Author Topic: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157  (Read 3077 times)

Offline cshirsch

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 329
SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« on: December 17, 2018, 07:27:42 PM »
My SHELL & EARLEY rifle.  #157












dogbest

  • Guest
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2018, 01:15:05 AM »
Nice gun!

Offline Algae

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 194
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2018, 01:34:39 AM »
Very nice rifle Chris, thanks for posting!

Al J.

Offline Chris_B

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 305
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2018, 07:23:53 AM »
Very nice indeed!
Kind regards from Germany, Chris

Offline Bill-52

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 373
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2018, 04:50:55 PM »
As you know, Chris, I've always admired this Shell & Earley rifle of yours.  Bill

Offline Cades Cove Fiddler

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1693
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2018, 06:08:19 PM »
 ;) ;)... Great looking (non-Tennessee) rifle Chris,...!!!,... give us some specs and background on the builders,...and what is the lock marked, ?.... how common are numbered rifles, ? ... I've never seen a numbered gun before,.... regards,...CCF,..

Offline David R. Pennington

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2885
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2018, 09:07:16 PM »
Yes, details please, History?
VITA BREVIS- ARS LONGA

Offline cshirsch

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 329
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2018, 12:32:36 AM »
Sorry guys, there was no history with this one.  The guy I got it from wouldn't tell me where he got it.  If he did decide to tell me, it would have been a lie anyway.  Sorry.

Offline bgf

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1403
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2018, 03:51:44 AM »
I don't recognize Shell & Early -- am I the only one?

Offline Cades Cove Fiddler

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1693
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #9 on: December 19, 2018, 04:45:15 AM »
 ??? ???..... kinda what i wanted to be asking with my question,......

Offline cshirsch

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 329
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #10 on: December 19, 2018, 05:26:33 AM »
Earley was business partners with John Shell for a short time.

Offline David R. Pennington

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2885
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #11 on: December 19, 2018, 06:47:08 AM »
Do you know where and when they worked?
VITA BREVIS- ARS LONGA

Offline Majorjoel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3134
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #12 on: December 19, 2018, 11:03:33 AM »
Amos Earley was the son in law of John Shell, Dauphin County PA. Married to Rebecca Shell. John Shell was the son of Martin Shell, famous early PA. Gunsmith.   You will find a plethora of information along with many photos of Shell made longrifles in our very own Bruce Miller Museum!    You can also get a lot of historic insight from the FindaGrave website   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11527935/amos-early

Thank you Chris for showing us pictures of this very fine rifle!
Joel Hall

Offline cshirsch

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 329
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #13 on: December 19, 2018, 05:42:57 PM »
Amos Earley was the son in law of John Shell, Dauphin County PA. Married to Rebecca Shell. John Shell was the son of Martin Shell, famous early PA. Gunsmith.   You will find a plethora of information along with many photos of Shell made longrifles in our very own Bruce Miller Museum!    You can also get a lot of historic insight from the FindaGrave website   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11527935/amos-early

Thank you Chris for showing us pictures of this very fine rifle!


I could not find the photos of the rifles.

Offline Bill-52

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 373
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #14 on: December 19, 2018, 07:14:57 PM »
The most common assumption is that this rifle was made by John Shell and his apprentice, Amos Early, who as noted above, also became John Shell’s son-in law. However, a case can be made that this rifle was made earlier by John Shell and Amos’ father Jacob Earley.

First: The rifle’s #157.   John Shell numbered most of his rifles. The ALR Bruce Miller Virtual  Museum has nine John Shell rifles ranging from #57 to #422. Rifle #65 is believed to be Shell’s personal rifle, carried by him in the War of 1812 (he served in 1814). Some of Shell’s later rifles were also dated. Based on an analysis of John Shell’s production over his long gunsmithing career, #157 was likely made in the late 1820’s to early 1830’s. Amos Early wasn’t born until 1832, per his tombstone, so assuming this analysis is reasonably accurate (a big assumption!) it isn't likely he helped with #157.

However, Amos Early’s father Jacob Earley was a business partner of John Shell’s in several endeavors in Shellsville, PA, which was laid out by John Shell in 1821. Jacob Earley was also a gunsmith, so collaborating on rifles would not be unexpected.

Second: Earley vs. Early   Rifle #157 is engraved “Shell & Earley”. In most historical records Jacob’s last name is spelled “Earley”. However, Amos’ last name is almost always spelled “Early”. Plus, his tombstone in Shell’s Church Cemetery is spelled “Early” and a rifle he made that I’ve viewed is inscribed “Amos Early”.  So, while not absolutely definitive, this would also seem to point to Jacob Earley as the likely co-maker of #157.

Chris – John Shell’s rifles can be found here:
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?board=43.0


Offline cshirsch

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 329
Re: SHELL & EARLEY rifle #157
« Reply #15 on: December 20, 2018, 06:55:59 AM »
Thanks Bill!