Author Topic: Looking for information on Reading longrifles  (Read 2024 times)

Offline utseabee

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Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« on: August 07, 2021, 03:15:52 AM »
     I was reading the brochure for the Eastern Pennsylvania Longrifle Show and it states that the Kentucky Rifle Foundation will be having a display of signed on patch box Reading rifles. Do any of you have any knowledge of these? I am curious who may have made them and how many are known of. Does anyone have any pictures of these? I have always enjoyed attending this show  and seeing the displays there. I am less than an hour from Reading and haven't heard about these rifles before reading the brochure. Just wanted to see what you might know about them. Any information is appreciated.
Thank you
The difficult we do at once, the impossible takes a little longer.

Offline Mac

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2021, 02:54:25 AM »
This is an example of the rifles utseabee is asking about. I know of five rifles with the "Reading" inscription, one has a date also "1812" Looking for others that are not known by the guys involved in this study also why this inscription, ownership,  prize, pride in residence. It appears from the characteristic of these five they were made over several years. If this thread has enough interest I can post pics of three of them


Offline Dobyns

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2021, 03:28:56 AM »
post away Mac, I can't say that I've seen more than one with an engraved patchbox

Offline utseabee

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2021, 03:40:19 AM »
This is an example of the rifles utseabee is asking about. I know of five rifles with the "Reading" inscription, one has a date also "1812" Looking for others that are not known by the guys involved in this study also why this inscription, ownership,  prize, pride in residence. It appears from the characteristic of these five they were made over several years. If this thread has enough interest I can post pics of three of them


Thank you Mac
The difficult we do at once, the impossible takes a little longer.

Offline bama

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2021, 04:47:18 AM »
Yes thank you Mac. I to would love to see more.
Jim Parker

"An Honest Man is worth his weight in Gold"

Offline Mac

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2021, 03:44:47 PM »
excuse poor photography
The forth one has bird final similar to one in attachment and the fifth I've haven't seen








Offline WESTbury

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2021, 04:05:38 PM »
Mac,

Is it okay to download these photos?
"We are not about to send American Boys 9 to 10 thousand miles away from home to do what Asian Boys ought to be doing for themselves."
President Lyndon B. Johnson October 21, 1964

Offline JTR

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2021, 04:41:02 PM »
Nice rifles!
Thanks for posting them!
John
John Robbins

Offline jdm

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #8 on: August 08, 2021, 04:57:45 PM »
Nice rifles . I hope some more come out of the wood work.   Thanks for showing them   Jim
JIM

Offline Mac

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #9 on: August 08, 2021, 06:17:02 PM »
WESTbury sure I like to share these thinks with everyone
If you can attend this years EPLShow you can handle and photograph them

Offline WESTbury

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #10 on: August 08, 2021, 07:08:11 PM »
Thanks MAC. I always like to ask because there are some "touchy" people in this world.

The three rifles you posted are great original pieces.
"We are not about to send American Boys 9 to 10 thousand miles away from home to do what Asian Boys ought to be doing for themselves."
President Lyndon B. Johnson October 21, 1964

Offline utseabee

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2021, 12:53:24 AM »
Thank you for the pictures. It would be neat to find out just how many there are or were.
The difficult we do at once, the impossible takes a little longer.

Offline eastwind

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2021, 12:57:04 AM »
Great display--I'm anxious to see these "Reading" rifles at the upcoming Eastern Pa. long Rifle Show, Morgantown, PA Oct 1-3 - A good show--(yeah it's a plug for the show, sorry).

Although I've only seen one of these rifles, what's really curious about this is it appears the "Reading" engraving is on rifles from different makers at slightly different periods, yet the hand of the engraver appears to be the same hand, at least it looks like it in the pictures. Any engraving on Reading rifles, is normally about as rare as signatures on Reading rifles. Is this some kind of anomaly or later celebratory purpose? Curious and curiouser?? Similarity to the more than one rifle found by Bonewitz with "Womelsdorf" engraved on the patchbox cover is uncanny.

Sideline: When I half-wrote/published the Kindig collection book, I found their"Reading" marked rifle hidden among the many. I never saw it for the earlier Berks County exhibit/book almost 10 years earlier - whata bummer.  So when you think it would be fun to have 400 long rifles - keep that problem in mind. That gun is sold - so don't call them

Patrick Hornberger
Patrick Hornberger

Offline Mac

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #13 on: August 09, 2021, 01:36:02 AM »
Just received word of two additional "READING" inscribed Patch Boxes, one is on a relic but stock other one is on a restocked rifle, no pics available. Both of them will be in the display Oct. 1 & 2.
Mac

Offline VP

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #14 on: August 10, 2021, 09:47:32 PM »
For those of you going to the CLA show this week, the Kentucky Rifle Foundation will have a Reading rifle, along with others, on display at their table in the Antique section of the show. This rifle has "Reading 1812" on the patchbox. Please stop by and take some photos if you wish.

VP

Offline Eric Kettenburg

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #15 on: August 10, 2021, 09:59:21 PM »
You guys are great, thanks for sharing!  Interesting stuff.
Strange women lying in ponds, distributing swords, is no basis for a system of government!

Offline utseabee

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Re: Looking for information on Reading longrifles
« Reply #16 on: August 13, 2021, 12:08:17 AM »
    I wish I was going to the CLA show this weekend. Unfortunately, work got in the way. Luckily, I will get to see the display when it is at the Eastern Pa Longrifle Show.
The difficult we do at once, the impossible takes a little longer.