Highly Decorated and Published Half Stock Percussion Long Rifle by W. Shockey (Washington County, Ohio)

.36 caliber. 35.5" octagonal barrel. SN: NSN. Possibly blued at some point. Curled maple half stock with straight wrist, high comb, and carved cheek rest. Percussion rifle with fixed notch and silver blade front sights. Item features double set triggers, many silver and brass fittings, and a brass capbox. Capbox is deeply engraved with simple scroll that resembles branches overall. Stock has 23 silver and brass fittings overall including an 8" long brass griplate to forearm, a 5" silver plate to comb, and various silver fish, eye, heart, spade, and crescent shaped escutcheons lightly engraved with simple branch scrollwork. Top of barrel is engraved W. Shockey in script and is surrounded by branch scrollwork. Other fittings include faceted brass buttplate, triggerguard, thimbles, and a pewter forend cap. Lockplate is engraved with simple scroll and marked LEMAN/LANCTR, PA to center.

Most likely made by William Gifford Shockey (1842-1919) of Washington County, Ohio. According to Hutslar's Ohio Gunsmiths & Allied Tradesmen, this W. Shockey rifle was made in the ornate style of master Ohio gunsmiths John Vincent (1809 - 1882) and his son John Caleb Vincent (1841-1919). It is very possible that Shockey was an apprentice of or was directly influenced by the style of John Vincent, considering they were both located in Washington County, Ohio around the same time.

This rifle is also published in Ohio Gunsmiths & Allied Tradesmen Volume V by Donald A. Hutslar, a copy of which is included with this lot. Information about W. Shockey is described on page 90 and this rifle is pictured on page 122.

This lot is located in Cincinnati.