AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: JohnHBryan on February 07, 2019, 03:51:45 AM
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I know there is a Carper descendant/expert here. This came out of a WV farmhouse along with a James Honaker. It looks like the signature could be a JC? Did Carper ever sign this way? Other thoughts?
(https://i.ibb.co/xL7Mz50/A8127-A6-F-8376-40-D7-86-FE-B26-AECAA599-D.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3dC0Shq)
(https://i.ibb.co/QMJGftL/27-E2-B051-A436-4-FA5-AA03-14-F0-A72-A7-C47.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3cTH7Q2)
(https://i.ibb.co/Mg0C3sQ/CEFD925-F-506-C-4117-ACDF-00-E85-EAD0697.jpg) (https://ibb.co/RgwDV9d)
(https://i.ibb.co/7rjcrjB/73-ED9-D9-D-476-F-437-F-A0-CB-437-B1-B385-C40.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XFjBFj6)
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John go up to the search function and search for Joseph Carper. The info you seek should come up. Tim
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I didn’t see anything on his signature, but maybe I missed something....
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I thought you were looking for the Carper relative that posted on the ALR. Maybe I misunderstood you. Carper that owns all the Carper rifles could probably give some info on signatures. Sorry
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He’s a member and a descendant. I sent him a PM....
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I called Johnny Walker, who is a Carper descendant and a builder himself. He goes by “Carper” on this site and lives here in Alaska. He will get on the site and respond to you, after he gets his horses taken care of tonight!
Bill Paton
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Cool gun. Do you know the caliber?
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Nice rifle. I really like the panelled beaver-tail cheek piece. I would like to sugggest that the script signature actually reads "DS", not "JC". Anyone else see it this way? Sorry, can't help you with identity of gunsmith. Good luck, Loudy
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John: I’m not sure,but I have learned to,rarely say never.I spent my whole life associated with these Carper rifles. I kept the shop and had it in Raleigh county until I was called into ministry in Alaska. I’ve owned about ten of the old rifles from Joe,Joe Jr, and Sam. But what I have never seen is an early rifle. Some of the characteristics are very similar. The cheek piece is spot on, the trigger guard resembles theirs as they cast them. The signature is not like any I have seen. They etched their name in cursive. I’d put that rifle 1850ish and most of the Carper rifles you see around are quite a bit later. If it didn’t have that initial on the barrel I’d think it was a Joe Carper either made in Botetourt or Cashmere . BTW I actually met you at a shooting match in Hinton some years back. Seems like you had a beautiful Harn rifle that day. I have enjoyed your posts and they have actually made me quite homesick when you show locales around the hills. When Dr.Paton called me I was overseeing our cattle herd which stay under constant predation here from brown bears and didn’t have my computer so I anixioulsy awaited getting to see your post. Great rifle btw. Johnny Walker
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Cool gun. Do you know the caliber?
.44/.45 cal
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Cool gun. Do you know the caliber?
.44/.45 cal
Thanks for the response. I thought I had some memory of discussing Carper rifles in the past. I bet we talked about them once. I think this must be a Jacob Shaffer from Wytheville, VA, and that’s a JS on the barrel. It could be a Carper or a Honaker in style. I think they all were influenced by Abraham Honaker. It’s a .44/.45 cal....
ETA: okay I’m lost on what the initials actually are. I’m going to assume they are owner initials since most of these signatures are usually cursive with full last names....
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DG ? maybe?
Gus
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My guess is it’s a C because the gun it came with was owned by the Cantley family.
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I think I saw that rifle before and it was attributed to Schaefer. It was with a restocked Honaker and a Carper fullstock. That triggerguard stays in ones mind. The Carper’s were blacksmiths in the Lancaster area and intermarried into the Beck family. I believed when they came down to Botetourt Co they took up gunmaking to. The Honakers were our competitors. I have seen a scad of their rifles and repaired more than a few of them. Away you have a great gun there.
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I'm with Loudy 100%. Flip that second photo 180 degrees and blow it up...that's definitely a "D" and the second initial, although debatable, is almost certainly an "S".
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D S in my eyes, too.
Bill Paton
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Let me help you, folks... Here are the initials flipped 180 degrees, grayscaled and turned into a negative for better contrast...
(https://i.ibb.co/D9JhWyF/Jos-Carper-Rifle-Negitive.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tqGgKt6)
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I didn't make that rifle, honest - neither did Taylor - I would know. ::)
(We both have DS initials as well.
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I was talking to a friend today. He said Daniel Shomo , Barbour County West Virginia.