ASOAC article on Bonowtiz

[Sean]

Some of you may have seen this already.  It has some good info and some good close up b/w photography.

http://asoac.org/bulletins/89_bishop_bonewitz.pdf

Sean

[California Kid]

Thanks for the link. Lots of good articles on that sight.

[timM]

Mr. Bishop, you hit that one out of the park!  Thank you.  Very much enjoyed.

[rich pierce]

It is interesting to me to see how "German" these gunmakers were in that generation.  I really liked the article and agree that Bonewitz seems to have incorporated features from "not around there", probably from his apprenticeship elsehwere in Lancaster or York.  He sure had his own signatures.  It's amazing to me that there are about 30 surviving rifles in collections.

[Dale Campbell]

Was the auction record originally in English, as was the inventory?  A couple things puzzle me.  Why would a ramrod be worth as much as 1-3 gun stocks? (Day 2 lots 53-56 vs Day 1 lots 37-42). Or worth more than an old barrel (D1, lot 13, 30) What is/was a ramrod bar? What was a drawbar (D2 lot 57-60)

[HIB]

Sorry Dale, I was more concerned about the corkscrew and number of spectacles Bonewitz had.  The number of books was also a puzzle until last year when I found an old record that showed Bonewitz as a major player in the first public school established in Womelsdorf in 1800. Apparently he was on the initial board of directors which might provide the reason for so many foreign books.

I'm currently reviewing the new info I have uncovered since the article was presented at the '04 ASAC meeting in Louisville. Contact me directly should you wish to become a Bonewitz student. I'll warn you before hand, however, I've been know to talk about Bonewitz for 2 1/2 days straight.  Glad your looking deeper than the average reviewer. No telling what other info can come from your efforts so I encourage you to continue.
Regards,   HIB

[Karl Kunkel]

I find Bonewitz and Reedy both very interesting.  Sean, thanks for sharing the article.  HIB, that article dates from 2004?  I was looking for a date, couldn't locate one in the bulletin article.

[Mike R]

For some reason I cannot open that address...?  Is the article available some other place?

[Dale Campbell]

Henry, that was a great article with a fascinating set up supporting data.  However, please don't confuse me with someone who has a clue.  I'm not sure I know enough to ask legitimate questions.  I hope one of the native dialect or German speakers can say if the translations in the auction list were accurate?  Was the original list in English (like the inventory), or was it translated for the 1910 publication, or an earlier publication?  Was English the legal purposes language in the area at the time?