Author Topic: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE  (Read 2557 times)

Offline Cades Cove Fiddler

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.... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« on: May 07, 2021, 04:46:36 PM »
... at the recent Knoxville TN longrifle show, was privileged to see many, many original Tennessee made rifles,... of course, my interest is mostly those by the hands of the Lawing family of gunsmiths who worked near Flag Pond area in Unicoi County,...I had asked some collector friends to bring any Lawing rifles so we could compare,... turns out there were twelve present,... !!!! ...  talking with a friend, we decided to get some of them together, and had another friend who is a professional photographer take some photos,....here are eight of the rifles,... work of Ambrose or William Lawing,... circa 1860 - 1890,.... I was honored to attend this reunion.... hope you enjoy,... Regards,.... Cades Cove Fiddler 












Offline MuskratMike

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2021, 04:53:14 PM »
Outside of a museum you will never see a collection like this of one families work. Thank you for taking the time to get them all together and sharing them will your ALR family.
"Muskrat" Mike McGuire
Keep your eyes on the skyline, your flint sharp and powder dry.

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2021, 05:02:56 PM »
Nifty
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline gibster

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2021, 05:27:18 PM »
It was great to have all these examples together to study. Well worth the price of admission.

Offline Rajin cajun

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2021, 05:36:45 PM »
Danna, great reunion of Lawings . Great looking rifles .
Great to see you again my friend and enjoyed our set down and jawing.

Bob in La.
It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog !

Offline Gaeckle

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2021, 06:02:26 PM »
Interesting to see some with brass hardware, I like that. Great family portrait

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2021, 06:21:14 PM »
Wow!

What a great group of rifles all at once. There's a lot of study available in those photos when looking at the details.

Thank you!
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Offline mr. no gold

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2021, 07:05:51 PM »
Fantastic idea with a great turnout and result. This just about says it all for the Lawings! Thank you for sharing the wealth with your folks here. Very nice of you and a standing round of applause to you and all those who participated in this great showing. Much, much appreciated!!!
Dick

Offline Ken G

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2021, 07:23:27 PM »
What a great group of rifles and history!  Thanks for sharing the pictures.

Ken
Failure only comes when you stop trying.

Offline Marcruger

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2021, 07:59:36 PM »
What a lovely gathering of brunettes and redheads.    :)

Online Collector

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2021, 08:03:34 PM »
CCF,  Opportunities like the one presented at the show, should be taken advantage of, more often.    Congratulations on making these photos happen.

A very handsome collection of Lawing family rifles in those photos.  There's the makings of a book in there, or a contribution to a book, in there somewhere. 

Offline dstock

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2021, 09:18:22 PM »
Thanks Danna for that awesome display. Sure would like to see that again next year so I could spend more time studying those rifles. Also I want to thank you for spending so much time with me at the show. I thoroughly enjoyed every second and I learned some also.
Thanks and God bless
Doug B
God Bless
Doug B

Offline duca

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #12 on: May 07, 2021, 11:38:06 PM »
Very Cool! Thanks for sharing!!

Anthony
...and on the eighth day
God created the Longrifle...

Offline AZshot

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #13 on: May 12, 2021, 03:56:35 PM »
That's some history there.  Imagine, some of these same rifles may have been together 140 years ago at a turkey shoot or hunting gathering, in the hills.

Offline Robin Henderson

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2021, 04:51:49 PM »
Dana, next show please lead me around and point all this good stuff out....I always miss so much.
Flintlock is the only truly reliable source of ignition in a muzzle loader.

Offline Cades Cove Fiddler

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #15 on: May 15, 2021, 01:40:35 AM »
 ;) ;)... be glad to, Robin,... in the past, I have observed maybe three LAWING rifles together, whether at a show or in a private collection,.... I had asked some friends to bring as many as they could to the Knoxville show to compare, and more showed up than I expected,... one of the owners said we should get pix of as many as we could, and everyone obliged,... had a professional photog who was there with his collection who took the pix,.... turned out great, however we forgot about two that were in the other room, and two others had gone home on Friday,.... All-in-all, it was exciting to have them all together, and I think even old Ambrose himself would have enjoyed it .... thanx, and see you & Becky at next show,.... !!! ... CCF

« Last Edit: May 15, 2021, 01:44:19 AM by Cades Cove Fiddler »

Offline scottmc

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #16 on: May 15, 2021, 02:43:20 PM »
Very nice display of rifles.  By looking at the profiles, you can sure tell they are from the same hands.  Especially the cheekpiece.  Wow!
Remember Paoli!

Offline jdm

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #17 on: May 15, 2021, 05:34:10 PM »
Something like this is such a great opportunity for folks to study rifles by an individual .Thanks for recording this through pictures.
  Is it possible to put together a time progression of his work with something like this ( subtle changes over the years  ) ?
JIM

Offline DBoone

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #18 on: May 15, 2021, 07:33:43 PM »
Dana.......I discovered that if I look at these great rifles for more than 1 hour at a time I feel like I'm gonna pass out.  Just WOW!

Thanks for posting these.  You made my whole month! 

There's gotta be at least one flint Lawing out there somewhere!

Offline Cades Cove Fiddler

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #19 on: May 16, 2021, 12:24:23 AM »
 ??? ???.... D. Boone,... I have seen photos of an unusual flint rifle that has a barrel supposedly marked by Ambrose Lawing,... also has a single trigger,... several brass and silver inlays,... some of the features make me think it is a restock,... 




Offline Hungry Horse

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #20 on: May 16, 2021, 01:03:10 AM »
Dana, the cheekpiece on this gun is almost totally unrefined, which leads me to agree that is likely a restock. I am amazed at the number of guns displayed. Thank you so much.

  Hungry Horse

Offline Bob Roller

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Re: .... A LAWING RIFLE FAMILY REUNION IN TENNESSEE
« Reply #21 on: May 16, 2021, 02:48:46 AM »
This display of guns by one family is as rare as a football bat and many thanks CCF for
posting these for all of us to enjoy.
Bob Roller