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SCARCE WILLIAM WEISS SIGNED LANCASTER SCHOOL

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
SCARCE WILLIAM WEISS SIGNED LANCASTER SCHOOL
KENTUCKY RIFLE, CIRCA 1815. Cal. 44. NSN. 58" Overall. Bbl. 42 1/2" oct. w/ inset German silver front sight & fixed notch rear sight engraved in script w/ flourishes “W WEISS”. Deep 8 land & groove rifling has no twist. Striped maple stock, brass mountings, silver crescent half-moon on cheekpiece, silver thumbplate & keyway escutcheons, brass patch box & silver are border engraved en suite. Rebated Ketland lock w/ unsupported serpentine cock, oval iron pan w/ bridled frizzen. William Weiss was working at the Virginia Manufactory in Richmond prior to coming home to Lancaster in 1808. He is listed as gunmaker in Lancaster till 1821, there are few examples of his signed work. CONDITION: good to very good overall, bbl. has dark iron patina w/ pitting at breech, old braised repair to bbl. tang, lock has been cleaned & now a mottled gray patina w/ pitting, brass has mixed light to medium mustard patina. Stock is sound as refinished w/ a lg. glued crack repair on buttstock between trigger guard & patch box, well disguised wood restoration on either side of bbl. tang. PROVENANCE: From the Collection of John "Tim" Breth Jr. (01-17746/JS). ANTIQUE. $4,000-5,000.