ALR Master Gunmaker: Thomas Hess, Lehigh Co, PA a swivel

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

A very fine  swivel by Thomas Hess of Lehigh Co, PA

Here is the URL:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=28540.0

The Museum Committee

[jdm]

Wonderful ! Great gun nice lines. It would be nice to see a category in the museum for swivels.

[Dennis Glazener]

Oh my, isn't that a step wrist swivel breech! Really a neat looking rifle.
On second thought not a step wrist but close to it.
Dennis

[E.vonAschwege]

Oh my, isn't that a step wrist swivel breech! Really a neat looking rifle.
On second thought not a step wrist but close to it.
Dennis

Pretty darn close to being a step wrist.  I love how the underside of lock section cuts up away from the barrels to make a really slim piece. 

Thanks for posting it, really nice piece!

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

Multibarrels ( at least 7 makers in Museum) Hess; Hawk, Long, Bisling, Harding ( swivel, double, triple) ,Loudenslager, and Schreckengost.
Hurricane

[Frank Graves]

There sure looks to be a lot of similarities in the locks and brass forearms between this Hess rifle and that of the N. Hawk percussion swivel in the Virtual Museum (http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=3845.0) as well as the nearly identical one at aaawt.com.  Hawk was just one county over in Monroe County and some of the Hesses are reported to have moved around a little.  The similarities don't appear coincidental to me and I am wondering if there could be an unreported link between these two makers.

[Frank Graves]

I just ran across a July, 1972 issue of The Gun Report with a cover picture article written by Alan Jay Gaines.  He shows a J. Demuth marked (on lockplate only) swivel breech flintlock with many identical features to this Hess rifle. The highly unusual release lever for the swivel is the same as is the comb inlay, extended toe plate, brass barrel panels, lockplate, barrel tang, breech and lockplate connection and overall architecture.  I cannot find much definitive information on J. Demuth.  Is anyone aware of this maker and how might there be a connection between him and Thomas Hess?  Unfortunately, the pictures from the article will not reproduce here.