One by the late John Derrick, built as a 50-cal 'Snaphaunce' lock rifle no less, with a somewhat Jaegerish, if not possibly French influenced (??) buttstock shape. It is arguably THE MOST adorned Derrick rifle/musket I've seen to date. Someone was trying to sell it, but it never sold, so I threw out a lowball offer and it was accepted.
The builder was from Germany, moved to US, became a teacher and in his retirement through the 80s or so, he made about 2 dozen highly inlaid arms of moose bone or horn & individually hand designed & sand cast metal hardware, to mimic those originals that he loved in the old Germanic museums. Barrels from ????, but our resident early lock expert @rickystl believes the lock is likely from Blackley & Sons, UK, where Derrick made everything else ...
It hangs really, REALLY well offhand and the lock is precise and crisp. Hmmmmm, now THIS would surely turn some heads as a competition rifle, LOL! Now let’s see if she shoots! Hopefully it will be warm out on SAT morning, as it is still ~20-degrees F here right now.
The builder was from Germany, moved to US, became a teacher and in his retirement through the 80s or so, he made about 2 dozen highly inlaid arms of moose bone or horn & individually hand designed & sand cast metal hardware, to mimic those originals that he loved in the old Germanic museums. Barrels from ????, but our resident early lock expert @rickystl believes the lock is likely from Blackley & Sons, UK, where Derrick made everything else ...
It hangs really, REALLY well offhand and the lock is precise and crisp. Hmmmmm, now THIS would surely turn some heads as a competition rifle, LOL! Now let’s see if she shoots! Hopefully it will be warm out on SAT morning, as it is still ~20-degrees F here right now.
