"J GRAEFF" SIGNED RIFLE

[WESTbury]

I'm curious if anybody has seen this rifle since the Oct 25, 2011 auction?
https://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-25th-auction-at-cowans-part-4.html

[utseabee]

Haven't seen it, but I love the patchbox

[WESTbury]

Haven't seen it, but I love the patchbox

It is a great looking rifle.

Currently, I am researching a Graeff signed rifle I have and looking for other Graeff signed rifles. There were two J. Graeffs who stocked rifles in Lancaster County, brothers John and Jacob. If anyone out there has another of their rifles I would be interested in hearing from you via PM.

[mbriggs]

Th Charlotte Museum of History has a J. Graeff signed rifle that belonged to John McKnitt Alexander, the Captain of the Mecklenburg "Hornet's Nest" Militia. This name was given them by General Cornwallis.

Michael

[mbriggs]

Here are the photos of it.
















 













Enjoy,

Michael

[Tim Crosby]

 Great Pix, Thanks for posting them.

   Tim

[mbriggs]

There has been a debate in the past, was this rifle stocked by J. Graeff, or was this rifle stocked in Mecklenburg County by Isaac Price using a Graeff signed barrel. There are no signed Isaac Price rifles known to survive to compare it to. The triggers in this J. Graeff rifle are identical to the triggers in the only known signed rifle by Zenas Alexander. Zenas apprenticed with Isaac Price in 1787.

There is another Mecklenburg School rifle with a signed patchbox lid by "SMB" Samuel Black, that has a J. Graeff signed barrel. It is believe that the Mecklenburg School did not have its own barrel mill and reused barrels from other makers.

Michael 

[rich pierce]

Here are the photos of it.
















 













Enjoy,

Michael

The cheekpiece carving is reminiscent of Isaac Haines. Looks like a straight up Lancaster golden age rifle.

[WESTbury]

Th Charlotte Museum of History has a J. Graeff signed rifle that belonged to John McKnitt Alexander, the Captain of the Mecklenburg "Hornet's Nest" Militia. This name was given them by General Cornwallis.
Michael

Mike,
Appreciate the info and great photos very much.

I've been at this Graeff research for 2-1/2 years now. The whole subject is complicated by the fact that there were two Graeff brothers working in the same period. The number of "confirmed" Graeff rifles is less than a dozen. Each of those is different from each other to one degree or another in buttstock configuration and carving. Example, one "J GRAEFF" rifle appears in Kindig's book as Figure #21 another appears on page 57 of the recently published,2020, 4thEdition of Pennsylvania Longrifles of Note with commentary by Steve Hench. Hench highlights the significant differences between the two rifles. I've attached a link to the second rifle from Morphy's website.   https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_A__RELIEF_CARVED_FLINTLOCK_KENTUCKY_RIFLE_SIGNED_-LOT479280.aspx

Kent

[backsplash75]

The cheekpiece carving is reminiscent of Isaac Haines. Looks like a straight up Lancaster golden age rifle.

It does look very Lancastery to my novice eyes. Does the hive mind have a firm idea of when daisy boxes became a common motif?

[rich pierce]

This rifle looks post Revolutionary War period to me, a time when the Daisy patchbox became almost the norm on Lancaster guns. The Daisy box was likely used by the early 1770s, best guess for me.

I’d place this one 1780+ due to the curvature of the buttplate. First thing that stood out to me. I’m interested to hear what others think.

[WESTbury]

This rifle looks post Revolutionary War period to me, a time when the Daisy patchbox became almost the norm on Lancaster guns. The Daisy box was likely used by the early 1770s, best guess for me.

I’d place this one 1780+ due to the curvature of the buttplate. First thing that stood out to me. I’m interested to hear what others think.

I would agree based on what I have seen on the extant Graeff signed rifles. John Graeff was 21 years old in 1772 and Jacob was 21 in 1774.

Attached photo shows the buttplate of the Graeff signed rifle I have.

[chuck]

There is a very plain signed J GRAEFF example listed on Aspen Shades site. If you scroll down to sold items  under current inventory.
Chuck

[WESTbury]

There is a very plain signed J GRAEFF example listed on Aspen Shades site. If you scroll down to sold items  under current inventory.
Chuck

Thanks for the reply.

That particular Graeff signed rifle also appears as Plate 12 on page 16 of Kauffman's 1960 book.