AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: Fullstock longrifle on May 24, 2024, 05:20:21 PM

Title: Relic Patchbox
Post by: Fullstock longrifle on May 24, 2024, 05:20:21 PM
While metal detecting around an 18th century house in Virginia, I found this upper finial and lid for a patchbox. It’s unusual to me, I’ve never seen another like it before, any ideas what type of rifle it came off of? The closest match I’ve come across is the early brass barreled rifle that Wallace Gusler owns.

(https://i.ibb.co/vkGPMZd/IMG-7103.jpg) (https://ibb.co/4pGT0PS)

(https://i.ibb.co/ynzj8FN/IMG-7104.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zh3vSVm)

(https://i.ibb.co/qNdJw4R/IMG-7106.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BytnR7g)
Title: Re: Relic Patchbox
Post by: Avlrc on May 24, 2024, 05:44:00 PM
Nice find. Some Civil War Carbines had small patchboxes similar to that.
Title: Re: Relic Patchbox
Post by: Fullstock longrifle on May 24, 2024, 06:07:09 PM
I just received a call from Wallace, he feels based on where I found it and the style, it’s from the Honaker shop.
Title: Re: Relic Patchbox
Post by: JTR on May 24, 2024, 06:55:30 PM
That's a cool find for sure!
I assume you searched for the remainder of the gun as well, and found nada?
John
Title: Re: Relic Patchbox
Post by: Fullstock longrifle on May 24, 2024, 06:58:18 PM
That's a cool find for sure!
I assume you searched for the remainder of the gun as well, and found nada?
John

I did John, but no luck. I’ll go back and check again soon,
who knows.
Title: Re: Relic Patchbox
Post by: DaveM on May 24, 2024, 07:03:34 PM
Nice find Frank, hope some more of it turns up. If it was plowed land maybe it got dragged a few yards from the rest.
Title: Re: Relic Patchbox
Post by: Avlrc on May 24, 2024, 07:42:27 PM
I just received a call from Wallace, he feels based on where I found it and the style, it’s from the Honaker shop.
That would be nice
Title: Re: Relic Patchbox
Post by: Bigmon on May 25, 2024, 01:33:03 AM
Had a friend that detects show up one day and asked me if I knew what these might be from.  He thought they were some kind of old furniture hardware.
Pretty sure that's a first model Bess sideplate.  In fact after I told him that he went out and bought a replica and fit that original to it. Pretty neat find.
(https://i.ibb.co/rMJ7Dt9/Bess-side-plate.jpg) (https://ibb.co/J2PBDdZ)

(https://i.ibb.co/TBZ8qCF/butt-plate-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vxbPvtK)

(https://i.ibb.co/z6M3BdC/Gun-parts-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nPGXYp4)
Title: Re: Relic Patchbox
Post by: Fullstock longrifle on May 25, 2024, 01:41:08 AM
Had a friend that detects show up one day and asked me if I knew what these might be from.  He thought they were some kind of old furniture hardware.
Pretty sure that's a first model Bess sideplate.  In fact after I told him that he went out and bought a replica and fit that original to it. Pretty neat find.
(https://i.ibb.co/rMJ7Dt9/Bess-side-plate.jpg) (https://ibb.co/J2PBDdZ)

(https://i.ibb.co/TBZ8qCF/butt-plate-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vxbPvtK)

(https://i.ibb.co/z6M3BdC/Gun-parts-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nPGXYp4)

Yes, that’s definitely a broken side plate from a first model Brown Bess. The other items look to be parts from a longrifle, pretty cool finds.
Title: Re: Relic Patchbox
Post by: homerifle on May 25, 2024, 02:40:33 AM
Thats a pretty cool find Frank. The other items are neat as well.
Title: Re: Relic Patchbox
Post by: Tim Crosby on May 25, 2024, 03:45:42 PM
  Really exciting finds. In the one Pic I don't see a hole in the pipe where it would have been attached. ?

   Tim C.
Title: Re: Relic Patchbox
Post by: Fullstock longrifle on May 25, 2024, 04:03:54 PM
  Really exciting finds. In the one Pic I don't see a hole in the pipe where it would have been attached. ?

   Tim C.

Tim, the ramrod pipe, side plate and butt plate were found but someone else, I only found the patchbox. With that said, I’m sure the ramrod pipe was shown right after it was dug and the hole is probably still filled with dirt.
Title: Re: Relic Patchbox
Post by: Clark Badgett on May 26, 2024, 04:25:06 AM
Had a friend that detects show up one day and asked me if I knew what these might be from.  He thought they were some kind of old furniture hardware.
Pretty sure that's a first model Bess sideplate.  In fact after I told him that he went out and bought a replica and fit that original to it. Pretty neat find.
(https://i.ibb.co/rMJ7Dt9/Bess-side-plate.jpg) (https://ibb.co/J2PBDdZ)

(https://i.ibb.co/TBZ8qCF/butt-plate-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vxbPvtK)

(https://i.ibb.co/z6M3BdC/Gun-parts-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nPGXYp4)

Yes, that’s definitely a broken side plate from a first model Brown Bess. The other items look to be parts from a longrifle, pretty cool finds.
That sideplate was used on 3 different models of the long land pattern. 1730, 1742 & 1756. It could also be a smaller carbine version of the same eras.