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[Sequatchie Rifle]

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[mbriggs]

I do not know what that rifle is, but I can promise you it was not made by H.C. Lamb.  Henry Clarkson Lamb was born in 1829.  His father was William Lamb, the top gunsmith in the Jamestown School.  Henry was made a partner in his father's business in 1855.  William changed his barrel stamp to read W. Lamb & Son.  I have seen three rifles with this stamp. One is in the library on this site.

In 1857, William Lamb brought his second son, Jesse G. Lamb into the business and the stamp was changed to W. Lamb & Sons.  Rifles with this stamp are common.

In 1861, after the State of North Carolina seceded, the state entered into contract with seven Guilford County gun making firms to produce military rifles for the state. One of those firms was H.C. Lamb & Co.  Lamb received three contracts between 1861 and 1864 and produced over 500 rifles during that period.

The rifle on Gunbroker looks nothing like the rifles made by William Lamb & Son or Sons, nor does it remotely resemble the contract rifles made by H.C. Lamb & Co.

Caveat emptor

Michael Briggs     

[JTR]

Maybe just a reuse of the barrel, and probably used as is, I'm guessing.
John

[galamb]

With my name being Graham Lamb and having a father named William, I took a mild interest in rifles built by the Lamb's in Jamestown when I stumbled across them.

Likewise, at first look my initial reaction also was - no, nothing like William's rifles, at least the few that I collected pics of.

But, looking through the rest of my "Lamb collection" I do see a rifle by Anderson Lamb (Jamestown ca 1850) that does resemble this rifle (if you squint a little).

I don't know what his relationship was to William's clan but can maybe assume they were related somehow and there (could) have been some influence there, or did Anderson obtain a barrel from his cousin (or whatever) and build a rifle??

Anyhow, here's the rifle (sorry - a couple of less than ideal pics), but must say I see a fair bit of "similarity").

P.S. if one turns up stamped G.A. Lamb, that is one of my renditions, and I'm not related to those in Jamestown that I know of  

[mbriggs]

Hi Graham,
Thanks for your comments.  With all respect, I still disagree about the rifle on gun broker being from H.C. Lamb & Co. and resembling anything H.C., William, or Anderson Lamb ever built.  The stock architecture is wrong.  The barrel tang is also wrong.  I have never seen a Lamb rifle without a cheek rest.  I also have not seen a Lamb rifle with an iron trigger guard.

I have seen and owned many Lamb rifles over the last thirty years.  I still own nine of the best today.

As far as the connection between William and Anderson Lamb, several people have written over the years that they were brothers.  I have always believed that this was not correct as I have read William father's will and Anderson is not mentioned in it.  William was born in 1806 in Guilford County.  Anderson was born in 1815 in Randolph County.  Anderson's father was Richard Lamb.  William married Anderson's older sister Frances Lamb.  They were brother-in-laws. I believe that William trained Anderson.  I recently purchased an early full-stock, flintlock, twisted star patchbox rifle with interrupted fore-stock molding signed A. & W. Lamb.  This is one of three pieces I have seen from their short partnership in the mid 1830's. 

Hope this helps,

Michael

[jamesthomas]

 That rifle sure would look a whole lot better if it was a full stock rifle, all that bare barrel showing is embarrassing  . it needs to be covered up. It is a nice rifle though what calibers did they come in?