Author Topic: L. Houston Harrison (Read 5305 times)

Molly · « **on:** August 24, 2021, 01:03:32 AM »

Some time ago, maybe 2 years or so, someone posted a photo of a group of shooters which contained one person identified as L. Houstom Harrison. It was a great photo that I wanted to keep but somehow appear to have deleted it. Any possibility that someone out there has this photo? There were probably 10 people in it. Those standing in the back were all "dressed" in Alvin York event attire and there were three people seated in the front with a woman in the center. Sure would appreciate it if you could post it again.

MAS

Cades Cove Fiddler · « **Reply #1 on:** August 24, 2021, 04:15:28 PM »

... Miss Molly,.... this might be the picture ye want,... Old Houston is on the far right,... if ye never knew him,... ye should have ... great gunsmith and banjer pickker,... regards,.. Cades Cove Fiddler...

Cades Cove Fiddler · « **Reply #2 on:** August 24, 2021, 04:25:18 PM »

... The Lady seated is Jane Wright,... Mrs. to the Artist and all-around great guy, David Wright who is standing behind her to the right,.. Bill Burt is kneeling just to left of her,.. second fellow from the left standing might be Mel Hankler,... someone maybe can put names to the others,... This was at the York shoot many years ago, and they still use it in advertising sometimes,... A great gang there,...ask David about his "almost" perfect target at that shoot,... !!!... you'ns must come down and shoot sometime,.....CCF

Robin Henderson · « **Reply #3 on:** August 24, 2021, 05:14:35 PM »

You beat me to it Dana. The fella on David's right is Allen Coon. Here's the ad....

Cades Cove Fiddler · « **Reply #4 on:** August 24, 2021, 07:08:53 PM »

.. Robin,... get David to tell you his score from that day,.. !!!

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #5 on:** August 24, 2021, 08:54:54 PM »

Quote from: Cades Cove Fiddler on August 24, 2021, 07:08:53 PM

.. Robin,... get David to tell you his score from that day,.. !!!

I believe that is John Braxton standing on the very left end and Mel to his right.
Dennis

Molly · « **Reply #6 on:** August 24, 2021, 10:42:25 PM »

That's it. Thanks to all. We have a 25 cal flintlock made by Harrison. Really an exceptional work. Wanted the photo to be a part of the "story".

Robin Henderson · « **Reply #7 on:** August 25, 2021, 03:56:07 PM »

The first Harrison rifle I ever saw was way back in the early 1970s. I was a greenhorn....new to muzzle loading. I happened to be at Charlie Haffner's range(Owl Hollow) outside of Franklin, Tennessee. At the time his range was a hot bed of muzzleloader activity and on that day there was two fellows shooting their flintlocks. I remember them saying they were from Gallatin, Tennessee which was Houston's stompin grounds. One was shooting the most beautiful flintlock that my untrained eye had ever seen. It was a 25 cal that Houston Harrison had built. Since that day, I've been fortunate to witness and handle several of his firearms. All I can say is that he was crazy talented and rates at the very top of all contemporary builders IMHO.

Molly · « **Reply #8 on:** August 25, 2021, 05:13:59 PM »

I have seen a very few photos of his work. Photos are one thing but to have one in your hands is another. Ours IS a 25 cal but until we got it I'm not sure it had ever been fired. This gun was made for Don Stith and inside the patch box is a small piece of white leather upon which it is so written. I'll post a few pics later.

Arcturus · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2021, 12:05:54 AM »

As you say, Molly, photos can only hint at the joy of seeing a great rifle up-close and in person. A couple years back Ken Gahagan had a Bucks County rifle made by Harrison on display at the CLA show. It was associated with several celebrities such as Fess Parker and pictures of it have been posted on here before. I got to handle it at the show, and it really is a beautiful work of art. The man was very talented.

Molly · « **Reply #10 on:** August 26, 2021, 03:48:41 AM »

Let the pics do the talking...for now.

BTW, that is a small length of "fuzz" on the one photo of the patch box, NOT a scratch. A dove tailed front sight? Why of course not! And a niffty little decorative feature to the muzzle. Oh, yes, the forward screw on the lock plate side is a "dummy". It is just a wood screw. The lock is held by one bolt. Why? I have no idea why it was done that way.

Bob Roller · « **Reply #11 on:** August 26, 2021, 04:12:33 AM »

That lock looks like one of my Ketlands from many years ago.
Bob Roller

Cades Cove Fiddler · « **Reply #12 on:** August 26, 2021, 04:44:28 AM »

... Old Houston used two pins on the rammer pipes,... he must have learned that from the BEAN family,.... a common trait of theirs,.... very nice,... regards,... CCF

flinchrocket · « **Reply #13 on:** August 26, 2021, 10:17:29 PM »

So is the front sight blade set in a slot cut in the barrel like a Virginia rifle?

Molly · « **Reply #14 on:** August 26, 2021, 11:45:24 PM »

Yes, that is the case. And it is set very low as well. The beauty is in the simplicity, the craftsmanship and the finish. I don't know who made the lock and triggers but every other part of this rifle was custom made IMO.

flinchrocket · « **Reply #15 on:** August 27, 2021, 12:06:28 AM »

I would love to see a picture of that. I did a front sight like that and had to grind down a engraving tool to make the slot, but it came out ok. You definitely have a keeper there.

Stoner creek · « **Reply #16 on:** August 27, 2021, 12:15:41 AM »

Quote from: Molly on August 26, 2021, 11:45:24 PM

Yes, that is the case. And it is set very low as well. The beauty is in the simplicity, the craftsmanship and the finish. I don't know who made the lock and triggers but every other part of this rifle was custom made IMO.

I’ll bet that if you take the lock out and look at the inside plate you will see ROLLER. I have a lock that is identical to that one and it’s a Roller.

Molly · « **Reply #17 on:** August 27, 2021, 02:45:27 AM »

I recall that I did that when we got it and I think that is correct. I just did not want to remove it right now. It's really a snug fit and demands a little care in taking it out. One of the things I really like is the variety of finished to the metal. Barrel and lock, brown. Jaw screw and other screw heads, blued. Guard, toe plate, butt plate, nose cap, box and tang...not blue, not brown but not "white" either. And the muzzle. It's almost "white".

Molly · « **Reply #18 on:** August 27, 2021, 04:53:11 AM »

Sorry for the poor photos. Will try to get better ones soon..

flinchrocket · « **Reply #19 on:** August 28, 2021, 06:17:50 PM »

Thanks Molly, actually I’m looking for a solder line as I think more of these end up being soldered to take the wiggle out. This type of sight is a one shot deal and the slot has to be perfect for everything to work the way it should. That’s one reason you won’t see very many.

Molly · « **Reply #20 on:** August 29, 2021, 07:09:04 PM »

This brings up a topic that probably deserves a new thread about the legacy of artists like Houston and how they envisioned they would be remembered...

Stoner creek · « **Reply #21 on:** August 29, 2021, 07:26:33 PM »

I totally agree. These modern age makers have taken the American Longrifle to artistic heights not seen before. A topic on the rebirth of this craft would be interesting.

Molly · « **Reply #22 on:** August 29, 2021, 09:41:28 PM »

Better pic of the front site.

flinchrocket · « **Reply #23 on:** August 29, 2021, 11:32:44 PM »

Thanks Molly, I can’t tell if he used solder or not. Maybe he had his own technique for installing sight blades. Very nice, thanks again for the pictures.

RobertS · « **Reply #24 on:** August 30, 2021, 05:39:36 AM »

I never met him but he was obviously multitalented and had a big personality. Hopefully the link above will work but there are two other videos featuring him on Vimeo, one is shooting a flintlock and the other is music, and I think you can follow the links there to the other two. Hope you enjoy these!

Thought I may as well post links to all three of them!

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Author Topic: L. Houston Harrison (Read 5305 times)