Note:
This rifle was attributed to Joe Long for many years and also appears under Long. Mr. Spotts was able to examine another rifle that appeared at the Lewisburg show and make the determination that "JS" is one Joesph Schaefer.
Jeffery Spotts -
"As promised, I dug through my materials on Schaefer/Shafer rifles. I can't say I have much. Matter of fact, about the only book that mentions this builder is Sellers' book. What I can tell you, however, is that this maker popped up in the last ten years or so and he was building early, quality pieces, as well as later examples, such as the rifle that you posses. Here is what I know.
Joseph Schaefer/Shafr worked in Union or Snyder County in the late flintlock and percussions periods. Tax lists put him the New Berlin, Union County area. Several of his rifles are signed either "JS" or "Jos Schaefer." His incised carving is distinctive and does not quite fit other regional examples. Cross-hatched circles or rectangles are usually part of the carving design. At the Lewisburg Artisans' Show, an early Schaefer fowler was brought in by a local collector. When compared to another signed example, the carving was identical and the moon inlay over the cheek piece was distinctive, being a "fat" moon, as compared to the more typical slender moon inlay from the region. Schaefer also was an accomplished engraver, adding fine detail to his rifles. One known example is numbered, showing that he built well over 100 guns. Other than this basic information, his exact location and training remains unknown at present.
As your rifle is not an identical match on the carving, it does have an identical "JS" signature. You have a great rifle that is perhaps a tad later than the other known examples, but you certainly can't complain about the overal quality of the piece that you have. If I learn of any new information, I will keep you posted."
