Broken Jacob Truby rifle with old Whale Tail patchbox

[maharsb]

I picked this broken gun up on eBay about a year and a half ago.  It looks like it is signed Jacob ? I just can’t make it out. I thought I could patch it back together and have a decent looking wall hanger.  Unfortunately they sold the trigger, trigger guard, lock and side plate before I found the rest of the gun. I was at least able to get some screenshots of lock, trigger guard etc for reference. I would appreciate any help making out the signature and where this gun is from. Any other information and input appreciated.

Thanks,

Steven

[Tanselman]

I think the signature reads "Jacob Truby" who worked as a gunsmith in Armstrong Co., PA in the 1820-1830 era, then moved to Ohio.

Shelby Gallien

[maharsb]

Thanks Shelby,
So I’m guessing this is probably an Ohio made gun?
Steven

[Jdbeck]

Do you think the Lebanon School whale tail patchbox is original to it? Or later added to the rifle? Love seeing how these parts end up on later guns. Nothing was waisted!

[Tanselman]

With that highly pointed heel on the butt plate and only moderate butt height, the gun probably dates to late 1840s or 1850s. A close look at the patchbox, at least to my eye, tends to show a few small traces of earlier engraving that was removed, suggesting this is a significantly earlier patchbox that was "cleaned up" and reused on a later rifle.

Shelby Gallien

[JTR]

With the engraving remnants still visible on the box, it looks like a reuse for sure.
I'll bet with a little sleuthing it might be possible to discover the original box maker/engraver. Maybe JP Beck!?!?!
The hinge and spring on the door should be a good hint as well.
John 
 

[maharsb]

I can definitely see remnant engraving on the patch box as well as filing like marks around it where would have been worked off. The patch box also just feels like it’s older than the rest of the hardware on the gun.

[Mike blair]

I've been looking at the box on the J.P. Beck rifle in the virtual museum and comparing it with the box in this thread and they are really similar. It looks like someone took an old box from a Beck rifle and trimmed it back in a way that it would fit the dimensions on this rifle.
  I'm not saying that's definitely what happened, but it sure looks like a box from a J.P. Beck rifle.