John Volger Rifle from Salem School in North Carolina?

[Tanselman]

I picked up what I believe is a Salem School, North Carolina, longrifle by John Vogler. The barrel is unsigned and the gun is a late flint, ca. 1830-1835 based on the style of the Joseph Golcher lock that's been converted to percussion, the lack of incised moldings, and a double-spurred guard. The attribution is heavily based on the engraving, almost an exact match for the inlay borders used by John Vogler, while the basic stock architecture and furniture also support a Vogler attribution.

The gun lacks the traditional North Carolina incised comb lines, as well as any incised moldings. The wrist was broken at one time and rejoined, and the repair is visible in several images. But despite the repaired wrist, the original gun is all there, full length barrel, all inlays intact with borders engraved in John Vogler's style. Barrel: 44-5/8" long, .38 caliber bore, 7-groove rifling, slight swamp in hand-filed barrel.

Since the gun is unsigned and has an odd patchbox [with Salem style hinge with "dimple" on either side], I'd like to get other opinions on attributing, and dating, this rifle.

I also thought our members who are interested in southern rifles might enjoy seeing a fresh rifle.

Shelby Gallien

[Tanselman]

For any die-hard North Carolina fans, here are a few more images of details on the attributed Vogler rifle. While unsigned, the workmanship is very good.

Shelby Gallien

[mbriggs]

Hi Shelby,
Please give me a call at 336-340-67077 and I will be glad to share my thoughts with you on this rifle.

Michael

[Tanselman]

Attached is a final picture of the attributed Vogler rifle. It shows the nose cap from underneath. Two copper rivet heads are visible holding the cap to the stock. The nose cap also has a groove for ramrod clearance. I'd still appreciate any thoughts from our members on attributing and dating this rifle.

Shelby Gallien

[bama]

Hi Shelby

That's a nice looking rifle and from the overall looks it could have been made by one of the Vogler clan. I have looked at the photo's you attached and the photo's of John's work that is presented in Bill Ivey's book. The forearm inlays have the same basic shape and the engraving is very similar to the rifle in Bill's book. The butt stock architecture is very similar and the butt plate is also similar. The triggers are very similar, your rifles triggers are not quite as ornate but similar in shape. Your rifle is long and lean and so are many of the Vogler's. The rifle is quality built and matches the quality of the Vogler's. The only thing that would make me a little hesitant to label it a Vogler is that it is not signed. The Vogler's were very talented engravers and all that I have seen were signed. The man that made this rifle was a skilled builder and engraver. He was very capable of signing the rifle but choose not to, why we will ever know.

Again, very nice rifle, thanks for sharing.

Jim

[Tanselman]

Jim,

I appreciate your taking time to actually make some comparisons and reply with your thoughts on this rifle. My "quandary" with this rifle is that when I go back and compare its details to the same details on other illustrated Salem School rifles, I tend to find more small deviations in the non-Vogler rifles than I find when I compare it to the Voglers' work.

It sure doesn't prove this is a Vogler rifle, but I can't find any other Salem maker's rifles that compare as closely to this one as the Vogler's rifles do... although I must admit, I haven't seen a whole lot of either Vogler or Salem School guns in hand, just in our available reference books. Now if it were a Kentucky-made gun, I wouldn't be having this problem! Thanks again for responding.

Shelby Gallien

[bama]

Shelby, I think you are probably correct in your assumptions. As to if it was done by John or one of the other Vogler clan it's hard to say but it was probably done by one of them or someone closely tied to their shop. I have included in this post a shot of John's rifle from Bill Ivey's book. I think if you look at the similarities of the butt stock and the inlay orientation you can make a pretty strong argument for your assumptions.

[AZshot]

It's great to see this, I grew up in Winston-Salem, and went to Old Salem many times.  I went to school with several Vogler's, and my brother-in-law is Moravian from NC.  In that part of the country owning a Salem rifle is the top of the world.

[Tanselman]

Garrett,

Glad to see you're keeping an eye on these posts and never knew you were connected to Old Salem, NC... Arizona is a long way away. I'm just waiting for you to find another good Kentucky gun!

Shelby Gallien

[AZshot]

Thanks Shelby, I learned a lot from you and your Kentucky books.  Yeah, my forefather's lived in Mills River, NC, and worked with the Gillespies, married into their line.  NC is my family's home going back to the 1790s or so.  But I went out West for adventure, after the Navy.  Still feel deeply my NC roots. 

[Tanselman]

Garrett,

If you haven't done so already, you may enjoy reading about that half-stocked KY gun you sold me last winter in the blog article "Western Kentucky’s Exceptional Inlaid Rifles From Breckinridge County" on my web site www.kentuckygunmakers.com devoted to Kentucky's early firearms and Tansel powder horns. It was an interesting rifle [to me, anyway] to say the least, and probably a "keeper" for quite a while.

Shelby Gallien