Gunmakers "marks"

[brooktrout]

I have looked at so many photos in the last few weeks that I see rifles in my sleep!  So, this morning I am looking at some new photos and notice a "mark" on the barrel of a rifle made by a maker, "Long" was the name I think.  The photo did not show the name and this mark together but as different photos and you could not tell how far apart the name was from the mark.  The "mark" looked to be a vertical line, maybe even a + symbol and on all 4 points of that symbol was small circles or o's.  About a week ago I seem to recall seeing that same, or very similar mark on another gun but not one made by the same maker.

Any idea if there is a story to that mark...what it means, where it originated...who used it???

[brooktrout]

Well, I guess the answer is either so illusive no one knows OR so obvious that everyone knows....but me.  One of the guns is down  a ways in this topic (Antique Gun Collecting).  I think that specific thread topic names the rifle as being made by one Joseph Long.  The mark is clearly there.  The second place I have seen it was earlier this week on a gun I personally examined with a makers name of Sites.  The mark is slightly different but still very similar.  Today, I took that gun to the nearest man around who qualifies as an "expert".  He placed no specific importance to them, but did say they may have been sort of the marker's trademark.

BTW, the Sites gun turns out to have been made by George Sites of Rockingham county Virginia.

[JTR]

Awww, the Joe Long that's probably not a Joe Long, but a nice rifle anyway and made up in that same area.

As for the marks, the guy was more or less correct in that it just a flourish mark that some makers put between his first and last name. Some of these marks have become very well known to collectors, like Dickerts tomahawk and arrow cartouche.

Sometimes if the maker name isn't very legible for some reason, the mark can help in identifying the maker. These marks are generally between the first and last name of the maker on the top of the barrel, and shouldn't be confused with a barrel makers mark which is generally on a lower barrel flat back close to the breech.   

Sorry your question got overlooked.... maybe everyone's out enjoying the nice weather 

John