xxSOLDXX Golden Age Kentucky Rifle

Very interesting rifle with no major restoration other than being reconverted back to flint and the mainspring appears to be broken.  This Golden Age rifle has all six of the Lebanon School details outlined by Joe Kindig Jr. in his seminal work "Thoughts On The Kentucky Rifle in its Golden Age", pg. 231.  It has a four piece patchbox with the "Whale's Tail" finial, solid sideplates, and engraving which is nearly identical to signed "N.Beyer" rifle number 92, pg. 236 in "Thoughts".  This rifle's original engraved lock plate is a very early English trade lock identical to rifle # 127 in George Shumway's "Rifles of Colonial America", in which Mr. Shumway states:  "The flintlock is the...English export lock of a style that was common during the third quarter of the eighteenth century."  I believe this rifle dates to the fourth quarter of the 18th century however. The rifle is 56 1/2 " overall length with an octagon 41" barrel which is .38 cal with deep rifling. The rifle carries a highly figured tiger maple full stock which is nicely raised and incised carved in all of the usual places.  In addition, it has three intriguing features, the silver escutcheon plate behind the barrel tang is engraved in original 18th century script "JPB" (J.P.Beck???), the barrel keys have tiny heart shaped escutcheons, and finally, it has the very unusual paired inlaid silver "hunters' star" and "man in the moon" on the cheek piece.**SOLD**