General discussion > Contemporary Longrifle Collecting

New York State Gun Smith????

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sciotaboy:
 :)
Hi All,

I just found and joined this site. I joined about a week ago and I have just been reading and learning from all the post. Wow---I'm impressed!! This is a great site.

I have been a Flintlock shooter for the last thirty years or so. I have a bunch of muzzle loaders, both old and new, and I have been trying to learn a little about the men who made them. After reading things on this site, if you guys can't answer these questions, nobody can.

Now, I have three muzzle loaders that were suppose to have been made about forty years ago by a guy in Upstate New York for the same guy. Two are flints locks and the other one is cap lock. The first flint was what this guy called his workin gun. He used it to hunt with in all kinds of weather. It has no decorations of any kind on it and no patch box. A real plane Jane type gun. It has nice lines and feel to it and is in great shape. The second one is also a flint lock but is pretty fancy. It has checkering, inlays, brass patch box, and carvings. He used to call it his Sunday go to meetin rifle. I don't think he hunted with that one much. The third one is a cap lock lock that he had made for his wife. It is a fancy type gun and looks like a good shooter.

On the top flat of the ladies gun it has the ladies name and made by M. Mattesen. Has anyone out there ever heard of this gun smith? I don't know if he really was from New York State or not. That was just what I am told. I am just trying to find out about how old these guns are and how long this guy made guns.

Thanks,
Big Ralph

BPB:
Can you narrow down what side of upstate NY?  ADKS, Buffalo or Rochester area.
 I know 3-4 who might fit the bill age wise.
 One name escapes me at the moment.

If you pull the barrels off the 2 unidentified ones, look for a start and finish date on the bottom of the barrels. The locks may also be engraved with the builders name.
 You'll see either a Melkioty ~ MelBow ~ or a refrence to Conesous or Canadaigua lakes.

J. Patterson ~ Hennley & Dano are a few others
 

Can you post some pictures?

Robby:
BPB, I knew a, Tom Melkioty, that once belonged to our archery club, Avon Bowmen, he use to make bows, "Melbow". I didn't know he made M/L's as well. Are they one and the same?
Robby

sciotaboy:
I have checked the locks on all three guns and there are no names or makers marks. The one thing I am sure of is that all three guns were made by the same maker. The man had them made as a set by the same gun smith. The ladies gun is marked with M. Mattesen on the barrel, the fancy Sunday go to meetin gun is marked on the lock M. M., and the plain one is not marked at all. I don't know if I am brave enough to take off the barrel on one of these guns. Never done that before. If I would have to guess where the gunsmith lived, I would say maybe around the Bimington area north. I will try to get pictures tomorow and see if I can post them.

Ben Gorey:
Gunsmith  Mark Matteson was featured in an article in Muzzle Blasts, the NMLRA magazine in May 1970 and another in May 1971. His address was given as:  Fultonville, New York 12072  He was then 29 years old.  At the time, a very serious collector was praising the quality of his work.  I have the two articles.

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