Antique Kentucky & Pennsylvania Rifles; Flintlock, Percussion, Muzzleloader, Black Powder and Cap & Ball Long Rifles; Powder Horns, Bowie Knives, Pipe Tomahawks and Related Accessories

4391 - Kentucky Rifle attributed to John Orwin, Carlisle, Pa. 4391
This is a fine condition Flintlock Kentucky Rifle with raised-carved stock attributed to John Orwin, Carlisle, Pa. This gun has a 50 caliber, 42 7/8-inch unmarked octagonal barrel with dovetailed sights. Unmarked flintlock mechanism. Relief-carved tiger maple stock with oval Coin silver thumb-piece and border engraved barrel keys. Brass furniture with scroll-engraved Lancaster style daisy-head patchbox. Rear of cheek-piece with raised-carved flourishes of c-scrolls and florals with similar treatments to each side of the wrist and barrel tang. Cheek-piece with silver quarter moon inlay [see Behold the Long Rifle by James Whisker, page 149]. John Orwin is listed in the Carlisle, Pa. tax list of 1793-1800 [see The Pennsylvania/Kentucky Rifle by Henry J. Kaufman]. This is an early, raised-carved Kentucky Rifle from the "Golden Age" that appears to be untouched save for an excellent re-conversion of its original lock and a coat of polish wax on the wood. It is in fine to very fine condition with untouched dark brown patina on its iron parts and a stock of richly aged patina scattered with minor blemishes. Action very good. A beautiful Kentucky Rifle from the "Golden Age".

SOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4378 - KENTUCKY RIFLE BY JACOB ROOP.
Kentucky Rifles of this quality and size seem to be getting a lot of attention in the past few years. All I can say is, "IT'S ABOUT TIME"! Now, this gun isn't by one of the Masters of "The Golden Age of Kentucky Rifles", however it could certainly be called the masterpiece of this particular maker, and much of the workmanship could remind one of the work of Martin or John Shell. This gun is signed in small delicate script "J. ROOP" on the barrel. I have seen only a few guns marked with this name, usually much smaller in stature. I'm sure many of the collectors out there have rifles marked J. Roop as well. However I don't think they've seen one quite like this, and I think that's because Roop built Kentucky Rifles for many years and as with most makers that contiued their trade for many years, Kentuckies seemed to down-size throughout their evolution in North America. (Still listed as a maker in the 1840's in Weaton, Indiana). He also had two sons, Jacob and John that may have been involved in the riflemaking trade. Jacob Sr. was born in Lancaster County, Pa. in 1779 and certainly completed his apprentice work by the turn of the century, if not in the late 1790's, in time to be classified as a "Golden Age Maker". He originally operated North of York, Pa. and is listed in the tax lists of 1805 in Dauphin County, Pa. This Flintlock Kentucky Rifle is a monster, measuring a full 68 & 1/2" overall with a 53"+ round, smoothbore barrel of .60 caliber. When found, this gun showed heavy weathering to the wood to a light straw to its high-points which have since been colored to match the finish that was still present forward of the lock-plate. Other than that, it is all original including the lock which is in its original flintlock configuration with no repair or conversion. It shows incised carving to each side of the fore-end and behind the rear ramrod pipe, C-scroll relief carving behind the barrel-tang, raised carving to the rear of each side of the wrist. Beaver tails at the back end of each side of the lock and in front of the comb, raised vine and scroll carving to the cheekpiece to include a delicate flower. It also has eight barrel keys of silver or German Silver, a silver thub-piece, engraved silver star inlay to the cheekpiece and a stylized Bowie-Knife in brass at the top edge of the cheek. A great gun for a nice collection of Kentucky Rifles or maybe a one-gun collection over the fireplace.

$ 29,750.00
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4318 - "J. KELLER" MARKED KENTUCKY RIFLE FROM CARLISLE, PA.
This antique Kentucky Rifle is marked on both the barrel and back-action lock-plate, "J. Keller", "Carlisle, Pa.". Keller worked from 1823 - 1844 and this is a nice example that sports a 34", 45 cal. barrel that may have been shortened. The rifle is 50" over-all. It shows a really nice patch-box with fine engraving and plain toe and wear-plates. The wood shows beautiful graining and curl but some genius must have thought that a good simonize wax-job would make it look better. That dried wax is now in the grain of the wood and also scattered about the metal parts and joints and it needs to be patiently cleaned out, which I don't have the time or patience to do. A nice project gun for a good collector that has the skill to bring it back to life.

$ 1,785.00
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4289 - PLAINS OR HALF-STOCK KENTUCKY RIFLE WITH BACK-ACTION LOCK.
This antique rifle is marked "W. S. Chase" on the barrel and "dayton" on the lock. It is in genrally very good condition with an expert crack repair to the wrist. Chase was a riflemaker in Putnam County Ohio and this is a nice offering with a neat but crude little patch-box fashioned on the right side of the stock. Prox. 32 caliber and well-made.

$ 750.00 - SOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4287 - KENTUCKY RIFLE MADE BY H. M. C. & Co.
This is a fine, solid and unmarked gun and relatively rare. There are 2 or 3 guns marked with this makers name with identical patchboxes in the big patch-box book by Roy Chandler. I haven't been able to find any information on this maker as yet, but I can say that at least one of these guns has been reported to reside in the famed Kindig Collection. It has decorative toe and comb plates ( the toe with piercings) and a long wear-plate under the fore-end. The 42 & 1/2" barrel is of prox. 50 caliber rifled, and the over-all length is 58 & 1/2". There are scattered and tasteful inlays of brass and silver about the stock as pictured. This is a really nice and full-sized Kentucky Rifle, not a dainty little thing. It is priced to sell and not expensive.

SOLD ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4269 - ANTIQUE KENTUCKY RIFLE BY J. H. JOHNSTON, WAYNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA.
Kentucky Rifle of Pennsylvania. This nice old gun is 100% in the black and never touched. It was shipped to us from a good man in Silver Gate, Montana last month.

$ 2,975.00 - Sold ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4269 - 4269
SEE DESCRIPTION ABOVE.

$ 2,975.00 - SOLD ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4223 - KENTUCKY RIFLE BY JOHN PARKS.
Kentucky Long Rifles like this are seldom seen for sale anymore. This fine gun is untouched, right out-of-the-woods and it's enormous. It sports an octagon to round barrel measuring a full 52" of 56 caliber rifled bore and is a whopping 67" over-all. This is exactly how one would hope to find a Kentucky rifle, showing no evidence that it ever did anything other than hang above someone's fireplace or sit in an attic waiting for someone to come love it. The metal parts are attached to an impressive piece of curly maple which shows some tasteful carving of c-scroll patterns behind the cheek-piece. Checkerboarding at the intersection of the scrolls shows little wear and there's a nice little half-moon inlay on the cheek. The side-plates show nice form as does the patch-box which shows sparse engraving. The gun has been converted to cap & ball and this gun would look awesome if converted to flintlock. There is a wonderful wire repair to the wrist that I would definitely leave alone as it does nothing but add character and story-telling to the gun. This is a beauty with great potential. See 4 additional photos below.

$ 4,350.00 - SOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4219 - PENNSYLVALIA RIFLE SIGNED BY "S. GROVE".
This is another nice, untouched Pennsylvania made rifle that came with 3 other rifles to us out of Alabama recently. This fine little gun is 52" over-all with a 37" barrel of 45 caliber. It has a suprisingly fine engraved patch-box, silver half-moon inlay and a couple of silver tear-drops on each side of the wrist to compliment the silver thumb-piece and all mounted on a piece of nicely curled maple. It's in original percussion.

$ 2,250.00 - SOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4218 - ORIGINAL KENTUCKY RIFLE BY "S. GROVE".
SEE DESCRIPTION ABOVE.

$2,350.00 - SOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4217 - KENTUCKY PISTOLS. A RARE PAIR OF KENTUCKY PISTOLS BY JACOB KUNTZ OF PHILADELPHIA.
Fine Kentucky Pistols are extremely rare and all fans of this segment of Antique Arms Collecting are well aware of that fact. To find a single Kentucky pistol that has withstood the trials of time to remain intact, un-enhanced and in original flintlock is a great rarity. We are also aware that the total number of surviving examples is a mere fraction of the number of surviving rifles. As I've said many times before, finding a pair Kentucky Pistols is one of the most difficult tasks in the entire realm of Gun Collecting. This is a big, fine pair of Kuntz Pistols that are marked on the barrel "Kunz" and "Philad." respectively. Their construction and architecture are virtually identical, with some subtle differences in engraving on the brass mountings. Both have 9" barrels with the better condition gun of about 45 caliber with evidence of rifling to its bore, and the other at 47 caliber that may have been shot enough to warrant its larger size and lack of rifling. Both are rigged with locks marked "Warranted by Konigmacker & Co.". The butt-plates, trigger-guards & tangs, rear ramrod pipes, barrel tangs and the breech end of the barrels show similar, but not perfectly matching engravings. If the lock-maker sounds familiar to you, it should. One of these guns (the one with less stained piano varnish finish) is pictured on page 222 of "Kentucky Rifles and Pistols". At that time, it was owned by an old friend of mine, Tom Seymore, who I visited with several times when I was on the Board of Directors of the Texas Gun Collector Association. At one time, Tom had over 60 Kentucky Pistols in his collection and many of them are pictured in this book. I believe these guns to have been made in a batch, as both have matching sub-assembly numbers to each respective gun, 1 & 2. That's not to say that they were an exact matched pair, but they were certainly made during the same time period and with the intent of the maker to produce at least a few pairs if not this single pair, at that time. The darker gun is in near excellent condition retaining most all of its original, untouched finish. It's wonderful. The second gun has much less original finish to the wood, but the metal is very fine and both are extremely crisp. The lesser gun has some small dark blotches on the barrel but this is not pitting, only staining and some raised up corrosion that could probably be carefully removed. Keep in mind while admiring these guns that they are not a set of the fancier, dainty guns similar to the dueling-type pistols made by Kuntz (a pair sold at auction a couple of years ago for $80,000.00), but a bold and heavy pair of guns made for a Rifleman. They were and are undoubtedly, self-protectors. As there are so few of these guns that come up for sale, this could be the chance of a lifetime to own such a fine set. Please note; As with most of my guns, I would consider taking trade toward the purchase of these pistols. I'm personally looking for nice, high-art rifles by John Armstrong, John Noll, J. P. Beck, Frederick Sell or any other rifles with lots of carving and embellishment, built by the Masters. See additional photos below.

SOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4217 - ANTIQUE KENTUCKY PISTOLS.
A RARE PAIR OF KENTUCKY PISTOLS BY JACOB KUNTZ OF PHILADELPHIA. SEE DESCRIPTION ABOVE.

PRICE ON REQUEST.
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4211 - PIPE TOMAHAWK, ORIGINAL ANTIQUE HAWK FROM THE JIM DRESLER COLLECTION.
See description above.

$ 8,500.00
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4211 - PIPE TOMAHAWK, ORIGINAL ANTIQUE HAWK FROM THE JIM DRESLER COLLECTION.
The pictures on this fine hawk tell its story. All original with decorative pewter wrapped bowl.

$ 8,500.00
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4206 - ANTIQUE KENTUCKY PISTOL. POSSIBLY BY KUNTZ.
Kentucky Pistols of this quality are quite rare and this particular example (of smaller than normal proportions) is simply outstanding. I have had this pistol for quite a while and have never been able to decide if I should keep it or not. I don't collect Kentucky Pistols personally, but appreciate their rarity as compared to Kentucky Rifles which I do collect and cherish, especially the few good ones that I have been able to acquire over the years. This example is of intermediate size for a Kentucky Pistol, fashioned with a 5 & 1/4" barrel of prox. 45 caliber mounted onto a great piece of curly maple, the warranted lock by C. Bird & Co. Philadelphia. The side-plates exhibit some delicate engraving similar to work seen on guns fashioned by Kuntz and Rupp. It is unusual and a thing of beauty and rarity. I have priced it moderately and if no one sees the value of this one, I have no problem putting it back in my gun room. You'll likely not see another for a very long time.

SOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4192 - ANTIQUE KENTUCKY RIFLE, POSSIBLY FROM HUNTINGTON COUNTY, PA.
This is a very nice condition Kentucky Long Rifle with rare, brass James Golcher marked lock. It is 57 1/2" overall with a 42 3/8" unmarked barrel in 45 caliber. It has a nice patchbox and has never been touched, no cleaning or repairs. A great little gun for a collector of that area or for just hanging over the fireplace.

SALE PENDING ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4184 - KENTUCKY RIFLE, HALF STOCK BY AN IDENTIFIED ILLINOIS MAKER.
This Kentucky Rifle is signed by J. Peters and really has a special feature. It's 50 1/2" long overall with a 34 caliber barrel of 35" in length. It's fore-end is a little longer than usual and appears to be completely original, sporting a fore-end plate, a decent patchbox that is lightly engraved and an unmarked lock-plate. It has a brass inlay on both sides of the wrist that facilitates a repair to a cracked wrist and it's solid. The best part of the gun is the barrel that is engraved with vines its entire length and highlighted by some fighting motif to include an arrow and a bold, clipped-point Bowie Knife. A barrel with this much engraving is rare and extremely unusual to show a fighting man's knife in the work. I have received estimates of this guns' value at $2,000 - 5,000.00. I don't know exactly what it's worth but I know that this is an extremely interesting gun and it will make a nice addition to someones collection with its unusual and quaintly engraved barrel.

ON HOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4184 - SEE PRICE AND DESCRIPTION ABOVE.
SEE PRICE AND DESCRIPTION ABOVE.

ON HOLD !!!
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4178 - ANTIQUE KENTUCKY RIFLE.
This is a nice little full-stock Kentucky, probably from the rom the south-central Pennsylvania area. 51 1/2" over-all with a 36 1/8" barrel of 45 caliber. It retains its original James Golcher lock and is marked "A*M" on the top of the barrel. It is untouched, nice condition and priced at a bargain.

SOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4171 - HAWKEN PLAINS OR MOUNTAIN RIFLE. ORIGINAL, UNTOUCHED FULL-STOCK HAWKEN RIFLE.
Hawken Rifles are an American icon. This is one magnificent Collectors Rifle, and an OUTSTANDING example of one of the most famous of American Firearms. It is the nicest Hawken Rifle that I have ever owned and offered for sale. Untouched and 100% original with the exception of a repair to the face of the hammer, it is a full-stock Mountain Rifle made specifically for the heavy use of gaming Buffalo, large Bear and anyone that tried to inhibit the effort. This is not the usual half-stock Hawken that most of us are familiar with and see for sale at auction once or twice a year, but a massive full-stock of .56 caliber with a 36" barrel and 16 & 1/2" pull. When I laid eyes on it, I thought its weight would be much more than it was. The barrel, and even the stock itself is extremely thick but the larger bore size lightens the barrel considerably compared to others I have owned or handled and it is suprisingly easy to wield. The gun is nearly perfect in all respects showing little use. The condition of the wood is such that no one could ask or want of better condition, color or texture. All metal parts are an untouched patina and the form of the gun is perfect to include the Hawken trademark scrolls of the triggerguard which protect the double-sets and what I unconditionally guarantee is its original cleaning rod with bone tip. The boldly struck Hawken address dates this gun to the 1850's. As even non-collectors know, the Hawken Rifle is the most famous of all arms used by the great Mountain Men of our Western Frontier. They were manuifactured in the shop of Samuel and Jacob Hawken, who learned the craft of riflemaking from their father Christian Hawken of Maryland. An example of Christians work can be found in our Kentucky rifle section of this website. These guns became famous by being the rifle of choice by the likes of Joseph Meek, Jim Bridger, Kit Carson and others. The movie "Jeremiah Johnson" didn't hurt its reputation. Hands-down, one of my favorite items to ever be posted on this website.

SOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4171 - ANTIQUE HAWKEN RIFLE.
ORIGINAL HAWKEN RIFLE, SEE DESCRIPTION ABOVE.

SOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

4157 - ANTIQUE KENTUCKY PISTOL / UNDERHAMMER PISTOL MOST LIKELY MADE BY A KENTUCKY RIFLE MAKER.
This is a very unusual gun obviously copied from a mass-produced pattern of side-arm. It is well made with a curly maple stock, silver mounts and a fully octagon signed barrel in the style of a rifle-maker. On top of it all, it has a presentation on top of the barrel. A great little gun.

$ 1,975.00
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

3424 - KENTUCKY PISTOLS, RARE MATCHING PAIR OF "GOLDEN AGE' PISTOLS BY A FAMOUS KENTUCKY RIFLE MAKER.
You don't have to be a student of Kentucky Rifles or have a lot of experience in the field to see that these are a very important and beautiful pair of pistols. A collector would scream with glee just to behold a single one of these guns and the pair have already caused some rapid heart rates. From what I've read and been told by a few veterans, they shouldn't even exist, yet here they are in all their glory. The maker is well-known, highly respected for his work and featured more extensively than any other rifle-maker in Kindig's book on the subject of "Golden Age" Rifles. These two guns are nearly identical, with 6 7/8” octagon to round, cannon style barrels of 50 caliber. The guns are wonderfully balanced when held in the hand. The wood is a beautiful Tiger-striped maple and each is mounted with identical side-plates and butt-caps of brass, with 3 silver pins rising from the back of butt-plates, each smaller than the next as they ascend, possibly suggesting a flash trail of ignition. There is an absolutely distinct carving to the sides and back of each barrel tang, matching in architecture and quality of execution consisting of beautiful c-scrolls that form a triangular panel behind the tang. This panel is checkered and the treatment as a whole definitively and unquestionably matches the beautiful carving on most all rifles by this maker. The locks do not have roller frizzens and their form date the guns as originating from 1790 – 1810. They are magnificent specimens made by one of the most popular makers of the “Golden Age", virtually unrivalled in their rarity and desirability and are worthy of the finest Institutional or Personal collection. The trademark carving of the barrel tangs leaves no question in the minds of those that have examined them and the consensus opinion is that these guns are the only pistols ever discovered that are definitively made by Leonard Reedy.

SOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

3355 - KENTUCKY CAP & BALL RIFLE BY JOHN PARKS JR.
A masterpiece, as good as it gets in terms of an inlayed Kentucky Rifle from this maker and probably his finest work. 109 pieces of silver adorn this fine percussion rifle to include a huge spread-winged eagle on the cheek piece, standing Indian with rifle in back of the cheekpiece and a small percussion pistol behind the lock-plate. Extremely thin and dainty with an over-all length of almost 57" and in 44 caliber. The wood is an outstanding piece of curly maple and all embellishments are excecuted in a most tasteful manner. Signed "John Parks Jr." on top of the barrel. Not an expensive, big, carved early gun but a top-of-the-food-chain example of an inlayed Kentucky from the Susquehanna region and worthy of the finest collection of that type or interest.

SOLD ! ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

(Click image for larger view)

3337 - KENTUCKY RIFLE FROM THE ALLENTOWN, PA. AREA.
This is a really nice looking rifle that shows some characteristics of guns made by Henry Mauger. It has a part round, part octagon smoothbore barrel of just over 47" in length, 60 caliber or so. The rifle is 62"+ overall with a wonderful Roman-nosed curve to the buttstock. It's built on a great piece of tightly curled maple that's all in one piece with minimal nicks and dings. It has the original butt and toe-plates but the lock and sideplate are replacements and the sideplate is a Phyllis Diller (prior to any surgery, if you know what I mean). This gun is a good-looking Kentucky and displays really well. A little bit of TLC by a collector would make it even better.

$ 1,395.00 - ON HOLD ! !
Call - 216-541-4111

(back to homepage)

Records 1 to 25 of 65