I think it's a mistake to go into the investigation with the assumption that the maker of the pistol also cast or otherwise decoratively filed the barrel. The trigger guard is an obvious import piece - whether it displays primary only or secondary usage, you could say but I can't. The lock is an import commercial sales piece. With no markings on the barrel, it's really impossible to say where or when or by whom it was made. The sideplate looks to be local, and is likely a product of the pistol stocker. The architecture looks very good, so the guy surely was competent. The liberty head definitely does not look like one of the earlier Molls to me.
"Folksy" is not the way I would view the work of Johannes / John II. I lump them together because we still have no real clear handle on who's work we may be viewing, and there are only a couple of barrels clearly signed "Johannes Moll," both on much later restocked guns. The earlier work i.e. the rifle belonging to BM or the piece once owned by Alex C. possibly made for Isaac Greenleaf - both on the KRA disc - are spectacular pieces of work. In fact the 'Greenleaf' rifle (I'll go along with that theory in Alex's memory
) is probably one of the most spectacular early gen Lehighs in existence. I'd like to believe they are late work of Johannes but they also could be early John II. Now by the time you get to John III, I will agree things get a bit rougher and potentially folksy to some degree, and potentially some of the early 19th century or later work of John II (does not appear to have worked very long).
BTW, just offering my argumentative opinions based upon my own experience, the internet is tough so rest assured I say it all with a smile!
