This is a very nice example of a Lexington School rifle from an outlying county beyond Fayette Co. A close examination of the current percussion lock shows it is not the original lock...while fitting the mortise very well, you can see a slight gap under the current lock plate back near its tail. The gun was built as a late flintlock, probably ca. 1835 based on the butt's pointed toe. The "wavy" termination at the rear ramrod pipe somewhat mimics the terminations on Bryan and other rifles made in Fayette County. However, it shows a touch of artistic flair. Almost all Lexington School rifles with carving at the rear pipe (and elsewhere where the double line incised molding terminates) have a "smooth" wavy line with three "humps" in it, always cut with a half-round chisel. Here, the maker chose to run the tip of the chisel beyond where it was picked up by the next alternating cut, creating small "branches" or "tails" running out from the normal wavy line. I like the effect, adding small "branches" to the normal wavy line to spice it up.
Note the guard is rounded on the outer surface...if made in Fayette Co., it would probably have two flats on the outer surface...just another detail suggesting, while a Lexington rifle, it was made outside of Fayette Co. However, the rest of the guard is typical Lexington School, with its heavy, square-in-section, front post and bow with slight upward slope toward the front.
These unsigned and unadorned Lexington rifles are hard to attribute due to the many similarities among the region's rifles. However, while it may well have been made in Franklin County, a couple of details suggest it might have been built in Bourbon County. The side-facing is slightly longer at the rear, not the same width all the way around the lock plate. Also, the triggers with the square tab behind the front hair trigger, and the small teats at the bottom of each trigger, are similar to the work of Jake Clinkenbeard of Bourbon County. However, he used a more traditional cheekpiece, while yours is somewhat unique to the School. But the other details I mentioned suggest it could have been made in Bourbon Co. Or perhaps it is by a Franklin Co. maker whose signed work we haven't seen yet. A lot of these slightly later Lexington guns lack signatures, or initials, despite being good quality rifles. The lack of a rear pipe is somewhat odd for one of these rifles.
If possible, due to the several unique details on this Lexington School rifle, and its history in Kentucky, I would enjoy getting pictures of it that could be used in an upcoming Vol. III of "Kentucky Gunmakers 1775-1900," if that might be possible. I can do a lot with photoshop, but would need the "standard" half-length shots and a full-length shot. Shelby Gallien
