For many years I have thought about building a copy of a particular longrifle in my collection of originals. One to shoot and the other to enjoy as a piece of artistic history on the wall. This last weekend while attending the Kalamazoo Living History event, I stumbled across a rifle sitting on a table of guns for sale. It had lots of wear and patina on it with all of the signs of being a fine original piece. Looking closer, I suddenly noticed it had the exact same hardware, including it's patchbox as my old favorite rifle at home! Then I noticed that even the engraving work and designs were also exactly the same! This was starting to become quite a mystery. Could this by chance be another piece made by my original maker? I turned the rifle over and instead of the silver inlays that my rifle had, this one had been nicely carved in relief behind and in front of the cheek piece. The brass side plate was shaped very close and the engraving was identical. I could not get my attention to the rifle's barrel quick enough! What I was hoping for and really expecting to see was not there. Instead, neatly engraved in cursive was the name J. RUNDELL. This was a name that I was not familiar with. By this time, my mind was filled with a hundred questions. The rifle's owner and seller did not know anything about who this fellow was and even stated that he had never even shot this piece. He did however ask me if he could have a look at a rifle that I had brought along in tow. It was an old 36 caliber barn rifle made by the late Art Holly that I was trying to sell. He told me that he had known Art quite well and asked if I'd be willing to trade for the Rundell on his table. The deal was done. From home that Sunday I put out my feelers to find out anything about J. Rundell. Turns out that Joe Rundell is alive and well living in the Flint MI area and over the many years has become quite the gunsmith, master engraver, and sculptor. He called me late Monday night and we chatted for over an hour. He told me that he had owned my old original Kentucky rifle back in the late 50's through the early 70's. And gave me the rifle's previous linage of ownership going back to the late 19th century! He really liked the rifle's design elements so much that over the coarse of a few years he had made three copies of this same piece. He studied pictures of the rifle I had just acquired and remembered it to be the first copy made in 1965. It was his 3rd rifle ever made. I found Joe to be an extraordinary man and am very proud to call upon him as a new friend. This has all been one great experience for me along this wonderful path chosen!
