Recognize this signature of J H Tilman

[Robin Henderson]

Anybody recognize this signature. I haven't taken possession of yet and this is my only photo. It's half stock, brass mounted, southernish looking rifle. 

[Tanselman]

James H. Tilman was the son of gunsmith Morris A. Tilman who worked in Kentucky in 1825-1828, and then moved to Crawford County, Indiana, where he worked for the rest of his life... many years. James H. Tilman was their 2nd son born in 1827 in Kentucky who worked in his father's gunshop until 1849 then established his own shop at Selvin in Warrick County, Indiana. He later married Miss Edna Hale in Warrick Co. James served two enlistment periods in the Civil War in Indiana, getting out in 1865. He returned to Selvin where he worked as both blacksmith and gunsmith, with most of his post-war work being blacksmithing.

I have a signed rifle by his father, Morris A. Tilman [a long, plain full-stock], but I have never seen a rifle by James. Would you mind posting pictures of it when you get a chance, hopefully front and back half-length shots showing full butt out to about 8" past lock plate area, plus a full length of front side? I'd greatly appreciate it. By the way, James' signature looks a lot like his dad's script signature... recognized it immediately.

Shelby Gallien

[Robin Henderson]

Thank you so much for this information. I was thinking southern, but didn't realize southern Indiana...Ha!  I won' be able to take possession of it till next week so anything I say now about the gun is from memory when I had a short chance to inspect it prior to the estate auction. BTY, it was in Murfreesboro, TN near where I reside.
Like his father's work this one is plain as well....half stock, no cheek rest, it did have a poured nose cap. caliber is 32/36 I believe. I will take photos as soon as possible. Also, I plan on having it for show at Jim's event in Alabama.

Again, Thank you, Shelby,
Robin

[JTR]

I wondered about this guy yesterday, but moving to Indianna threw me off track. But maybe the same guy?

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25951593/james-henry-tillman

[Robin Henderson]

I got the rifle today. I feel that its pretty much intact but not without a few condition issues. One of them is the rear sight. There's a filled dovetail 2" in front of the rear sight. I would think that if the barrel was rebreeched the sight would be moved forward not to the rear. Tanselman, hope these photos can maybe show you some like comparison to his father's work.

[Robin Henderson]

Forgot this....

[JTR]

Sometimes the rear sight was moved to suit the shooters eye.
The recently sold JP Beck had a filled dovetail right in the BECK name.

[Tanselman]

Robin,

That's a better-looking rifle than what I expected. I'm partial to southern rifles, where half-stocks often have the forestock extend 4 or 5 inches past the rear pipe... which is what this rifle has. To me, it gives any half-stock a more graceful appearance to have that forestock run on past the rear pipe a short distance. And the rear pipe is nicely shaped, better than most. Nice stock architecture, with a slight "Indiana" fish-belly in the lower butt line, and attractive guard for a later rifle. The only detail I'm uncomfortable with is the wood just above the nose of the lock... it looks clunky. I can see the break or seam, but it almost looks like a piece was added there and not shaped very well to match the side facing on the back side of the gun. Again, thanks for posting the images so I can see what one of his rifles looks like. I presume you looked at the images of the Morris A. Tilman rifle I posted after your initial post, so you can have the same fun making comparisons.

Shelby Gallien

[Robin Henderson]

Just a follow up on the rifle, and again I'm grateful for all that information you passed on to me. I have looked at your Morris Tilman post but about the only similarities that stood out was the similar style engraved signatures and the lock bolt washer which are close to identical. Maybe a real side by side examination would be more revealing. That wood at the nose of the lock is indeed added and as best I can tell is held on by only a small nail. It's not even of the same type of wood as the rest of the gun which is a fairly plain maple. It's open grain and I'm thinking it may be oak. I could add back a proper repair, but I'll leave it be as I've just got too many irons in the fire at present to fool with it.

I removed the barrel to see what I could see and there's evidence, at least to me, that the barrel was at some time shortened from the breech end. behind the present under lug is a dovetail a tad over 3'' back. If it had been indeed shortened that would have made the original barrel length at least 42" long. To accommodate this the under rib was shortened and re-rivetted where it meets the stock. Oh yes, the barrel was held by a pin through the foreshock and a wood screw though the tang. All these modifications appear to be old.

When I saw it at the estate auction, I felt it was worthy to save. I've told folks that I'm not a collector but an admirer of these old guns so I hope to move it along eventually to someone who would appreciate it more than me.