What do you think?

[Lucky R A]

      This unsigned rifle came into my shop for some minor work.  The basic stock architecture seems to be eastern Lehigh Co.  A pattern from a Hawk rifle is almost an exact match.  The patchbox is very unlike what one normally sees in that school of building.  The next anomaly is that the side plate and the engraving on it is an exact match for Fordney's work, as is the fore stock molding termination.  On the top of the barrel there is a nicely engraved location for a maker's signature; however, there is no indication that it was ever signed.  The lock on the gun is a Dreppert  lock.  It is a wonderful little gun, but seems to be a Duke's mixture of details.

Thanks,
Ron

[eddillon]

Young family.  Easton.

[Robert Wolfe]

I'm afraid I can't help but I do I like it alot. Thanks for posting.

[Hungry Horse]

 I ran into a similarly conflicted rifle some years ago. It had parts that were very Dickert in many ways, and the engraving very much reminded me of Dickert, but the stock was pure Southern mountain in shape,and style, I assumed the gun was damage in its early life, and restocked by a Southern gunsmith. Could not this gun have suffered the same fate?

  Hungry Horse

[Lucky R A]

     While the matter is not settled, I have had some suggestions that the rifle is a Roop rifle. I once owned a nice Roop that had much the same architecture, but a decidedly different patchbox.  I have only encountered one Young rifle and on that one the sideplates extended beyond the patchbox hinge.   There is no indication that the gun is a restock or that the patchbox was added later.  Still open to opinions. 

Ron

[eddillon]

Here is an "attributed D. Young (see Patchboxes by Whisker p. 394).  Very similar.  Will post ramrod entry thimble later.  Thimble looks identical.

[eddillon]

Hi Lucky R A,

How does this entry thimble compare to yours?  Can't quite see yours in any of your photos.

[Lucky R A]

Hi Ed,
      The entry thimble on my rifle is an exact match for the Fordney thimble shown in Kindig's book right at the beginning of Fordneys work.  It is exact right down to the little bomblet thing.
Still confused on this one.   I don't believe that is by the young family although the buttstock architecture is right for that area.   
Ron

[Buck]

I thought that the side plate and wrist carving looked Fordneyish. The foreshock molding termination also looks like his, stock Architecture and silver mounts aren't typical of his work. Interesting, G Feder also comes to mind (the later / Jr.) in revue of the Stock Architecture. Nice Piece.
Buck

[eddillon]

The more that I look at this great piece, the more I think like Buck.  Very possibly M. Fordney.  Thick wrist, wrist checkering and squiggly incised carving.  That carving seems a little too rudimentary for Fordney but, we all have to start somewhere.

[Majorjoel]

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