AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Contemporary Longrifle Collecting => Topic started by: George Sutton on May 10, 2021, 09:20:10 PM

Title: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: George Sutton on May 10, 2021, 09:20:10 PM: I recently purchased this rifle and don't know if the nameplate represents the maker or the original owner. The gun has a lot of Pittsburgh influence but was purchased in Maine. I don't believe it's a recent build. No marks on the barrel or elsewhere. Any help will be appreciated.
GS
(https://i.ibb.co/bHhyKSb/20210510-140059.jpg) (https://ibb.co/N1hky8T)

(https://i.ibb.co/khJT2fh/20210510-135941-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vJhW4GJ)

json val (https://geojsonlint.com/)

(https://i.ibb.co/H2sR9zT/20210510-140010.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DbymjCf)

(https://i.ibb.co/NjYnnsm/20210510-140016.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HzgppVx)
Title: Re: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: Stoner creek on May 10, 2021, 09:23:47 PM: I’m not familiar with the maker but the style and engraving sure looks like a Johnson City Tennessee gun. It’s obviously contemporary. Maybe Randal Pierce will know.
Title: Re: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: Mike Brooks on May 11, 2021, 12:04:14 AM: Quote from: Stoner creek on May 10, 2021, 09:23:47 PM
I’m not familiar with the maker but the style and engraving sure looks like a Johnson City Tennessee gun. It’s obviously contemporary. Maybe Randal Pierce will know.
Looks like a Johnson City gun for sure.
Title: Re: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: Levy on May 11, 2021, 06:19:24 PM: I owned one of the Johnson City guns at one time and the recipient's name was engraved in the silver oval on the barrel. The makers name was engraved on one of the side flats. I discussed this with Stoner at the Knoxville Show. James Levy
Title: Re: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: Stoner creek on May 11, 2021, 07:18:30 PM: I’m no handwriting expert but I see some similarities to this Lester Smith signature. If Lester made your gun, that would impact its value in a good way. I would try to find his name on the barrel somewhere. Smith died in 1970 so your hunch about its not being recent is very likely.
(https://i.ibb.co/ctwr5QV/3-C3325-FD-7-DB7-49-A6-BFBB-2838-F5964556.jpg) (https://ibb.co/FJXDvzC)

(https://i.ibb.co/2P7qG3t/A56154-F3-3-BBD-41-A8-BF2-C-A4-DBEFD77-C98.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VDWVfYS)
Title: Re: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: Ray Nelson on May 11, 2021, 08:15:32 PM: I don't know if relation or not but there was a ML Gunsmith Fred Flowers from Belpre, Ohio who made fine slim fullstock rifles for sure during the 70's. He displayed at shows in Washington County Ohio with the likes of Cecil Brooks, Warren Offenberger, Elmer Templeton, Forest Tilton and Bill Reynolds if any of those names also ring a bell in any ones memory. Silver furniture guns were popular then it seemed.

Ray
Title: Re: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: Bob Roller on May 11, 2021, 10:31:10 PM: Consulting my own feeble memory I remember Cecil Brooks and I think
he made presentation rifles for the NRA's presidents.
Bob Roller
Title: Re: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: Ray Nelson on May 13, 2021, 08:48:00 PM: Bob,

Your memory is correct...Cecil Brooks did do that for many years.

Ray
Title: Re: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: acorn20 on May 17, 2021, 11:26:09 PM: I believe Stoner could be correct. The capital S, t & e in Steve Flowers certainly look like those in Lester Smith.
Title: Re: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: George Sutton on May 18, 2021, 01:47:09 PM: Thanks for your input Gentlemen.
Title: Re: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: Top Jaw on May 18, 2021, 07:44:29 PM: Some builders who have not yet mastered engraving will hire it out, including their signature. Potentially was built by Steve Flowers, and engraved, and name signed by another (Lester Smith perhaps). Especially if you see no other signatures on the underside of the barrel.

97% of builders who are signing a gun do so on the top flat, between the rear sight and tang, where this particular signature is. Once in a great while, the owners name is here (as in the case of a gift rifle), and the builder signs it on the bottom of the barrel, in the same area.
Title: Re: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: Hamish on December 29, 2024, 10:50:22 PM: ZOMBIE THREAD ALERT!

In trying to track down any information about my LH .54 Getz barreled, Steve Flowers built, Johnson City School type rifle, I ran across this thread and thought I would add what I could.

Also found this thread: https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=68166.0

(https://i.ibb.co/YNmrqqz/IMG-6263.jpg) (https://ibb.co/NF54HH8)

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(https://i.ibb.co/1XBjC9D/IMG-6271.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SmHGkKh)

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(https://i.ibb.co/XshJts5/IMG-6274.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Nj8YKjN)

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(https://i.ibb.co/QFvMNbz/IMG-6278.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cchQFgM)

(https://i.ibb.co/YRgW5tG/IMG-6281.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BzkPhgR)

(https://i.ibb.co/D1T8m9T/IMG-6267.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MgQGKcQ)

(https://i.ibb.co/XCF2GSn/IMG-6284.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BCTzYqh)

(https://i.ibb.co/DLDTnM3/IMG-6285.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LvzHfg4)

(https://i.ibb.co/F5CVVbk/IMG-6286.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7nL44Jx)

(https://i.ibb.co/vPcq477/IMG-6287.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k8GB2RR)

(https://i.ibb.co/1ZZy6wk/IMG-6288.jpg) (https://ibb.co/F66ZVjF)

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Title: Re: ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS MAKER
Post by: Sequatchie Rifle on February 01, 2025, 05:40:45 PM: Pretty confident is was made by Lester Smith from the Johnson City, Tennessee area.