Here's one that caught my eye. Sorry I did not get a full length shot. Why do I like it?
1) I like early "roots" rifles, that represent the first rifles made here by European trained gunsmiths, or the first generation of gunsmiths born here. So that is one category of "attraction- the rifle is in the wheelhouse of my favorite period.
2) The rifle is believable. Inside of "believeable" is "coherent" to me. I like a gun to be coherent from one end to the other. I dislike a formal style in one place and a folksy style in another, hard edges in one place, soft in another, etc. The furniture, barrel, lock, and architecture all fit together well for a time period and a place of training- which to me is maybe the second quarter of the 1700's and training in one of the Germanic countries.
3) Great architecture. I like the not so shy belly of the buttstock. That's a bold design decision within the choices available- a straight toe line, a concave toe line, a stepped wrist that is bold or subtle. This is surprising but works.
4) The rifle is creative within constraints of what was done. I do some rifles that are less creative and appreciate builders who have an artistic eye that lets them work within period styles and use new designs effectively. For me, the carving behind the cheekpiece and the sideplate are creative but coherent.
5) Execution is superb.
