I am trying to identify a recently purchased rifle. I am trying to include the information from Amoskeag’s recent auction, lot number 304. It is still on the internet if the attachments do not come through. The most distinctive part is the phoenix bird finial on the patch box. I found a very similar decoration on a Samuel Baum rifle, but that one was in brass and this one is in silver. I read that someone named Jacob Frock used a similar Phoenix design, but I can’t find a picture of any of his guns.
The odd thing to me is that it is in very good condition.. almost new condition. It was revarnished with the barrel on and shows small amounts of varnish remaining on the barrel. I pulled the pins that hold the barrel and see the metal wings that accept the pins, but the barrel won’t easily come out and I do not want to damage anything. The front sight is actually a turtle with 4 little legs. The work is EXTREMELY well done and there are a lot of little extras put on the barrel, lock and stock. The tang was also engraved. Some decoration is included almost everywhere. I suspect it was manufactured in the 1970s. There is a person from Tennessee who might be creator, but I have forgotten his name.
At the front end of the barrel is stamped a 40, presumably for the caliber, and two other letters (maybe a "u u" or “J u” or maybe even a "J Q”. Hard to tell what was stamped on there— stamp was not completely flat.
If you know anything that would help identify this gun and especially to date the gun, I would much appreciate your response. Thanks for any information you might have.
/Users/robertwlissitz/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Mail Downloads/E6F27858-67F0-4060-80EF-611771B044C1/304.jpg
best regards,
L-Bob
