Meaning of different inlays

[gmerrell]

I know that some of the inlays in original rifles had meanings like the north start to help find your way home, but does anyone know any of the others like the moon ect.
thanks
Greg

[Elnathan]

Short answer, because it is late:

Lots of theories, lots of prior discussion, no proof of anything.

[Birddog6]

Call  Ryan @ MBS..  Years ago when Suzie owned MBS, they had a pamplet or such with a bunch of the inlay shapes & what they were supposed to mean, etc.  Now how much research & how accurate it was, I cannot tell you.  But they did have some information on it.  If he does not have it, get back with me & I will see if I can dig it up.  I have it, but have no idea where it is.......  except to say it is someplace stuck in a book.....

Keith

[Acer Saccharum]

There is a lot of speculation. There are books on symbols, only a few of the symbols relate to longrifles.

Fish is Christian, square and compass is Masonic symbol. 

[T*O*F]

There is a lot of speculation.

The crescent moon relates to the outhouse, where much time is spent speculating on the meaning of life or what the symbols on a longrifle mean.

[Bill Paton]

Lorentz Kafka (Kentucky Rifle Association) of East Chatham, NY seems to be the world's greatest head for symbols. Be prepared to learn more than you ever thought existed about symbols if you contact him. He loves to share his thoughts about them.

[Acer Saccharum]

Some people scoff at symbology on rifles, and others see symbols in every detail. I'm a middle road kind of guy. I believe that symbols were used by some, and not others. Sometimes the carving is just decoration, sometimes there are obvious symbols, Lion and Lamb, fish, etc.

 My waters don't run that deep, so I stay at the shallow end of the pool.

[smylee grouch]

When I look at the patch box on the J. Kuntz rifle in the Met. Museum of Art in NYC I wonder what was going through this guys mind and the meaning of all the different symbols used on that patchbox. Maybe someone someday will figure it out.

[Mark Elliott]

I incorporate Lorentz's ideas in my carving, engraving, and patchbox screws.      I think many gunsmiths probably did incorporate their understanding of certain symbols and traditions in their work.  In the 18th century, religion and the supernatural were more a real part of everyday life for the common folks.   A religious revival in the early 19th century actually resulted in less ornate guns and fewer symbols. 

[RAT]

Greg... I just sent an email to you regarding some things I looked up a couple of years ago for a Montana Guild class.

[HIB]

Gentlemen,  A number of years back a recognized member of the KRA wrote an article on the symbolism found on Kentucky Rifles.  The article was published in the KRA Bulletin of that year and then again in the Kentucky Rifles Foundation book "Selected Articles from the KRA Bulletin Vol 1-30." Unfortunately, the book  printed in 2005, is now out of print. Many of the ALR members have this book and If my memory serves me correctly I included it in my 'Documents' file for future situations like this.

If truly interested please contact me via my e-mail address listed in my profile and if I haven't already placed it in memory I will attempt to do so and respond to each request directly.  Regards, HIB

[Chris Treichel]

Its funny that folks speculate a lot about this stuff.  They did write it down back then... and you can still read what they wrote.

Symbology has been around for a long time.  Especially around the Catholic Church where lions lambs and sea shells etc where tied to saints and all that.  You have heraldry with an entire codex of meanings...

So my take on the matter is that the customer or the gunsmith either liked the design or put it there for a purpose but many symbols have meaning and if you want to know what something meant back in 1800... just look up a book written around that time period and find out. 

http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/browse?type=lcsubc&key=Signs%20and%20symbols%20--%20Early%20works%20to%201800&c=x

[Chris Treichel]

Here is a neat resource:

http://www.churchmonumentssociety.org/Symbolism_on_Monuments.html

ok, I admit it, I am a bit of a research nerd when I am bored and love reading.  So much information is out there...

[Long John]

OK.  I got it!  My next rifle will have a frog finial for the patchbox!

JMC

[Mark Elliott]

OK.  I got it!  My next rifle will have a frog finial for the patchbox!

JMC

Check out the patchbox on the early rifle that Wallace Gusler documented in JHAT II.   I am one of dozens, perhaps more, people who made a version of that rifle.  Actually,  I have two more planned.   Look at the finial upside down.  Jim Chambers described it once as a frog with a bow tie.   Now, that is how I always see it.   I mentioned that to Wallace and he got upset.  He thought it was being disrespectful to the maker to describe it that way.   Because of Jim's bad influence, I always see that signing frog from the WB cartoon.     

[Chris Treichel]

Hmmm frog, a symbol for worldly pleasures and sin. Sounds good to me.

[4ster]

OK.  I got it!  My next rifle will have a frog finial for the patchbox!

JMC

That got me to look at the list.    Now I'll be seeing frogs everywhere.

[Acer Saccharum]

But, wait a minute, consider that in some native american cultures, the frog eats the evils of the world, a purifier of sorts.

It isn't easy being green.

[WadePatton]

Tasty too. 

Methinks using Indian symbolism would be quite dependent upon the tribe, and in our context would only be "fantasied" onto a trade type gun with brass tacks.

tacky

of course all symbolism is a function of the culture with which it is associated.

So pick a symbol, then find a culture that attaches the meaning you prefer? 

then label it a fantasy rifle. 

and show us your war face.

[Mark Elliott]

It isn't easy being green.

Hmmmm,  a Muppets themed rifle.    I can see it now...... Kermit on the patchbox and Miss Piggy carved on the other side in a lounging pose that runs under the cheek with her little piggy feet terminating on the wrist.    Oh.... and an Elmo tang carving, and what about Bert and Ernie on the side plate!    

[WadePatton]

you gotta put Oscar in the patchbox. 

elmo was was after my time.

It isn't easy being green.

Hmmmm,  a Muppets themed rifle.    I can see it now...... Kermit on the patchbox and Miss Piggy carved on the other side in a lounging pose that runs under the cheek with her little piggy feet terminating on the wrist.    Oh.... and an Elmo tang carving, and what about Bert and Ernie on the side plate!   

[Mark Elliott]

Actually,  I was thinking about moving Elmo to the cheek inlay and putting Oscar on the tang.   

[Thawk]

Mine should have those two old guys heckling me.

You call that a rifle?  What did you inlet that with a blunt screw driver?

[whitebear]

Alright kids lets get back on subject.