REVOLUTIONARY WAR PERIOD LONG RIFLE

This is a Revolutionary War period Kentucky rifle by Johannes Moll, also known as John I who was the patriarch of the famous Moll family of rifle makers of Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Johannes Moll first appears in Rockland Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania in 1745 as owning an adjoining plot of land next to the Adam Angstadt, (also a gunsmith) family farm. Johannes Moll then appears on the Berks County tax records in 1757. (See Footnote 1).  He next appears in the tax records of 1764, Northampton County Pennsylvania, and by 1772, he is listed as John Moll, gunsmith in Allentown.  Moll had three sons, the eldest, John II (born 1773) a gunsmith and the third son, Peter (born 1779) also a gunsmith. Johannes Moll died in 1794 and the gunsmith Herman Rupp was appointed appraiser for his estate.(See Footnote 2).

This rifle measures 58 1/4 inches overall, with a 42 3/4 inch .50cal swamped octagon barrel and has a full modestly figured and carved maple stock. The four piece brass patchbox is a close copy of Rifle No. 63 in Kindig's book "Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle..." as is its overall architecture where it exhibits a slight Roman nose but not the fully developed Roman nose of later Northampton County rifles such as those made by Herman and John Rupp. Kindig states (rifles) Numbers 63 and 64 are probably pre-Revolutionary rifles of the Allentown Bethlehem section." and attributes them to a Moll.  The trefoil patchbox finial is a precursor to the classic Northampton/Lehigh pb finial of later rifles and is a witness to Moll's early residence and probable training in Berks County. The rifle has profuse "low relief" and incised carving behind and forward of the cheekpiece, around the barrel tang, around the comb and behind the lock and side panel as well as behind the entry ferrule.  The barrel tang carving is a pattern nearly identical to two early signs rifles pictured in "Rifles of Colonial America" Vol. I, 2nd Edition, Rifle No. 55A signed Isaac Berlin, Easton and Rifle No. 57 signed Herman Rupp and dated 1793. (See Footnote 4).

Condition: Very Good, considering its age and use.  I has its original gunsmith made flintlock in its original flintlock configuration. There is no wood replacement to the stock but some minor restoration near the muzzle cap. There is evidence of the barrel having been shortened about 3/4 inch from the breech to mend a "shot out" touch hole. The stock surface has a thick wax coating over its original patina which obscures some of the incise carving. 

Footnotes: 1)  "The Case for Abraham" by John Angstadt, printed in "Selected Articles from the KRA Bulletin", Pg 197-201.  2). "The Moll Family of Gunsmiths1764-1883" by Samuel Dyke and Earl Heffner Jr. printed in "Selected Articles from the KRA Bulletin" Pg 405-411.  3)  "Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in its Golden Age" by Joe Kindig Jr.  Pgs 177-179.  4). "Rifles of Colonial America" Vol. I, Second Edition by George Shumway and Robert Lienemann, Rifle 55A, Pgs 268-271, and Rifle No.57 Pgs 284-289.