These "similar signature" type rifles always make me chuckle a little. How do we really know the rifles in Whisker's book and the KRA library are by George Baker, and not actually by Griffith Baker? A first initial and last name is really an attribution until more substantial proof is offered. Jim Whisker, when photographing, accepted whatever the gun owner told him about the maker, and I'm guessing the KRA rifle is also based on the owner's attribution, without substantial proof offered. We jump to conclusions at times, based on what we think a gun is.... kind of like the comment last week that a "collector sees what he wants to see."
When I look at this rifle, the shape of the guard's rail seems to be somewhat similar to the Sheets rifles' rails, and they were in WV, so the attribution may well be correct. But nothing is offered to substantiate the attribution. Is the stock architecture or side plate shape and engraving related to WV rifles of the period, etc.? It's not my area of focus, and the attributions may well be correct, but I'm always a little wary of fast attributions to the "most obvious" maker when nothing is offered to support the attribution other than an owner's opinion, when another gunsmith with the same initial and last name, but no known gun, is lurking out there.
Shelby Gallien
