D Marker Percussion Rifle

[gibster]

I picked this up just before Christmas and wanted to see what your opinion may be as to this rifle being made by Daniel Marker.  It is signed D Marker.  The straight sided barrel is 7/8" across the flats and is 38 3/4-inches long.  The barrel is smooth bore and is .50 caliber.  The stock is Walnut.  In American Gunsmiths by Sellers has him working in Sharpsburg Maryland from 1797 - 1820 and again from 1824 - 1832.  He also has him working in Martinsburg Virginia from 1822 - 1824 and again from 1833 - 1855.  Based on the cap box, I would guess that this was made while he working in Martinsburg Virgina later in his career.  The rifle came out of Maryland where it had been in the same family for quite a while.  All comments welcomed.

[Avlrc]

I think Daniel Marker ended up in Ohio.  Darke & Montgomery County Ohio. He had a son Daniel, he was a Gunsmith. To me I would bet Ohio. Think www.aolrc.org has an article on him. Here it is!

http://www.aolrc.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/vol-xiii-no-2-aug-1991.pdf

[LynnC]

I may be off base but I see the remnants of barrel browning but I see No browning in the engraved signature cuts.

Just something I noticed............Lynn

[Fullstock longrifle]

The signature looks right to me.

Frank

[bgf]

Another nice one, Gibster!  Martinsburg is now in WVa.  I don't see anything that would prevent this one from having been made there in the late 40's or 50's.  Is the inlay over the cheekpiece silver?  Same about the inlay on the wrist?  I guess there's no chance they are aluminum (pet fascination of mine, sorry if it seems like a stupid question) ?

[Avlrc]

I think that Warren Offenberger's article & research on Daniel Marker is the most complete  seen so far. If I am reading his article right,  he says from about 1825 until his death Daniel Marker was in Ohio. While his name may be on  some public records being elsewhere he was in Ohio.I would say if this is correct, some of his best rifles  may have been made in OH not Maryland. According to his article Sr was in trouble for abusing his wife , probably why he left. As far as Daniel Marker JR, Offenberger has him in Martinsburg WV until 1840. Then he moves to  Frederick County Maryland living there until his death.   www.aolrc.org    website article. So who made the rifle Senior or Junior ?  I think if SR made it then it was made in Ohio, & if JR made it, she was made In Maryland.

[gibster]

I appreciate the info provided. 
Avic - that is a great article that you provided the link for.  The info that I provided in the original post was from Seller's book, but it looks like that may not be completely correct.  I also wondered if the rifle was made by SR or JR.  The previous owner inherited it from his Grandfather and seemed to think that the rifle was made in Maryland.

bgf - the inlays in the wrist and on cheek piece are silver, sorry, no aluminum.  I do recall seeing a rifle at the Princeton Ill. show several years ago that had aluminum inlays, but don't recall who made it or where it was made.

LynnC - I think what you are seeing is reflecting sunlight.  It was pretty bright when I took the pictures.

[LynnC]

I cannot dispute the signature as I am no expert on Marker signatures.    I just see no patina in the cuts of this 150 ++ year old engraved signature.   To me the signature should be dark if the barrel surface is worn bright.   Perhaps its been heavily cleaned or its just the lighting or I don't know because I'm not seeing it in person.  Its probably nothing.   Picture on the internet can be misleading......

[Raweavey]

Gibster I just saw your pictures of the D. Marker rifle. I've looked at pictures of a lot of Marker rifles and never saw one with that type of patch box. As far as it being a smooth bore, it should be rifled, however it's not uncommon for the last few inches to be shot out/worn out  to smooth. I don't profess to know enough to say they didn't make any smooth bores, just never saw one. James Marker was my great great grandfather and Daniel Sr. was my great great great grandfather. I have seen rifles with that signature. To see them for your self try to get a copy of "Maryland Longrifles" by Hartzler and Whisker published in 1991. They have very good pictures and you'll also see what I mean about the patch box being totally different. Another Marker family signature is that most of them engraved an eagle on a medallion mostly on the cheek piece. I have a James Marker really plain jane rifle, but even it has the eagle even though no patch box at all. My guess is the barrel was restocked somewhere along the way, but you never know for sure.

Raweavey

[monro1066]

Ph # ?

[Lsbtcm]

New to this forum, Hi everybody.
 Was bidding on a "James Marker" rifle last weekend and things didn't go good for me. Really wanted one of the "Marker" rifles as it is my last name and could be? related.
 I see the user named Raweavey says he is related, Rawweavy if you don't mind could you e-mail me?

[Ky-Flinter]

Hi Lsbtcm,

Welcome to ALR.  The post by Raweavey is from 2014, and he has apparently deleted his membership here, as indicated by the word "guest" under his screen name.  So chances are you won't be receiving a response.  Good luck in your quest to find a "Marker".

-Ron