AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: Seth Isaacson on July 03, 2025, 05:29:00 PM
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This is the other rifle I picked up at the KRA. It is also unsigned but was noted as possibly from Indiana.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54630524161_b99c392153_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54630824305_756befcb6e_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54629280033_64aef1cb64_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54630744448_9b69c5c47d_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54629280953_2a06171960_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54630525126_643c84c3a1_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54629265824_bc9b655a79_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54630743533_26d786e04d_b.jpg)
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I am from Indiana, have seen a lot of rifles out here over the years, and I am totally lost on how anyone would suggest this is an Indiana rifle. Burt Hamrick passed away with a collection of mid-range rifles that were not identified, and he had a passion for putting flintlocks in guns that perhaps never had one. In the activity working up to the KRA auction, his family tried to get input from his friends and other collectors on what/where/when his rifles were made. Not much time, and a lot of speculation... which is why many went so cheaply, while the few signed and positively identified guns did better.
I do not recognize the patchbox on your rifle, but the cheek and butt inlays suggest to me a possible Virginia [or today's West Virginia] rifle.
Shelby Gallien
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Sites & Crummey from Rockingham County, Virginia, used similar inlays, and so did Spitzer & Grandstaff from Shenandoah County.
Henry Spitzer
(https://i.ibb.co/35PRVwx2/20250703-191049.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HL9hR0c6)
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I am from Indiana, have seen a lot of rifles out here over the years, and I am totally lost on how anyone would suggest this is an Indiana rifle. Burt Hamrick passed away with a collection of mid-range rifles that were not identified, and he had a passion for putting flintlocks in guns that perhaps never had one. In the activity working up to the KRA auction, his family tried to get input from his friends and other collectors on what/where/when his rifles were made. Not much time, and a lot of speculation... which is why many went so cheaply, while the few signed and positively identified guns did better.
I do not recognize the patchbox on your rifle, but the cheek and butt inlays suggest to me a possible Virginia [or today's West Virginia] rifle.
Shelby Gallien
Jeff Jaeger also didn’t see anything notably suggesting Indiana about it. Thanks for the input.
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Sites & Crummey from Rockingham County, Virginia, used similar inlays, and so did Spitzer & Grandstaff from Shenandoah County.
Henry Spitzer
(https://i.ibb.co/35PRVwx2/20250703-191049.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HL9hR0c6)
Interesting. Thanks!
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(https://i.ibb.co/JRcdbgy0/Screenshot-20250704-064226-Duck-Duck-Go.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1f0npjdh)
The Rockingham attribution is interesting. I agree and I see a LOT of Shaver in the trigger guard - William or Daniel. Unique inlays and lines for stock architecture. The guard has a Honaker influence in the front, which makes sense considering.
The tang though is very PA, but the doesn't mean they didn't copy a or use a BP from PA. William sometimes signed the barrel channels, but never the outside, not sure he ever learned to spell or speak English well enough. German was his first language, shocker I know.
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Your patchbox is similar to this, Henry DeHuff, Lancaster maker. I think Henry was too early a maker for your rifle. Perhaps your patch box is from an earlier rifle.
(https://i.ibb.co/5ggr4bs3/20250704-111248.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Xrr7LcFP)
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That patchbox is definitely very similar.