Original rifles on James D. Julia auction site

[Larry Luck]

For those interested, http://www.juliaauctions.com/auctions/252/div_catalog_252.asp?pageREQ=2
items beginning 2616
Larry Luck

[G-Man]

Some great guns on there, as well as some nice horns.

You guys who like southern guns check out the Isaac Thompson (North Carolina), and Bitterlick (Nashville) guns - very cool.

Thompson's work sure looks similar to the work on the"WB" rifles shown in Bivins book. I'm also sort of struck by some similarity in feel between the sideplates and carving behind the cheekpiece on this gun to the "Cellars" rifle (the double lid box gun) shown in Bivins, although the Cellars gun looks to be maybe 40 years earlier.  Anyone else?
 
Thanks for posting the link Larry.

Guy

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

The Thompson gun appears to be a fine example but all serious bidders should note it has been stretched ( described in the sale writings).
Also I think the Schwietzer rifle with the cracked wrist was for sale in a previous auction ( unsold and estimated at $25,000) and with the repair or warpping (?) the rifle is bent at the wrist...but the pictures from that auction have not reappeared.
Hurricane

[Fullstock longrifle]

The gun in this auction that surprises me is the relief carved Haga (attributed).  The pre-auction estimate is $2500 to $4500.

Even with the wrist repair, it looks like a pretty decent early relief carved rifle.  I would be very surprised if it didn't sell for much more.  An attributed Wolfgang Haga sold at a Rock Island Auction Company last year for crazy money and the same rifle was offered for sale at this years Baltimore Gun Show for $65,000.

I think the auction houses sometimes use low estimates to draw in the buyers.  Anyhow, it should be fun to watch.

Frank

[jwh1947]

Show me one gun signed Wolfgang Haga (or Hachen, etc.)  I've heard so much about Haga types that I actually have a cognate that appears in my mind.  Please tell me how it got there?  I have a big fat Berks here that would pass, but, darn those inconsiderate Berks Dutchmen...they didn't often sign stuff.  Maybe I'll engrave Haga's name on the top flat, just like he should have done in the first placeThen we'll all have a benchmark...my Haga.  JWHeckert

[mr. no gold]

Wayne-I am in the same boat as you with a pretty fine Reading gun that has no signature. Here is a reasonable solution to our mutual situation. There is a descendent of Wolfgang Haga living in NE New Mexico; Mel Haga (he pronounces it Hey gah), who is an old rancher, now in his 80s. I'll meet you in Santa Fe, with rifles, and we can go up to his place and have him sign both of them. And just like that: two signed Haga rifles! Okay, it probably isn't too moral or practical, but it would fill in some gaps in the record.
Dick