Catawba Valley School from North Carolina

[mbriggs]

I found this unsigned Catawba Valley School Longrifle in a small Collection about ten years ago.  The rifle had been purchased from a family in Iredell County in the late 90's and that is where I believe it was made.  It is an unusual rifle.  From the rear of the lock mortise to the muzzle, it is very similar to rifles made by Daniel Speck who worked in Iredell County.  From the rear of the lock mortise to the butt plate it is unlike anything I have seen in North Carolina.

The comb area of the stock has a bit of a roman nose to it.  The Patchbox has a scroll finial that in some ways resembles what was being made to the South in Mecklenburg County in the 1820's.  This Patchbox is side hinged and is only the third North Carolina Longrifle I have ever seen with a side hinged Patchbox.  Another unusual feature is that the Patchbox release button is in the top of the butt plate.  I have never seen this on any other North Carolina Longrifle. 

The fore-stock molding termination, fore-stock inlays, and side plate are all typical of the Catawba Valley School.  I have no idea who made it.  I think it is possible it was made by a gunsmith who had trained in another state, moved to Iredell County and learned the local style and decided to make a rifle with features from both styles.  I only study North Carolina Longrifles.  Do any of you recognize any of the unusual features on this rifle or have an idea where this gunsmith may have trained?  All comments are welcome.



   





Here is a closeup photo of the side hinged Patchbox with the release in the top of the butt plate.







Here is the fore-stock molding termination and fore-stock inlays.



Here is the Catawba Valley School side plate.













Thanks for viewing.

Michael

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Very nice Michael!!  I really like the architecture.   The lock looks like it is too big for the lock panel...is it possibly a replacement??    What are its relevant measurements??

LOP Barrel length, length of lower forestock from lock to entry pipe Drop at comb & heel and height and width of buttplate??

[Fullstock longrifle]

Michael, the patchbox has a Lancaster look to it, similar to the work of Jacob Sees, although I've never seen a Sees with a side opening lid.  Hagi also did a similar box. Interesting rifle.

[mbriggs]

Tim, the lock is original to the rifle.  The rifle is 60 inches long, the barrel is 45 inches long, the entry pipe to the lock mortise is 14 inches.

Frank, do some Lancaster rifles have the patch box release button in the butt plate?

Thanks,

Michael

[Fullstock longrifle]

Good question Michael, I believe some of them do, but the Sees rifle I have has the release in the the toe plate. I'll check and let you know.

Frank

[JTR]

Several Lancaster makers put the box release up on the heel of the butt plate like that, foremost among them being Jacob Dickert.

And I agree with Frank that the patch box has some Lancaster look to it. But I think that by the time that gun was made that patchbox style mightnot be all that indicative of where the gun might have been made.

Nice rifle Michael and thanks for posting it!

John

[Fullstock longrifle]

John is correct, several Lancaster makers put their release in the heel of the butt plate.  I guess what I was trying to say yesterday was that the gunsmith who made your rifle may have been influenced by Lancaster makers.  Here are a couple pictures of patchboxes of Sees and Hagi rifles as examples of what I was saying.

Jacob Sees



John Hagi

[mbriggs]

John & Frank, thanks for your help with this.  What you said makes a lot of sense.  Many Catawba Valley School Longrifles are architectureally copies of late Lancaster rifles, with checkering on the wrist and split sideplates on the patchboxes.  They remind me of some Gumpf Longrifles I have seen.  I have not seen a rifle by Jacob Sees and agree that they are very similar finials.  Did he ever move to North Carolina? (Smile)

Michael   

[Terry Cheek]

Photos didn't load. 

[mbriggs]

This post was from nine years ago and I no longer have an account with photo bucket, nor do I own that rifle now as I sold it years ago.

Don't know where it is today.

Michael