KENTUCKY RIFLE ORIGINAL FLINTLOCK Circa 1830

This beautiful tiger maple fullstock Kentucky rifle is in its original unaltered flintlock state and measures 57 inches overall. The rifle is brass and coin silver mounted and profusely and beautifully engraved with zoomorphic themes such as the horsehead patchbox finial, and a bird of paradise engraved on the lid of the patchbox as well as several birds engraved on the lockplate. The flintlock was made in the gunshop rather than being a commercially purchased lock since the engraving matches the engraving elsewhere on the rifle as well as being signed "H.R." on the outside surface. This rifle, in addition to having superior engraving has six coin silver inlays for the barrel key escutcheons as well as one coin silver inlay on the cheekpiece. The .38 caliber rifled 41 inch full octagon barrel has a hook breech, a high end feature. All of the brass mounts are neatly engraved and the patchbox is beautifully made with a "captured" lid with the pierced finial and "sideplates" being cast in one piece. The brass cuff (to repair a cracked wrist) was probably applied by the original gunsmith who made the rifle because it is engraved with the same design and hand as the engraving on the rest of the rifle.

Condition: Very Good to excellent. The major flaw (which I actually consider an interesting asset) is the engraved brass wrist repair. there is  6" thin stable crack on one side of the forestock running from the nose cap back (see pics) and another short 1 inch crack on the other side running from the nose cap back. There is a small chip 1/2" x 1/8" on the forestock. Beautiful even tiger maple stock in wonderful surface.