina.  As OLUT pointed out, there are examples of rifles with stars inlaid on the cheekpiece from this area.

[Shreckmeister]

My favorite is the stylized one on Herman Rupp's rifle in Dave Hansen's book. 

[Paul E. Wog]

I second that Mr. Meister...beautiful rifle
   Shreck ( NOT Meister )
P.S.  There is an unopened bottle of 15 year Lagavulin Oak Cask awaiting at my house...just sayin'