Rifles decorated with Masonic symbolism

[Agent 006]

I have been asked by one of our local lodges to make a presentation describing the use of Masonic symbols in engravings and inlays on longrifles.  If anyone has any rifles or powder horns so decorated and would be willing to post pictures on this forum I, and I suspect others, would appreciate it.  For my own part I'm only interested in showing examples not where they are or the like.  Thanks you for any help you might provide or any directions you might direct me toward for additional examples.
Jim

[JTR]

Try a search here using the words Masonic Symbols .

You'll find a great thread with a number of pictures.

John

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

I believe Mike Simens has one in his "sold" category of Longrifles on his web site. Please contact him directly if you choose to do anything other than view it...for his permission. There are also many horns in books of Horns with Masonic symbols.
Hurricane

[Shreckmeister]

PM me with your email address and I will share photos of mine.

[smokinbuck]

Agent,
On our site, aolrc.org, you will fin a listing under gunsmiths for P.A. Reinhard. Many of his rifles were marked prolifically with masonic emblems. There are most likely many others also but this was part of his trademark.
Mark


 

[Agent 006]

Thank you for your replies.  This will contribute greatly to my presentation.
Jim

[Don Getz]

At one time I owned a Samuel Baum rifle with a square and compass engraved on the barrel.......Don

[mr. no gold]

Sometime in the 1990s, a very fine J. Fondersmith rifle came to light in the southwest. It had a number of Masonic elements worked into the ornamentation, but the most remarkable feature was a raised, carved, winged dragon behind the cheek rest. Where the piece is today, I do not know, but it is shown in one or more of Whisker's books on KY Rifles. The collector who owned it researched it tirelessly and found that a number of the unusual inlays and engraved designs had their origins in the Masonic Order. 
If you can find photos of that gun, you may find one of the earlier examples of Free Masonry present in the KY Rifle. This particular piece appeared to be a fairly early gun likely made around 1800. Most of what we see today seem to be from the middle half of the 1800s, but the Fondersmith suggests that it began considerably earlier. Hope this helps some.
Dick 

[mr. no gold]

A very brief article on the Fondersmith 'dragon' rifle is contained in the KRA volume of "Selected Articles from the KRA Bulletin (Volume 1-30)" and can be found on page 300. Unfortunately the photographs are rather poor and there is a scarcity of the kind of infomation that you are seeking, but it does give some details that can perhaps help in looking further.
Dick