May 8-10, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
The live portion of this session begins on Thursday, May 9, 2024.
This rifle is engraved to James Fenimore Cooper (1789 - 1851), author of the famous book "The Last of the Mohicans". His writings were centered around the fictional character Natty Bummpo. Cooper acknowledged that he was inspired by a well-known 18th-century mountain man. The research done regarding this rifle was compiled by renowned collectors Ed Louer and Gordon Barlow, who owned the rifle together for over 40 years. The rifle is attributed by the researchers to having been made in the mid-18th century in Augusta County, Virginia for a mountain man named Jack Hays. His family lived there, and the rifle was likely used on the frontier and reportedly (by oral tradition of the Hays family) used in the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812. According to family history, the rifle was given to James Fenimore Cooper by the Hays family in the early 19th century, where it remained until the early 20th century. It was then known by collectors to be in the possession of a Cooper descendent. It then went to the collection of Dr. Stryker, followed by the collection of John Chalapse. It was purchased from him by Ed Louer of Williamsport, Ohio, and he partnered with Gordon Barlow of Swoope, Virginia. According to Rachel Hays Walker and William Hays of McLean, Virginia, mountain man Jack Hays carried with him a very fine flintlock longrifle that was made by a neighbor gunsmith. According to a 1992 letter from William, John Brown Hays, son of Andrew, received the rifle from his father and carried it as a captain in the Revolutionary War. In the will of Major John Brown Hays (1808), son of Andrew Hays, he left the rifle to his son John Brown Hays, Jr., who carried it in the War of 1812. William Hays further states in his letter "When James Fenimore Cooper visited the Hays family at Stone Mountain Plantation in the 1830's, he gave the Hays family a frontier painting. Recognizing Cooper [s] fascination with Jack Hays, John Brown Hays, Jr. gave him the Hays family rifle that was once carried by Jack Hays." He says that Cooper actually used John Hays for his character Natty Bumppo in his novels. Cooper apparently had his name engraved on the rifle. According to the book "Hays Family History" by Rachel Hays Walker, written in 1894, she states: "Because of Mr. Cooper's fascination with the tales of Jack Hays and his longrifle and Mr. Cooper idolizing our relative Jack Hays as his Natty Bumppo character in his novels, my brother, John and I, gave our family longrifle to Mr. Cooper." The rifle itself is pictured on page 146 of George Shumway's "Longrifle Articles published in Muzzle Blasts 1965-2001, Vol. 2". George Shumway mentions in the description that it has an American maple stock. The rifle features a tapered octagon barrel with swamped muzzle, brass front blade sight and notched iron rear sight. The early convex banana lockplate is unmarked and features an unbridled pan. The engraved brass furniture appears to be European. Many of the early parts used in America were imported from abroad. The brass nosecap is decorated with gadrooning and appears to be of American style and manufacture. The buttplate is engraved with an old inscription "J FENIMORE COOPER" vertically. The full-length stock is of very early form with no toeplate, a wide 3-1/8" buttplate (across the center and excluding the patchbox) and carving of an early style. There are relief-carved acanthus designs around the barrel tang, in front of the triggerguard finial and behind the ramrod entry ferrule. There is also carving around the comb and on both sides. There are ornate c-scrolls carved on both sides of the long relief cheekpiece. Sideplate was lost during the period of use and carving was done to make the loss more attractive (brass washers were added behind screws). Complete with an 1896 publication of "The Last of the Mohicans" by James Fenimore Cooper with illustrations by Frank T. Merrill. Also included is a framed engraving of Fenimore Cooper framed with an original Cooper signed note that reads "very truly and faithfully yours, J. Fenimore Cooper". An extensive book on this rifle, the Hays family history, Walker family history, Fenimore Cooper history and other important research is included with the rifle. CONDITION: The rifle is as found and shows heavy use, consistent with having been used over a long period of time in multiple wars. There is heavy carry or saddle wear so extensive that the 4-1/2" of ramrod is exposed on the underside of the forend. The patchbox is a modern professional replacement and is very well matched. Wood shows some cracks, splinters lost around barrel, wear and marks from use. Brass furniture shows wear, buttplate worn through on top corner, and tang has a break. Ramrod entry ferrule tang shows losses and much of remaining ferrules have deteriorated. Barrel retains a dark patina with heavy pitting throughout. Lock is in its original flintlock configuration, does not hold on half-cock and retains a dark patina. Ramrod is original and has been in this rifle for a very long time. An historic, very important, and well-documented rifle identified to James Fenimore Cooper.
Accessories
Book, Framed print.
Manufacturer
Attributed to John Walker