Georg Gaugler, Upper Susquehanna

[spgordon]

The owner of this rifle, which seems to be signed on the barrel "Georg Gaugler," asked me to post these pictures and to encourage list-members to comment--and to share information about Gaugler or images of other Gaugler rifles if others are out there. The owner writes: "Straight grooves, .48 smooth rifle. Some wood restoration, new drum; welded up nose on hammer; polished bore. Barrel originally used on flint gun." The wording on two of the pictures are the owner's own labels.













Please offer your thoughts!

[Loudy]

Below is what I have in my records regarding Union County (now Snyder County) gunsmith George Gaugler.   Is the patchbox finial include a gentleman's bust profile wearing a tophat?  Anyone else seeing this?  The "football" shaped sideplate was used by Joe Long and at least a few other gunsmiths from the area.  Thank you for sharing photos of this rifle. 
Loudy   

John “George” Gaugler
Born:  September 8, 1778 Frederick Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Died:  1830 Union County, Pennsylvania
 
George Gaugler is listed in Union County tax records as a gunsmith in Penn Township and located along the Susquehanna River, and having 50 acres in 1814, 1817, 1823 (In 1820 he is listed as a farmer).  Dalas Ewing, respected historian & longrifle collector, stated that George Gaugler “was one of the earliest Snyder County riflemakers.”  George Gaugler worked in Shamokin Dam circa 1814-1829.  Mr. Ewing reported that George Gaugler was the father-in-law of gunsmith George Keen to whom he taught the gunsmith trade.  Mr. Ewing considered George Gaugler’s rifles “scarce, rather crude, but interesting.”

[Shreckmeister]

Definitely a man with a top hat.

[Don Getz]

Loudy..........I caught that football sideplate.  Joe Long seemed to use it all the time, but few other builders in Snyder county
used it.   I can recall one that my brother Dick did some restoration on, can't remember much about it.   It sure does have
that typical Snyder County shape to it..........Don

[Loudy]

Looking at the photos again I noticed that this rifle appears to be fitted with a push-button type patchbox release in the toeplate.  I consider this to be unusual for an Upper Susquehanna rifle.  More typical of that area is a release spring that extends through the center-rear of the buttplate.  The tiny dude wearing the hat on the patchbox finial is "rather crude, but interesting."  I wonder if the finial was originally pinned in place and the screws were added later to better secure it?  As Don noted, the stock profile is classic Snyder County. 

Loudy         

[spgordon]

More info and questions from the owner about the football sideplate, the "top hat" patch box, and initials (HD) on the barrel. The words below in items 1-3 are the rifle's owner's:

1. On the barrel there are initials HD. Initials are about 3.5 inches forward from the drum. On the vertical flat, deeply struck but stock wood hides about 3/4 of figures. My thought now is that only the barrel remains of Gaugler's work . The stock, patch box, side plate  and other furniture may well be the work of a later smith whose initials are HD.

2. Could the football side plate be a clue to his identity?  At one time I had found a name having the HD intitials relating to a smith who worked in the Sielingsgrove area in the percussion period.  Unfortunately , I can not find the reference in my limited library. 

3. Also, the top hat patch box seems to relate to the Federal period which I think would be later than Gaugler's era.

Any further thoughts would be much appreciated.

[Loudy]

Gunsmith Henry Doebler is known to have signed his guns "H D".  He worked in New Berlin, Union County, Pennsylvania.

Loudy

[DaveM]

Is it my imagination or is the finial a really chubby guy with a bare belly sitting indian style and fancy necklace.   An indian with a tophat?  Or am I seeing things?

[Buck]

I thought that might be a cigar in his mouth. Can we get a better picture of the box without the flash?
Buck

[Collector]

The lower side of the finial has clear facial features evidenced below the 'hat,' if you look very, very closely at your computer screen.  My best guess, given the customs of the day, is that the upper side represents a man's "pigtail??"

It is a unique feature... that is easy to miss.

Is it my imagination or is the finial a really chubby guy with a bare belly sitting indian style and fancy necklace.   An indian with a tophat?  Or am I seeing things?

[bama]

I think the finial represents a gentleman wearing a I top hat and the necklace is a bow tie, and I agree the the upper side appears to be a pigtail. Very interesting box, strange the the outlining on the finial does not continue onto the side panels, as the panels appear to be I original to the box.

[Shreckmeister]

Looks more like a mullet than a pigtail.  Maybe that's Joe Dirt's ancestor

[Loudy]

Once again I would like to say "thank you" to the owner of this rifle for allowing photos of it to be posted on the ALR site.  I would like to see additional photos if possible.  I would like to see a photo of the entry pipe.  Many of the gunsmiths from Union / Snyder County area used a two-piece riveted entry pipe.  I'd like to see the nosecap also.  It would be very interesting to see the interior of the patchbox.  I'm curious about the release mechanism.  In the original post the owner stated that the barrel was originally on a flintlock rifle.  I'm curious to know what led him or her to this conclusion.  I would also like to see a photo of the H D initials that are stamped on the barrel.  The trigger looks like a simple pinned through the wood type trigger. Is this correct?  Does anyone know if George Gaugler was related to the other Gaugler gunsmiths from in and around the Union / Snyder County area? 

Loudy.   

[spgordon]

More pictures supplied by the owner:

HD on barrel:


Groove across bottom flat when used as a flintlock:


Rear sight:


Two piece muzzle cap:


Riveted muzzle cap:


Inside rivet:


Muzzle with straight grooves:


Rear entry pipe:


Inside of patch box:


Box, end view:


P. Box:


Butt plate:


Trigger guard:

[Loudy]

The additional photos are much appreciated.  The lower ramrod pipe appears to be of two piece construction typical of Union/Snyder County longrifles.  The grove in the bottom flat of the barrel clearly indicates it was previously on a gun that was equipped with a lock secured with two lock bolts, probably a flintlock.  I really like the rear sight.  The octagon to round big bore rifle barrel is cool.  The interior of the patchbox raises questions.  Is that a coil spring in the push-button lid release mechanism?  When did coil springs first start appearing on rifles?  The upper surface of the carved out area of the patchbox looks like it was originally made to accommodate a simple flat-spring type lid release, the type that extends through a hole in the buttplate.  I can't see it in the photo, but I suspect if you closely examine the upper surface of the patchbox cavity you'll find a small hole where a screw or tack secured the front end of the release spring. 

I wonder if we're looking at a gun that was originally made by G. Gaugler ca. 1810.  Then ca. 1860 gunsmith H.D. (Henry Doebler?) restocked the rifle & added the patchbox.  Then even later, sometime after coil springs became available, some unknown gunsmith was asked to shorten the trigger-pull length which he did by removing an inch or so of buttstock.  This last gunsmith appears to have replaced the original buttplate and added the push-button release mechanism.  Of course this is all just speculation on my part.

Interesting rifle.  Thanks again.

Loudy   

[Romanjj4]

I know this post is old but hopefully someone sees this.  I just posted in the buy/sell thread looking for this rifle.  If any of you on this thread have one and are willing to part with it or know someone that owns one and may be willing to sell please let me know.  My wifes maiden name is Gaugler and her father and I both collect.  I'd love to surprise him with one of these rifles as a gift.

Please let me know.  My email is romanjj4@gmail.com