need help identifying this smoothbore

[muzzelloader69]

i have a smooth bore gun that i would like to get some info on , because i want to sell it and need a price on it . it's about 54 cal, has two repaired cracks in the wrist area , lock is marked henry parker warrented , top of barrel is marked (eulnhausen)?, wooster, j bender . any ideal about this gun
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[Avlrc]

There was a Joseph Benderitter gunsmith, Huron County Ohio age 47 1850 Census. Birth place , France. Maybe he shortened his name to Bender.

Eulnhausen , sounds German , Maybe the barrel was made in Germany and imported to Wooster OH, by a hardware dealer, and Benderitter built the gun.

[muzzelloader69]

possible, the lock is made by henry parker , he's listed as making locks around 1860 from trenton nj,  any ideal on how much you think this gun is worth ,

[GrampaJack]

Strange, Bender is such a common name you would expect at least one in Ohio but, if he was here he didn't make the books. Looking in Wayne county there is nothing even close. I'm sure Parker was just the lock maker.  From what I can see it isn't worth much unless you can determine where Bender worked.  It just doesn't have a lot of unique features that would connect it to a particular location. Could you post a full length picture of both sides and also the bottom of the trigger guard? It appears there is some sort of engraving there. I saw what Avlrc saw and I had the same thought. Best Regards, Jack

[Paul E. Wog]

If you are lucky enough to find ( or know someone who has the Ohio Gunsmiths and Allied Tradesman series by Donald Hutslar ) I think there is listed;
                          F. Olnhausen, gunsmith...Wooster, Ohio ( cannot help you with dates, etc. )
My guess would be that the gun was owned by " Bender ".
Just my 2d worth
                                  Shreck

[Avlrc]

If you are lucky enough to find ( or know someone who has the Ohio Gunsmiths and Allied Tradesman series by Donald Hutslar ) I think there is listed;
                          F. Olnhausen, gunsmith...Wooster, Ohio ( cannot help you with dates, etc. )
My guess would be that the gun was owned by " Bender ".
Just my 2d worth
                                  Shreck

Sharp Eye Shreck, that makes more sense.  The Ohio book says Kauffman has a Jacob Olenhousen in Pittsburgh. Also says there was a Jacob Olnhousen 55 , Gunsmith who arrived from Germany in 1843, destination Ohio. Knittles List, has him in Wooster Ohio. Sounds like this is your man.
PS If you want to sell it, take it  to AOLRC show March 28th at the Lafayette Hotel in Marietta, Ohio. You shouldn't have a problem selling it there. See   http://www.aolrc.org/

[muzzelloader69]

heres some more pictures , no engraving on trigger guard
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[muzzelloader69]

it does look like there is a (f) in front of the olnhausen, looks like there was a f olnhausen from wayne county ohio ,

[Mark Tyler]

I believe you have an early John/Jacob Bender barrel (and possibly trigger guard) recycled/restocked by F. Olnhausen.

[Majorjoel]

Here is a rifle by Jacob Bender that has been kicking around on GB for a while.  It looks like a nice rifle, but the incised carving behind the cheek doesn't look right to my tired old eyes. May just be a bad photo.  http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=458775675

[GrampaJack]

I'll bet Mark and Shreck are right.  If I had turned one more page I might have picked up on it too. I'll bet it was "originally"  a full stock. Jack

[muzzelloader69]

so who made the gun ?, the barrel is marked bender , the lock is henry parker , the other barrel stamp is  f olnhausen

[smokinbuck]

Looks like a restock by Olnhausen using a  Bender barrel. Bring it to Marietta on 3/28 and we'll take a good look at it. Might be your best market.
Mark

[alboy]

This may confuse the discussion a little, but in the booklet “Gunsmiths and Allied Tradesmen of Alabama” by Kilgo and Whisker there is listed with a half stock shown a gunsmith John L. (or A.) Bender(1800?-1860s?) in Mobile , AL. He is listed in the Mobile City Directory of 1830 and then in 1840 as having a gunsmith shop with 14 workers living at the shop.
The half stock back action percussion shown has an almost identical script barrel signature J * Bender as your rifle. The signature is not shown in the booklet photos but I can send you a photo if you email me at tom@tkilgo.com. However, the rifles appear to have little in common. The signature also seems to closely match the Jacob Bender, PA full stock barrel signature.
I currently don’t have any other information relating Jacob Bender and John Bender, except the likeness of the signatures. If my memory is still good, I believe the antique flint lock long rifle presented to Fess Parker from the Alamo association and displayed in the Alamo Museum has a similar J * Bender signature.
I hope this helps.