GUN SPRING 2018
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/21/2018
RARE SIGNED JACOB KUNTZ EARLY RELIEF CARVED RIFLE. JACOB KUNTZ KENTUCKY NA 58 Overall 60". Buttplate 1 ½" wide. The 44" full octagon barrel signed Jacob Kuntz. The brass patch box with its fleur-de-lis finial is nicely engraved including a Lehigh County "face" within the engraving. There are heavy brass wire inlay decorations above and below the patch box door. The rifle has four silver inlays and the typical arrow back side plate is heavy beveled brass. The relief carving on the cheek side of the butt is exceptional and the cheek piece features a large silver finely engraved eight pointed star inlay inside an engraved oval silver ring. The rifle shows worn incised carving at the rear ramrod ferrule and extremely nice fleur-de-lis relief carving at the barrel tang. This cataloger is of the opinion this rifle's relief carving ranks among the best of existing Lehigh County guns. Jacob Kuntz was born in Lehigh Township September 6, 1780. Jacob Kuntz is a very important maker who was trained in Allentown, PA. Jacob moved to Philadelphia in 1810, and in 1812 married Barbara Newhard, niece of the famous Allentown gunsmith Peter Newhard. In 1833 the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia awarded Jacob Kuntz a silver medal for his skill and ingenuity. Jacob died at the age of 95 years after becoming Philadelphia's most sought after gunsmith by wealthy customers in England, Scotland and America. There are very few Relief Carved Lehigh County rifles. One unusually fine example is the iconic unsigned rifle attributed to Jacob Kuntz that was used on the logo for the Kentucky Rifle Association's 50th Anniversary in 2012 and is included in their Presidents display CD of Lehigh County rifles. This rifle has the same features and relief carving but is signed by the maker, Jacob Kuntz. This very important rifle provides important evidence of the Relief Carving style used on early Kuntz rifles. Jacob Kuntz rifles have been on display in the Arms and Armor exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York for over a decade. CONDITION: The Kuntz signature is worn but readable. There is about three inches of brass wire inlay missing under the patch box door at the butt plate that can easily be restored. There is a short insignificant break in the underside of the stock between the lock and trigger guard. Each of these rifles, this signed one and its unsigned twin, have had their fore ends painstakingly and professionally restored and their locks replaced. The unsigned rifle traded hands on various occasions over the years finally selling at a recent James D. Julia Firearms Auction where it realized $ 55,000. These are the only two relief carved Kuntz rifles we are aware of that have surfaced to date with this quality carving. 53105-3 RGG (12,000-16,000)