Comments:
The barrel is swamped, 35.5" long, and 48 caliber. There is a stabilized break in the forearm about 4" from the muzzle. This may have had something to do with the barrel being shortened. The patchbox has a Winchester style release using a knuckle in the hinge for the release button.
A heavily decorated, fine percussion era Glaze rifle. Relief carving behind the cheepiecek isn't his greatest, but wrist carving just ahead of cheek is among his best, and much nicer than the incise carving he frequently used in that location. I like the cheek star inlay with silver wire work, which shows ties to the Sheets' rifles of VA/WV in Shepherdstown. The lock is interesting. A few gunsmiths liked to experiment with their mechanical skills and built unique locks...Joseph Mills was another who made locks that puzzle today's collectors. Since this is a percussion era rifle where bores were usually getting smaller, yet it has a .48 caliber bore, perhaps the eccentricities of this rifle were all intentionally done for a specific end purpose. The large bore, external lock components to strengthen wrist area of stock, and lock parts easily accessible to inspect, clean & maintain...were perhaps done for a bear rifle, or for other large and potentially dangerous game, where the owner couldn't tolerate a failure of the gun. Regardless, it is a beautifully made rifle with many of Glaze's better details.
