September 26, 2018 O'Connor's Americana Collection
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2018
This unique two-piece brass patchbox was found at a Lancaster County, Pennsylvania auction by Walter O'Connor. When discovered, it was on a restocked rifle composed of random parts, none of which accompanied it on the original rifle. John Moll Jr. was a Lehigh County gunsmith who was born in 1773 and lived until 1867. He worked in Allentown, Pennsylvania and frequently incorporated "Liberty heads" or "Allentown Indian heads" on his rifles, usually in front of the forward tang of the triggerguard. This engraved patchbox lid, however, shows the full standing figure of an Indian or Son of Liberty holding a flintlock longrifle with a Lehigh County sideplate and patchbox in his right hand and swinging a tomahawk in the other. The figure is standing over the familiar "D"-shaped design around the iron rivet attached to the latch. The finial has had the two lower ears removed, probably when it was restocked, and only traces of the engraving that bordered them remains. The upper ears have been slightly rounded as well. No doubt both of these modifications were done to make in-letting easier. The finial's top screw hole is surrounded by an engraved flower above a checkered triangle which is typical of John Moll Jr.'s other known patchboxes. The cast patchbox retains a mellow unpolished patina and the engraving shows little wear and retains its original length of 6-5/16" and the width of the lid has been reduced to 1-3/16", probably 7/16" less than its original width. This patchbox was featured as the cover article in the Kentucky Rifle Association Bulletin in the Spring of 2011, volume 37, no. 3. The article was written by Walter O'Connor and titled "A Chance Visit". A copy of the article, including Walter's hand-written notes and research on this piece, are included. This is an important piece as it relates to the mystery of the Allentown Indian or Liberty figure.