I was fortunate growing up with a Dad who was a longrifle gun nut.
As a teenager in the 1930's he was a traveling salesman for his father's plumbing supply house in Utica, New York. He drove every back road in mid- and upper New York state, stopping at every farm and small town general store to take orders. He always asked if they had any old guns that they'd like to sell.
Times were hard for country folk and the chance to sell grandpa's old farm rifle in the back of a closet or the corner of the kitchen for some cash money must have been almost irresistible!
We had about 100 of the best ones, mostly percussion, displayed in a big double-door, 2 level rack. There were some special flinters mixed in. The one I remember best is a double barrel, side by side, flintlock rifle in a large caliber( don't remember what, but I could stick a 10 year olds finger down the barrel). I remember him telling me it was a treasure, marked "Conestoga Rifle Works", the only one he'd ever seen or heard of. It came off a farm somewhere along the lower Hudson, and he'd given a whole $10 for it back in the day. It was in pretty good condition, too, best I can remember.
That collection got broken up and sold off in the early 60's to pay for 3 boys going to college. He kept his collection of rolling block and drop block single shot target rifles until they moved into assisted living, but he often talked about the long rifles and the fun he had collecting along the backroads in his Dad' s Model T..
I often wonder what happened to the jewel of his collection - that Conestoga rifle works double barrel flintlock.
ETA: did some research and found the following entry in the earmi.it list of US makers.
"CONESTOGA RIFLE WORKS
Trademark of Henry E. Leman, Lan caster, Pa., 1834-1887; used on inferior or flawed products. Mark ing reported on flintlock and percussion Kentucky rifles, rifle locks, trap gun."
