November 15 & 16, 2022 Extraordinary Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2022
This rifle has heavy Germanic influence and is known by the consignor as "Draft of the Big Pipe Creek". Big Pipe Creek is an area around Taneytown, Maryland, and is where the rifle was originally discovered, and possibly meaning it may have been constructed in that area. Rifle has a 44" octagonal-to-round .70 caliber smoothbore barrel, rifle sights, and European style sling swivels. Unmarked Germanic style flint lock with single turned tail trigger control. Full, plain, walnut stock with brass hardware including early style flat butt with raised gargoyle or dragon carving behind cheek. Comes with steel ramrod and consignor research. Pictured on pg. 77 of "Gunsmiths of Maryland" by Hartzler and Whisker, pg. 186 of "Early American Flintlocks" by same, and as plates f8a - f8k of "Rifles of Colonial America, Volume I" by Shumway. PROVENANCE: Ex. Frank Kobilis Collection. CONDITION: Overall fair with metal flaking and turning a brown patina. Forestock shows some missing chips of wood around escutcheons and added 2' of wood towards muzzle. Stock has various cracks and damage, including possibly having the cheekpiece shaved down at one point in time. Lock mortise has some repaired burnout around lock with wood replaced and some missing wood behind lock. Lock has original Germanic plate converted back to flint using correct looking parts. Dark pitted bore with sticky mechanics. Early rifle with great look. DLM
Caliber/Bore
.70 Smoothbore