Author Topic: What is this inlay? (Read 9617 times)

Rich N. · « **on:** February 09, 2013, 04:31:21 AM »

Some time ago there was a discussion on inlays used on rifles. Recently the inlay in the attached photograph was the focus of some discussion by myself and some friends. Obviously the inlay (sideplate) on the left is a fish, but no one knew for sure what the sideplate on the right is. Since it is snowing here and not much else is happening, it seems like a good time to bring this question to the collective wisdom of this list. Is it the back end of a goose, a variation of a half moon, or something else? Does anyone have any ideas?

Rich

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #1 on:** February 09, 2013, 04:57:40 AM »

Looks to me like a female owl- and nicely endowed- about to strike on a rodent . Not much help, eh?

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #2 on:** February 09, 2013, 05:06:34 AM »

You piggy Canadian.

Avlrc · « **Reply #3 on:** February 09, 2013, 05:31:39 AM »

If this is a Rorschach test, then my answer is the same as the Canadian. Having the same answer as someone else in this test gives you a better chance of a normal rating.

Keb · « **Reply #4 on:** February 09, 2013, 06:02:52 AM »

Seeing as the front one is a fish, I'd say the other one is a mermaid as seen from above.

Shreckmeister · « **Reply #5 on:** February 09, 2013, 04:03:48 PM »

I vote for bird. Can we see the rest. Looks like a great gun

Buck · « **Reply #6 on:** February 09, 2013, 06:28:21 PM »

I agree with the bird theory.

Robby · « **Reply #7 on:** February 09, 2013, 06:42:57 PM »

Romulan bird of prey, er, female bird of prey!

Robby

Buck · « **Reply #8 on:** February 09, 2013, 07:08:49 PM »

Wasn't it a Klingon Bird of Prey?

PPatch · « **Reply #9 on:** February 09, 2013, 08:17:59 PM »

Just someones fancy, no intended representation of animal, plant nor Klingon.

dp

Buck · « **Reply #10 on:** February 09, 2013, 08:27:24 PM »

Maybe a bannana crossed over an apple?

mountainman70 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 10, 2013, 03:29:53 AM »

Well now,you guys have dropped your cover to a new member,and now Rich gonna know what a loose bunch some of us are.Thas ok,we all like a little fun.
As to my interper-tation,looks like a buzzit /buzzard to me.But then most o my frens sez I looks like one o them buzzits.lolDave---yep,too much bourbon.

jdm · « **Reply #12 on:** February 10, 2013, 05:32:46 AM »

I'm with PPatch on this . Sometime I think the maker was just filling space. His interpretation of art. Butt...... it does have that Klingon bird of prey look! Couldn't resist. JIM

Dphariss · « **Reply #13 on:** February 10, 2013, 07:28:05 AM »

Its a decoration.
If they wanted it to look like something. A bird or fish or Moon or star, they knew how...
A lot of whimsical folk art turns up on American longrifles.
Dan

Don Getz · « **Reply #14 on:** February 10, 2013, 07:42:21 AM »

It is called an "INLAY" and doesn't have to represent anything. Joe Long did what we call a "football" sideplate and
was done long before the game was played..............Don

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #15 on:** February 10, 2013, 06:16:25 PM »

The Man in the moon!

Dphariss · « **Reply #16 on:** February 10, 2013, 06:24:38 PM »

P.S. There is an excellent chance it was a store bought inlay as well given its a late rifle. Tyron sold this stuff for decades starting in the early 1800s. Patchboxes, inlays and other ML parts were in catalogs well into the cartridge era. There were other suppliers/importers as well.

Dan

Majorjoel · « **Reply #17 on:** February 10, 2013, 08:48:32 PM »

A lot of these "cut outs" can become anything a good gunsmith wants to make them. It all depends on the engraving that the smith adds to the shape to make a believable "something". This one is pretty generic. A one eyed bull that I named cyclops.

mbriggs · « **Reply #18 on:** February 10, 2013, 09:51:13 PM »

I agree with Sequatchie Rifle, it is the "Man in the Moon". We see that a lot on North Carolina Rifles.

Below is the normal North Carolina example. This man in the moon is on a Davidson School Eagle Patchbox Longrifle attributed to Andrew Long.

If you want to see an unusual inlay, please take a look at the example below and tell me what you think it is? This is on a Jamestown School Longrifle by Evan Johnson. I have seen the same inlay on one other Jamestown rifle by a another maker.

Michael

Buck · « **Reply #19 on:** February 11, 2013, 04:12:25 AM »

Mike,
Certainly is different, maybe a star behind a cloud in the night (moon is the piercing). This is a common symbol in Masonry. If memory serves the Jamestown rifles were often embellished with Masonic symbolism. Although that might be a stretch.

mbriggs · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2013, 07:45:25 PM »

I agree with the man in the moon piercing. I think it is a liberty head figure with a chin, nose, and 3 points. Does anyone else see this?

Michael

GrampaJack · « **Reply #21 on:** February 12, 2013, 03:32:24 AM »

I thought that looked familiar. Here is one from a Jacob Truby Ohio rifle. Jack

halfstock · « **Reply #22 on:** February 12, 2013, 10:17:42 PM »

That looks like eagles wings with a federal shield.

smart dog · « **Reply #23 on:** February 12, 2013, 11:12:48 PM »

Hi,
There are certainly a lot of possibilities. Let me posit another. Many York school gunmakers during the "Golden Age" engraved a pattern on their sideplates that often looked like wings viewed in frontal profile or downward spreading C scolls extending from the lock bolt. Under the "wings" and below the bolt, they engraved shields floral designs, more scrolls, etc. I wonder if the inlay shown was a very simplified and stylized version of that engraved motif?

dave

GrampaJack · « **Reply #24 on:** February 12, 2013, 11:52:21 PM »

Here is a better picture of the Truby inlay. I have always thought that it represented eagle wings and a federal shield but, I could be wrong. Jack

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Author Topic: What is this inlay? (Read 9617 times)

GrampaJack

GrampaJack