Well here is another tree stumper for the well informed contemporary Pennsylvania Long rifle aficionados. I have come by a Lehigh style rifle that is signed in stamped block letter "Joesph B Zirngibl" Library, PA. on the top flat. The Flintlock is signed "Lew Mattig." Does anybody know anything about them and the years that they worked?
As stated this rifle is apx 40 caliber in the Lehigh school with a two piece hand cut Eagles Head brass patch box that is pinned and engraved. The engraving on the brass Patchbox, Trigger Guard and Side plate is quite light, delicate and well executed in a folk art fashion. It features a Federalist motif with the Eagles heads silver inlays, a Liberty Bell with seashell excise carving at the Ramrod ferrule. All together it features 14 silver inlays (including where the barrel is pinned) the others being half moons and a heart behind the Tang. The rifle features both incise and excise C scroll carving behind the cheek piece and going forward under the cheek piece and ending in front. The carving is very delicate and lightly done but seems a bit rough in finish. There is also excise "feathering" in front of the locks which seems to be a Ohio convention? The brass muzzle cap is formed out of a brass sheet. The mortising of the lock and inside of the Patchbox both show chisel work. The lock marked Lew Mattig? appears to be hand machined, even the screw that hold the lock in place are hand done. The barrel if one were to guess was also hand rifled? The Stock has very nice figure and is well formed by hand with a smooth finish vs the scrapped. The Ramrod is a piece of hand done Hickory stick. All in all this appears to be a high art folk piece that was built by someone who knew his trade quite well.
When I received this rifle the Brass was so tarnished that it was black and all the silver inlays were tarnished. While I am fairly loath at removing patina the Patchbox blended into the stock and the engraving was indistinguishable. The metal was dry and needed lubricating. It looked like it had 40 to 50 years of tarnish on it? As far as vintage the engraver used stippling to highlight the floral accents on the Side plate and Toe of the Butt. Which indicates a bit of stylizing perhaps 1950's or 60's, 70's? This is what I do not know?
BTW the rifle has a 42 inch barrel and weighs in at 10 pounds.
I have found a Joesph D Zirngibl of Library, PA 1946-May 2017, and a Joesph Zirngibl of the same area who passed in 1951.
