lock time period

[c deperro]

 The lock is marked Green & Wetmore Warranted . It looks to be an English import lock it has a waterproof pan and roller frizzen spring. Does anyone have information on Green & Wetmore ?

[c deperro]

This rifle is signed J Dickert and as similar to RCA#68. I will try to post photos later this evening.

[oakridge]

I can't help you with the lock marking, but I'd sure like to see pics of the rifle.

[Big Wolf]

A lock with a roller frizzen and a water proof pan seems late to be on a Dickert

[c deperro]

Here are some photos of the Dickert rifle.

[wormey]

Several things ain`t right here!

[bama]

Thanks for the pictures and you have a nice rifle. It is the first birdseye maple stock that I have seen on an early rifle. This may be an original Dickert, the signature on the barrel looks correct as does the patchbox. The stock architecture seems not to follow what most of us come to think of as Dickert's work. This leads me to think restock of Dickert parts. Altough everything seems to work very well in this rifles construction, most restocks have a tell tale sign where something did not quite work right. This leads me to think this is all original construction. Reguardless this is a nice rifle even though not what we are used to seeing from him.

Thanks again for something new to think about. 

[Big Wolf]

It appears to be an old restock using Dickert parts. Probably done in the 1830's or 40's. Still a nice gun though.

[blienemann]

CD,
To your question, I don't know more about the lock makers, but every bit of this rifle and lock look good to me - curious what other students / collectors think?  The lock and lock panels fit 1810 plus or minus, and all the mounts, details, color, etc. look really good.  Dickert lived to 1822, and was active to the end, so an 1810 +/- rifle fits fine.
We are generally used to seeing straight buttstocks on Dickerts and "Lancaster" pattern rifles, though they vary.  Henry, Deringer and others were stocking "Phila" pattern or curved butt rifles like this one, and Dickert with his friends and subcontractors would probably build whatever the customer wanted.  Plus the birdseye is different, as mentioned.
Thanks for showing us another fine old rifle.

[sqrldog]

Blienemann
While I'm no expert by any means I do read a lot and Dickert was involved in making rifles for the western fur trade and the government to trade/sell/ give to the Indians and many of them certainly varied from the classic Lancaster at least post 1800. The roller frizzen lock doesn't bother me as English locks and their various copies had frizzens and springs with rollers well prior to 1800. I think it is an excellent rifle. Looks to have had some of the patina rubbed off which is a shame but often happens. I feel sure that Dickert's factory would take an order and build to a customer's desire. I like the rifle and may build a late period flint based on this rifle. Tim

[jdm]

I have a friend who has a rifle signed  Dickert with a stock profile similar to the one you have. his came out of the New Mexico area . I haven't seen it in a number of years so I don't remember all the details.  

[Big Wolf]

Aside from the architecture being wrong for a Dickert, the biggest clue that it's a restock is the patchbox. Look closely at the full picture of the box alone. If you blow up the picture and look at the bottom of the box where it meets the butt plate, you'll see where the engraving on the upper panel is partially cut off, the catch on the lid is too close to the edge (as well as the lid extending over the butt plate a bit on one side), and the bottom panel has lost all of its engraving along the bottom edge. They weren't trying to fool anybody, they were just reusing parts and making them fit. It's still a nice gun, but in my opinion, it's an old restock.

[Buck]

It's definitely an early restock. Doesn't take away from it, it's just a Dickert / ? joint venture. Kind of like the famous Parker / White collaboration. It's still a good gun.

Buck

[JTR]

I agree with Buck. It's a restock of some Dickert parts.

Nothing wrong with that, it's just making a new gun out of an old broken one, and was done a lot back then.

John

[jdm]

There are so many late guns around with Dickert barrels. I some times wonder if he sat around and signed them in his spare time. Most I've seen are not even close to his work. The person who did this used a great piece of wood and nice work. I'm sure it brought many more working years to it.

[c deperro]

Thanks for the input guys i will pass the information along to the rifles owner.