Who's the craftsman

[5judge]

Acquired this piece a couple weeks ago. Knowledgeable friend Wayne Spears opines it was made in the style of a golden age Maryland school. Only writing on it is the "EDWARDS" stamped onto the lockplate. Approximately .40 caliber, straight barrel. Should like to know who fabricated it and about when.

[Stoner creek]

I'm going to make an educated guess. Based on the inlay and engraving I'm going to say that it was made by one of the guys in the Johnson City School. Lester Smith,  Louis Smith, Buck Fleenor, Dale Johnson, Don Davidson, or someone else in that region. Those guys could step out and do other schools of work when they wanted to.

[5judge]

Friend Creek: My friend Wayne Spears concurs that your suggestion is a real possibility. He sees several hands contributed to this piece. Would this be true, what is the likely time frame of fabrication?

[Stoner creek]

Between 1960 and 1985. Lester Smith was the earliest of the Johnson City School (except for Hacker Martin) and he died in 1970. I don’t think that Hacker Martin had a hand in this one however you can see his influence in the shapes of some of the inlays. Hacker left Tennessee in the 1940s and moved to Appomattox. Old Hacker cut a wide swath!
 This could easily have been a collaboration but I think that this one is post 1970. Possibly between Fleenor and Louis Smith. It would make things a lot easier if those boys would sign their work.
 Best guess.

[5judge]

My forte, such as it is, is military weaponry. This rifle is well-out of my zone of knowledge. With your input I've searched the internet for information on Lester Smith and pictures of his work. I note he died, aged 50 years, in 1970, same year as Hacker Martin. Buck Fleenor (1929-2016) has little available on the 'net. The wood carving on my rifle looks a deal like Smith's, to my untrained eye, and the inletting of the decorative metal bears his "astonishing" ability. One, to me, interesting clue is a plain rectangular silver plate let into the barrel on my rifle. Here's an identical one on a rifle signed by Lester Smith.

[Stoner creek]

My forte, such as it is, is military weaponry. This rifle is well-out of my zone of knowledge. With your input I've searched the internet for information on Lester Smith and pictures of his work. I note he died, aged 50 years, in 1970, same year as Hacker Martin. Buck Fleenor (1929-2016) has little available on the 'net. The wood carving on my rifle looks a deal like Smith's, to my untrained eye, and the inletting of the decorative metal bears his "astonishing" ability. One, to me, interesting clue is a plain rectangular silver plate let into the barrel on my rifle. Here's an identical one on a rifle signed by Lester Smith.

I believe that this gun is in my collection.

[5judge]

[oldtravler61]

  Stoner has a fine eye for quality firearms....

[Bob Roller]

Good looking lock.I'd like to see hat it looks like inside.Looks English from the outside.A local gun shop had a Hacker Martin pistol and that had a lock that would need to be improved to rise to the level of wretched. Quality locks and American guns were and are rare indeed and when the "revival" started in 1933 that trend was continued but the "Great Depression" was in full bloom and stayed that way until WW2 came along but then most if not all sport shooting stopped and powder and caps were scarce.Flintlocks were about a popular as a cut in pay and as far as I know there were no usable locks until about 1955 when Chet Shoults in LaPeer Michigan offered some at 3 different prices and they were $25 and $30 and a very highly polished one for $35.The others were "file finished" and did not look bad at all.Ted Cole and W.G.Sutter made some a bit later and I didn't think about a flintlock until Mr.Shoults had to quit due to foundry and personal bills and then
his parts were available.There are now some locks that may be better than others but no really bad ones.
Bob Roller

[wormey]

Bob, I have that rifle at present.  The owner (Judge Fox) is out of town for the weekend and I doubt he is on line.  I am unable to post a picture of the innards on the lock, I don`t have that talent.  I did some extensive work balancing the mainspring and frizzen spring to make the lock useable.  The mainspring is an old one, but probably not original to the lock. The frizzen spring was much too stiff .  The lock is an original and well made.  I`m sure the owner will be happy to take pictures of the inside workings and post them.  The rifle shoots very well and is accurate.  I have it now to do some fine tuning on the lock again.  The rifle shows the work of several different hands.  Some of the engraving (on the patchbox lid, toeplate, sideplate, and wearplate) is very nicely done.  Lots of engraving on the forestock inlays and others done with wiggle engraving that to me was not done by the same artist.  Most of the inlay work is perfect and the work of a great craftsman, but on the other hand the inside of the lock mortice is hogged out, not in keeping with the rest of the inletting.  Overall this is a very well made rifle considering when it was made (most likely in the `60s or even earlier).  Wormey