Baxter Bean Rifle @ Auction

[Avlrc]

Thought you, Tennessee folks, might like to see this.
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/213362080_baxter-bean-presentation-flintlock-rifle-willoughby-oh/?from=alert&utm_source=LA_SavedAlert&utm_campaign=SearchAlert_20250702_A&utm_medium=email&utm_content=item

[Clowdis]

First Tennessee rifle I've seen with barrel keys. Very nice!

[rich pierce]

Estimate seems low.

[Sequatchie Rifle]

They usually are. Will be interesting to see what it goes for.

[JTR]

Too bad about the total refinish. Looks like a brand new Kibler kit.....
John

[Avlrc]

Too bad about the total refinish. Looks like a brand new Kibler kit.....
John

I agree, I looked it over before I posted. At first glance, I thought it was a contemporary. If I owned it, I would have to work on that some.

[Daniel Coats]

Bore condition is too good. Baxter's guns are the ones to fake IF it is one. I would be cautious and would want to see this gun in person.

[Avlrc]

Bore condition is too good. Baxter's guns are the ones to fake IF it is one. I would be cautious and would want to see this gun in person.

other than the description where do you see the bore? or have you see the rifle?  bores can be refreshed

[gibster]

My initial thought is that this is a restock. I did some looking and found an entry in Jerry Noble's book, Notes on Southern Long Rifles, Volume 1, where he mentions a B. Bean for E Walling, probably Elisha Walling. He said the rifle has been restocked in the last 40 years but doesn't mention who restocked it. He also mentions that the account book of Thomas Amis of Big Creek, Hawkins County Tennessee mentions Elisha Walling in 1786. This is on page 19, Volume 1.  Is it the same rifle?  Probably.

[Avlrc]

My initial thought is that this is a restock. I did some looking and found an entry in Jerry Noble's book, Notes on Southern Long Rifles, Volume 1, where he mentions a B. Bean for E Walling, probably Elisha Walling. He said the rifle has been restocked in the last 40 years but doesn't mention who restocked it. He also mentions that the account book of Thomas Amis of Big Creek, Hawkins County Tennessee mentions Elisha Walling in 1786. This is on page 19, Volume 1.  Is it the same rifle?  Probably.

That is good info. The value of a good library.
If it is the same rifle, IMO, the architecture looks right & great that it was preserved. 

[T*O*F]

Doesn't the engraving look funky with mixed block and script characters.  Two different engravers?

[A Scanlan]

EVERYTHING about this rifle looks right!  Keys are not unheard of.  Saying the bore is "good" is wide open to interpretations and a long way from bright and shinny and ready to shoot.  Finish?  They say it has been refinished so no problem there.  SO, you all just keep thinking its's a fake and dismiss ANY thoughts of buying it.  Personally, I would LOVE to own it but I expect it will top the estimates many times and beyond my means!

[Avlrc]

Doesn't the engraving look funky with mixed block and script characters.  Two different engravers?

That is how he did them.  Probably more examples, but here is one.
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=69709.0

[bama]

If Jerry said it was a restock, if it is the same rifle, then it was a restock. Jerry probably knew who the stocker was. It's a nice looking rifle and if it is a restock it is well done.

[A Scanlan]

They sure do a good job of keeping the fees for a purchase buried in fine print SOMEWHERE!

Also I note when you navigate to the auction using the above link it reflects a current high bid of one figure but when you go via the auctions website it shows no bids.

And now I see there is the "Hi Bid" site and then there is a "Live Auctions" site.

[JTR]

I love this part in the description; "The rifle has been reconverted to flintlock, and the lock works with the set trigger. Stock has been replaced and stained at some point."

So, you're basically bidding on an original Baxter Bean barrel!

Scratching head, John

[Daniel Coats]

Refreshed Baxter Bean marked barrel 

[JTR]

Refreshed Baxter Bean marked barrel 

Ahhhh, got it!
Thanks. 

[Avlrc]

Well, looks like that description is accurate. I say hats off to their honesty.

[Seth Isaacson]

Also I note when you navigate to the auction using the above link it reflects a current high bid of one figure but when you go via the auctions website it shows no bids.

And now I see there is the "Hi Bid" site and then there is a "Live Auctions" site.

To my understanding, the different bidding platforms/websites do not communicate with one another and just reflect the current high bid through that particular site. Some companies post their auctions to Invaluable, LiveAuctioneers, HiBid, iCollector, and others all at once which can be rather confusing. When I've bought stuff through online auctions, I try to go back and bid through their own website if possible. Some of the smaller auctions only post through third parties though.

[A Scanlan]

Seth:  Yes, that does seem to be the case per Milestone.  Apparently on the day of the sale closing they consolidate the bids, which is not too difficult and it closes on their platform so I suppose a buyer can watch the others but do their final bidding on Milestone.  They also have the lowest buyers premium.

I think I have seen this rifle "in person" many years ago.  It was newly owned and the owner was crazy about it.  Other "experts" at that show where whispering about it being a restock thus they seemed amused at the owners enthusiasm (and price paid) for it.  "Would not part with it for any price"....or so it was said.  Now, it MAY not be the same rifle but it sure all comes together in my old memory that way.  I still like it!   

[Seth Isaacson]

I definitely like the looks of it. I had also saved it to a wishlist to check back to see the results.

[Rich]

The auction description says that the stock has been "replaced" and stained. So it is a restock.

[B Shipman]

Yes. This is a restock of some original parts, not especially well done. Note the swale in the topline of the buttstock. You are buying some very nice and valuable  parts and nothing more. Sucker bait. If it goes cheap, imagine what Ian Pratt could do with the original stuff. There's the money.

[A Scanlan]

Sure nuff!  A really bad rifle.  Must have been taken by a fit of stupidity when I said I would like to have it.  Restock...kiss of death!  I tried helping a friend sell a rifle with a signed barrel and a very desirable maker at that.  Priced at $3,500 and had a lot of people interested at the CLA show years ago...then some guy pipes up that it was a restock.  Immediately everyone lost interest even at $500.  Funny thing was that it may not have been a restock. So we sure don't want to get stuck with a restock!  And restock or not it was a very attractive rifle, unlike this dog.