Jacob Dubbs - North Hampton Co.

[wmrike]

In Jim Johnston's "Kentucky Rifles and Pistols" (1976) there is a rifle and a fragment of a separate buttstock on page 11.  The smoothbore rifle gun is beautifully done in the Allentown style and attributed to the  obscure Jacob Dubbs.  The buttstock fragment is nearly identical in form and detail; it is initialed "J.D." on the thumbpiece and dated 1721.  In the forty-plus years since the book was published, can anyone offer up an opinion as to how well that attribution and connection has held up?

Sidebar: The rifle in question was from the wonderful Tom Wilson collection.  Most of fifty years ago, Wilson owned a men's clothing store downtown in the then-village of Worthington, Ohio.  He had fifteen, maybe twenty of the finest Kentucky rifles on open display above the racks and shelves of clothing.  When I say "finest," I mean in the sense that all are pictured in at least one book that you own.  I was always flabbergasted that you could walk in off the street and stand two feet from those guns, no glass, no pass, no suspicious looks.

[Eric Kettenburg]

To my knowledge, the attribution of these pieces are solely based upon the "JD" on the escutcheon.  In addition to those two, there are at least 3 or 4 more that are clearly by the same guy using the same import furniture.  I call him "the wonky carver" based upon his carving style! 

Meanwhile, in more recent years there has been some research into Jacob Daub, in Bucks Co., and there is various speculation as to who he may have been, his relationship to "Jacob Dubbs" etc.  I know of at least 1 signed J Daub rifle as well as couple of others attributed (I believe correctly) to him which span a period from probably Rev War or immediately post rev war through the 1790s-1800 period.  The signed piece appears to be one of the later pieces.  To my eye, the Daub rifles do not in any way look to be the same guy as the "Dubbs" rifles (much more professional and competent), although there has also been speculation as to father vs. son etc.

Perhaps Eric Armstrong or someone else who has seriously researched the Bucks makers can add some pertinent information to this.  Unfortunately so many of the Bucks tax records were lost in a fire many years ago.

[Eric Kettenburg]

That's right, forgot about the 'long rifles of note' rifle but I do have that article saved.  Then on the 2016 President's display disc from the KRA, there is another marked "J. Doub Jr. Gon Smith."

Neither of these two pieces, nor the 1 or possibly 2 others that appear to potentially be the same guy (I know of at least one unpublished, possibly 2 but neither signed) in any way seem to be related to the "Dubbs" pieces with the import furniture and funky carving.  And there are a number of those, so whoever that guy way, I know for a fact that none of them are signed and that guy was fairly consistent in style, at least among the surviving pieces.  They seem earlier than the "J Daub/Doub" rifles probably by at least 10-20 years.  I genuinely don't believe there is any relation.

[VP]

I don't know a thing about J. Doub, but Wes White shows two signed rifles by Daub or Doub. One is labeled on the patchbox "Mad by J . Daub" and the other "J . Doub Gon Smith". These two rifles are featured in the KRF CD entitled "Wes White Photos - Eastern PA". Both rifles are similar in style to a typical Buck County rifle with side opening matchboxes, incised carving, etc. I don't know if either of these rifles are by the gunsmiths you are talking about.

VP

[Eric Kettenburg]

Yes, those are the two rifles actually signed by Daub.  They sure don't (imho) in any way seem to relate to the funky so-called "Jacob Dubbs" pieces which I believe are what wmrike is inquiring about. 

[jdm]

  Eric is this the funky style you are referring to.?

[Eric Kettenburg]

Yes that's exactly it.  There are a fair number of those guns surviving, probably more than I've personally seen because I've not seen yours.  Either the guy was very prolific, possibly with a large shop with employees/apprentices, or for some reason their survival rate is considerably higher than many others.  They predominantly seem to be smooth rifles.  They stylistically seem to have a Bucks or Northampton connection but I've never been able to come up with a maker or pin down a specific location.

[jdm]

Eric, You've seen pictures of this gun before. It was on here sometime in 2014 I think. Very helpful information came out then. I believe you were the one then that said not Daub but the other unknown guy. So many rifles so many posts we can't remember them all.   This gun is smooth bore imported barrel ,hardware and English lock ( T Ketland  ). Stocked in maple here with interesting carving and molding lines.

[Eric Kettenburg]

Well you've got a point - there ARE so many posts are over the years, I know I can't remember everything.  And I sure don't know everything!  One thing of interest, I think every one of these I've seen has been in relatively plain maple.  The stocks all look to be so close - in profile shape and overall lines - you would think they had been roughed out on a duplicator, something like a cheekpiece being added or deleted at will.  I really think someone was just cranking these things out using a complete array of import locks, barrels and furniture, a true "stocker" who likely wasn't making any of the hardware.  I just wish I knew who it was!

Someone I had a discussion wth years ago at dixons suggested that, like the earlier German or Belgian "import" pieces of the 1760s-1770s (probably right up until the war), these may perhaps have been post-war imports.  I have to disagree with this, not just based on the American maple alone which I wouldn't see as a make or break issue, but just in that they look so very Northampton-ish and also they would be pretty passe in both style and size by the time the later 1780s rolled around.  I truly think someone there in the upper Bucks or Northampton area from Allentown southward was just whipping these out for anyone and everyone.

[jdm]

I forgot to include the nose cap . It is open ended in the style of the area. I agree it would be nice to know who was making these.  I was hoping Eric Armstrong would have some ideas from his research on Bucks county . In fact I was digging through  my pictures  to email him when this post came up.