November 18, 2020 Extraordinary, Sporting & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/18/2020
Beautiful "Golden Age" Kentucky rifle built by Henry Koons of Big Pipe Creek, Frederick County, Maryland, just south of Adams County Pennsylvania. Little is known of Koons except that he was an exceptional gunsmith building fine carved flintlock rifles. This particular rifle was once in the famed Joe Kindig collection and is pictured in his book "Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in Its Golden Age" and is "No. 200" on page 435. Gun has full octagon smoothbore barrel with blade front sight and rear notched sight with "H Koons" written in script on a brass plate on top facet of barrel. Flint lock with waterproof pan controlled by double set triggers. Full curly maple stock with raised carving and brass furniture. Carving consists of a beautiful raised carved floral design with round checkered oval behind and below cheekpiece. Raised "shell" pattern carving around tang with "Beavertail" pattern behind lock and sidplate flowing into moulding lines around lock. Raised "Fleur de Lis" pattern behind tailpipe flowing into the dished forestock moulding. Kindig states that one of the sideplates has been replaced on the patchbox, which is difficult to tell except for the use of different nails in the top sideplate. 4 piece patchbox with typical "Horsehead Finial", 3 piercings and "pin wheel" engraved sideplates. Push button release on top sideplate. Gun has 2 coin silver inlays with an oval cheekpiece engraved with a "Hunter's Star" and a oval thumbpiece. Barrel is held with 4 brass flat keyes (2 missing). Comes with hardwood ramrod. PROVENANCE: Ex- Kindig Collection and Ex-Lattimer Collection. CONDITION: Gun has an untouched look with wood surfaces having a dry appearance. Lock looks to be period, but wood around lock has burnout which could indicate this gun was at one point converted to percussion and then back to flint. Top sideplate and toe plate have raised due to possible hot and cold storage situations. Front forestock has a break 6" from muzzle which looks to have been there for many years (should be stabilized). Dark bore with good mechanics. A fine example of Koons's work. DLM