Lehigh Pistol

[moleeyes36]

Knob Mountain Muzzleloading shows a Fred Miller stock pattern for a Lehigh Pistol http://knobmountainmuzzleloading.com/stocks.html that caught my eye.  I've struck out locating pictures of an original pistol called a Lehigh Pistol.  The stock shown definitely has different lines (i.e.,more slender butt) than what I've seen of Kentucky pistols.  I think I'd like to take on this project in the near future if such an original style pistol ever existed and I could find some pictures of what one looks like.  Does anyone know of any pictures or data that might be available on a Lehigh Pistol?  Thanks.

Mole Eyes   

[Acer Saccharum]

Eric vonAschwege has built several Lehigh Pistols. Maybe contact him and see what he's used for historical reference.

[whetrock]

Here's a link.

http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2013/09/jacob-kunz-at-james-julia-auction.html

you might want to visit the Julia's Auction site where these photos were originally posted, as well. It may have additional details.

Here's another link to a pair of flint pistols:
http://jamesdjulia.com/auctions/view_lot_info.asp?lot=1496-331

[moleeyes36]

Eric vonAschwege has built several Lehigh Pistols. Maybe contact him and see what he's used for historical reference.

Thanks, Acer.  I sent Eric an email asking for any pointers to sources of historical reference data or pictures of original pieces.  His website also says that plans are coming soon for a Lehigh Pistol which I told him that I intend to purchase as soon as they are available.

Mole Eyes

[moleeyes36]

Here's a link.

http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2013/09/jacob-kunz-at-james-julia-auction.html

you might want to visit the Julia's Auction site where these photos were originally posted, as well. It may have additional details.

Here's another link to a pair of flint pistols:
http://jamesdjulia.com/auctions/view_lot_info.asp?lot=1496-331

Thanks for the links, Whetrock.  The second one has some very nice pictures of a pair of Kuntz Lehigh Pistols.  I really like the slim lines of those guns compared to the more stout lines of most Kentucky style pistols.  I'm going to have to build one as a companion piece to a Lehigh County Rifle I finished in the spring.

Mole Eyes

[whetrock]

Hey Mole Eyes,

Here's another link you may want to see:
Kunz (Kuntz ) pistols
http://www.jamesjuliaauction.com/auctions/div_catalog_346_sh.asp
This is to a catalogue page. Scroll down from the top a few screens to find an really nice pistol marked "KUNZ", presumed to be Jacob Kuntz.

If you scroll down past the collection of automatic weapons, you will find some really nice longrifles. You can click on the images of the rifles to open more views.

[whetrock]

Here's another one. This might actually be the best portal, as it is the entire firearms list from the catalogue to the Julia's mid Oct 2013 sale.

http://jamesdjulia.com/auctions/div_catalog_346.asp?pageREQ=2#2302-346

If you scroll down, you will find that this catalogue includes a great number detailed photos of flint and percussion longrifles and pistols. Click on the photos to open detailed views. Some of the nicer pieces also have rotating views (opened by clicking on the icon of a camera in the top corner).

Be sure to scroll through the entire second half of the auction listings. Julia's lists firearms by groups according to who is selling the stuff, rather than according to type of firearm. So to see all the flintlocks, you have to scroll down and look through several different collections that were up for sale. (Don't assume that just because you see a modern firearm you have reached the end of the flintlock listings.)

[moleeyes36]

Thanks, Whetrock.  If I hit the lotto I know where I'm going to spend a nice piece of change.  Maybe I'd better start sweet talking my wife and buy a ticket.   

Mole Eyes

[E.vonAschwege]

   Email sent about Lehigh pistols, originals, and plans.  The recent Julia auction has a bunch of Lehigh and Lehigh-ish pistols to study. 
-Eric

[JTR]

Here's some pictures of a small, likely Lehigh, pistol.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=4152.0

In the hand it's light and slender and sleek, but could be sized up pretty easily, and still keep the slender lines.
John

[moleeyes36]

John, thank you for the link to the picture.  I've been spending most of the time in the last couple of days looking at pictures of original Lehigh Pistols and reading up on them from links provided by Whetrock and Eric.  I've exchanged emails with Eric and he provided me with a really good "primer" on Lehigh Pistols.  From all the data and pictures I've been pouring over, I think you're probably right about it likely being a Lehigh Pistol.  As I understand some of this data, the one piece side plate might indicate it's also an early piece.  Perhaps Eric or someone that knows a lot about these things could speak on that. 

Mole Eyes

[rich pierce]

Here's some pictures of a small, likely Lehigh, pistol.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=4152.0

In the hand it's light and slender and sleek, but could be sized up pretty easily, and still keep the slender lines.
John

What a great pistol!  As a maker, that stock has a wonderful color to try to achieve.

[JTR]

Mole,
Personally I have no doubt that the pistol is a Lehigh Co. product as it just has too many Lehigh characteristics to have been made anyplace else. As with most pistols it's still original flint, and has a nice gunsmith made lock. To me it looks all original except the ramrod, with almost all of the original finish still on the wood. The finish is chipped and worn through in a few places and looks like a very light reddish toned varnish

Rich, I think the wood was finished first with oil or AF to bring out the color, then coated over with the varnish, but it's hard to tell for sure at this point.
When I first bought the gun, I wanted to take it apart to look for marks on the underside of the barrel or the inside of the lock, but the screws didn't really want to move and there's a lot of hardened gunk around the lock and inlet, so I just left it as is. I did make a better looking ramrod, but that's it.

John