Anybody Familiar with Adam Kunz?

[Bob Smalser]

I suspect he might be the second son of Jacob Kuntz (1780-1876) and Mary Barbara Neuhardt (1786-1862) of Philadelphia, born in 1814, but there is too little information to pin him down.

This is his signed rifle sold at auction earler today in Pennsylvania.  The engraving appears of a similar level of sophistication as his suspected father.

[jdm]

 Bob, At one time I had a rifle signed A. Kunz. Nice box  with one or two drums and crossed flags on it.  Bethlehem star and a bone inlay on the cheek piece side. At that time a descendant of the Kunz family told me Adam was a brother of Jacob . He had  obtained this information from a will.     Jim

[Bob Smalser]

 Bob, At one time I had a rifle signed A. Kunz. Nice box  with one or two drums and crossed flags on it.  Bethlehem star and a bone inlay on the cheek piece side. At that time a descendant of the Kunz family told me Adam was a brother of Jacob . He had  obtained this information from a will.    

Neat.

Jacob did have a brother named Adam (1781-1865), the middle brother between gunmakers Jacob and Peter.

All I can find on Adam is that he lived in East Allentown, and became a relatively wealthy man.  He was taxed for the luxuries of a carriage and gold later in life during the Civil War, and had net assets of $11,500.  Pretty good for rural Allentown.

But isn't that back-action lock a little late for the builder to be Jacob's brother rather than his son?  I'm not very knowledgeable on these rifles, but I don't recall ever seeing a back-action flintlock.  It also looks like it could be a patent breech from here.  Another later innovation.

Unlike the Newhards and Molls, the Kuntz family line is small, with few family histories out there to confirm various census and tax records.  Add a large number of later German immigrants named Kuntz during the migration west, and it's harder to track them.

[jdm]

 I'm not seeing a flintlock in the picture, it looks percussion to me.            If I remember right Jacob lived into the 1870s and Peter to around the civil war. There were a lot of back-action locks then.   Jim

[Bob Smalser]

I'm not seeing a flintlock in the picture, it looks percussion to me.            If I remember right Jacob lived into the 1870s and Peter to around the civil war. There were a lot of back-action locks then.   Jim

Do you have a photo of your Adam Kunz rifle?  How old was it?



The first Adam Kunz was the middle brother between gunmakers Jacob and Peter lived from 1781-1865.

The second Adam Kunz was Jacob's son...the middle son between gunmaker Peter II (1813-1914), who migrated to Illinois, and Henry (1829-1898), who became a hatter in Philadelphia.  Adam II was born in 1814, and it appears he migrated to Ohio where he shows up as a farmer, but that doesn't mean he didn't also build rifles.

[jdm]

  I may have some pictures somewhere.  I don't have them on the computer however.  The rifle was a late flintlock .Maybe mid 1820's or early 30's.

[Bob Smalser]

 I may have some pictures somewhere.  I don't have them on the computer however.  The rifle was a late flintlock .Maybe mid 1820's or early 30's.

Very interesting.  Maybe both Adams made and signed rifles in their lifetimes.

The seller of the Adam Kunz rifle I show said it was a conversion, but it looks like a later rifle to me.  Unless of course that back-action lock was let in atop a filled and reshaped front-action mortise, which I'd think would make a real mess.  Here's some better pics.  Note the rifle was cut in the middle of the maker's signature.

[Longknife]

Bob, That rifle is was not, could not and has not ever been a flinter, unless it was restocked and a percussion lock added. One of my pet peeves is auctioneers and even well respected collectors (who should know better)calling a percussion rifle a "conversion' simply because it has a drum and nipple. The drum and nipple was widely used on many new percusion guns as it was the easiest and cheapest way to build a percussion rifle, It also happens to be the easiest and cheapest way to convert a flintlock. There are many more things to consider before screaming "CONVERSION" when seeing a drum and nipple set up.....If that auctioneer called it a conversion its because he is either ignorant or thinks that statement will bring more money....RANT---RANT---RANT---Sorry......Ed

[Bob Smalser]

Bob, That rifle is was not, could not and has not ever been a flinter, unless it was restocked and a percussion lock added.

I don't think so, either.  And the stock looks original with wood deterioration from the caps and shrinkage around the lockplate that chipped when it was removed.  But you certainly cleared up my question about why anyone would call that rifle a conversion.

But as the back-action lock didn't appear in quantities until 1840, and JDM's Adam Kunz flintlock was an 1825-30 rifle, it still may mean both Adam Kunz I (1780-1876) and Adam Kunz II (1814-unk) built and signed rifles.  Obviously a 10-year-old didn't build the older rifle, but he could have built the newer one, as could his uncle when he was in his 60's.  But being a wealthy man already, why would he?  One didn't grow wealthy in Allentown from gunsmithing, and if he'd done much gunmaking along with his brothers, probably more of his guns would be out there to look at.

[jdm]

  I believe that rifle always had a back action lock. the architecture wood other wise be different. Something else to think about Jacob and Peter were fine engravers and might help a family member.  JIM

[Blacksmoke]

Nice looking rifle! Thanks for posting.   However I too believe it has the original lock on it - but the hammer is a replacement form the photos.  It was never a flintlock!    I believe this gun to be circa: 1840-1850.   The engraving looks typical Kuntz style - note the pineapple finial on the toe plate.  There was lots of English influence in Philadelphia.   My thoughts- Hugh Toenjes

[Jim Kibler]

Although it's hard to tell from the photos included, my impression is that the engraving doesn't stand up to the better stuff from Jacob Kuntz.  Looks somewhat stylistically weak.

[Bob Smalser]

Adam Kunz I spent his entire life in Allentown and died relatively wealthy, although I don't know what he did for his primary living.  It probably wasn't gunmaking like his brothers Jacob and Peter, or we'd have more rifles to look at. 

Adam Kunz II was born and raised above his father Jacob's high-end gunmaking shop in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia.  Would he have inlayed a Bethlehem Star on the cheekpiece?

[Shreckmeister]

The patchbox was a victim of poor photography.  If you had seen the pictures
of the patchbox on Auctionzip.com, the engraving was exquisite, the
detail, shading and artwork were beautiful.  I wish I had saved that
photo to share with you all.

[KGW]

Auction zip photo...http://s1098.photobucket.com/albums/g375/pasmall/A%20Kuntz%20Musket%201/ Was told Gun wasn't sold, didn't make reserve.

[Shreckmeister]

Super,  That's the photo I was talking about that showed how finely the
patchbox was engraved.  Posting it here.  I spoke to the auctioneer.  The high bid was around $1000 and the reserve was higher.  This is one beautiful patchbox.