This is a pretty full stock percussion rifle with Joseph Golcher lock, deep crescent butt plate, pierced patch box and German silver plaques. The lock is nicely engraved with a pair of pheasants at rear of the hammer and scrolling floral motifs with Josh Golcher in Old English along the bottom edge. The lock is a side-lug percussion lock with no sign of conversion from flint and likely dates the rifle about 1825-1840, which fits our information about Joseph Golcher’s later work. The rifle itself is unsigned.  Overall measures 52”; barrel length 37 ½”.

The patchbox is made with open upper and lower plates and head, symmetrical in design, giving the impression of two interlocking circles with the rectangular patchbox lid running across them, decorated with a wavy border and broad shallow s-curved scrolls. The pierced head continues the symmetrical arrangement and has lightly incised scrollwork mirroring that on lid, but oriented cross-wise. The wrist has a German silver oval thumbpiece, narrow oval side pieces and the cheekrest bears a German silver crescent moon with incised ric-rac edge design matching the other mounts.

There is minor age spotting to the German silver mounts. The brass has a medium patina. Both sights are in place. The lock functions and the bore are good. The wood has good original color and surface. We see only minor scratches and handling marks along with some natural rubs to edges and high points. The wood to metal fit is tight. The metal is largely smooth, with some light crustiness here and there, brown in color with a little rubbing toward gray about midway along, the natural place to hold the rifle. The inside of the patchbox door has an identification number scratched in by a previous owner.

These rifles are a “quintessentially American art form” combining history with great eye appeal.  [sr] [ph:L]

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