EXTREMELY RARE & SPECTACULAR DELUXE JOHN BELKNAP HALF STOCK PERCUSSION SPORTING/TARGET RIFLE.

EXTREMELY RARE & SPECTACULAR DELUXE JOHN BELKNAP HALF STOCK PERCUSSION SPORTING/TARGET RIFLE. Cal. 36. Extraordinarily beautiful medium weight percussion sporting/target rifle by John Belknap (1840-1888),in business St. Johnsbury, VT. 1879-1887, as listed in American Gunsmiths, Sellers, Vermont’s Gunsmiths & Gunmakers to 1900, Phillips & Tyler and Gunsmiths and Gunmakers of Vermont, Horn. Pictured on pg. 2 of the above referenced book by Mr. Horn is a virtually identical rifle with many of the exact same features as this rifle. It has identical front & rear sights & butt plate with identical trigger guard & cheek piece. Lock plate & hammer also appear to be identical, as does the elaborate nipple shield. That rifle also has five decorative ram rod guides containing a silver inlaid ramrod with an identically turned tip. The description on pg. 4 also states that it had mother-of-pearl inlay. The beautiful rifle we are offering here has a 27-1/2″ tapered octagon bbl, turned for false muzzle w/ decorative turnings around the rebated area. Front sight is screw mounted to the top flat at the muzzle and is a very decorative globe sight w/ tiny pin post. There is no provision for a rear bbl sight, however, it is mounted with an elevation adjustable, extremely elaborate tang peep sight. Rifle mounted in an extraordinary, highly figured, uncheckered rosewood half stock with solid silver furniture consisting of a decorative nose cap, arabesque patterned escutcheons on the forestock and extremely decorative crescent butt plate with faceted heel and long decorative tang. Sides of the butt stock at the butt plate are inlaid with decorative silver wavelette panels that follow the contour and shape of butt plate. Right side of the stock has a sunburst inlay with hinged patchbox lid in the center and the left side an elaborate carved cheek piece with a gold inlaid American eagle clutching arrows in one talon and olive branches in the other. Stock has raised side panels with the left side a decorative gold filigree side plate having a most unusual mother-of-pearl inlay. Bottom of the stock has a small gold faced compass just below the trigger guard with a small, all metal rectangular cap box having a gold cover, and has very decorative silver inlay in the wood. Trigger guard is extremely ornate with serpentine shaped finger rest & decorative filed trigger plate with doubleset triggers. Lock plate is also silver or silver plated, having full coverage engraving with the maker’s name engraved in a panel. Hammer is equally elaborate with very decorative filing & engraving having a dolphin motif on the hammer nose & spur. Hammer screw has a decorative gold cover. The breech plug has an integral elaborately shielded nipple with screw clean out plug and a gold mounting screw. Bottom of the bbl has five decorative turned silver ferrules containing its original gold tipped ebony ramrod with six spiral inlaid silver wires about 3/4 of the length. The breech plug, top tang, top flat of the bbl at the breech end & top three flats at the bbl at the muzzle end along with the lock plate & hammer are wonderfully engraved in various patterns w/ a fine punch dot background in foliate arabesque patterns. Tang sight base is engraved to match. Barrel & lock plate are silver plated w/ all furniture & attachments either solid silver or gold. Accompanied by what is probably its original walnut casing that consignor states he had custom re-lined in rose colored felt several years ago. It is French fitted in the bottom for the rifle, the original false muzzle w/ decorative turned finial that has a gold knob, original copper tipped two piece bullet starter, a bullet swedge, a patch cutter, a Colt-style two cavity ball & bullet mold w/ sprue cutter & a ribbed powder flask. All of the accessories in the case are silver plated. This is one of the most extraordinary deluxe percussion rifles this cataloger has ever had the privilege of examining. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus. Overall retains most of its original metal finish with some chemical staining on the left side of the bbl. Wood is sound with a few minor dings and retains most of its orig finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore, possibly unfired. Case is sound w/ light nicks & dings and retains most of a professionally restored finish. Accessories are equally fine and retain most of their lightly oxidized silver finish. This is a museum quality piece of the highest order. 35269 JR268 (30,000-50,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2009

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2393	$31,625.00	EXTREMELY RARE & SPECTACULAR DELUXE JOHN BELKNAP HALF STOCK PERCUSSION SPORTING/TARGET RIFLE. Cal. 36. Extraordinarily beautiful medium weight percussion sporting/target rifle by John Belknap (1840-1888),in business St. Johnsbury, VT. 1879-1887, as listed in American Gunsmiths, Sellers, Vermont’s Gunsmiths & Gunmakers to 1900, Phillips & Tyler and Gunsmiths and Gunmakers of Vermont, Horn. Pictured on pg. 2 of the above referenced book by Mr. Horn is a virtually identical rifle with many of the exact same features as this rifle. It has identical front & rear sights & butt plate with identical trigger guard & cheek piece. Lock plate & hammer also appear to be identical, as does the elaborate nipple shield. That rifle also has five decorative ram rod guides containing a silver inlaid ramrod with an identically turned tip. The description on pg. 4 also states that it had mother-of-pearl inlay. The beautiful rifle we are offering here has a 27-1/2″ tapered octagon bbl, turned for false muzzle w/ decorative turnings around the rebated area. Front sight is screw mounted to the top flat at the muzzle and is a very decorative globe sight w/ tiny pin post. There is no provision for a rear bbl sight, however, it is mounted with an elevation adjustable, extremely elaborate tang peep sight. Rifle mounted in an extraordinary, highly figured, uncheckered rosewood half stock with solid silver furniture consisting of a decorative nose cap, arabesque patterned escutcheons on the forestock and extremely decorative crescent butt plate with faceted heel and long decorative tang. Sides of the butt stock at the butt plate are inlaid with decorative silver wavelette panels that follow the contour and shape of butt plate. Right side of the stock has a sunburst inlay with hinged patchbox lid in the center and the left side an elaborate carved cheek piece with a gold inlaid American eagle clutching arrows in one talon and olive branches in the other. Stock has raised side panels with the left side a decorative gold filigree side plate having a most unusual mother-of-pearl inlay. Bottom of the stock has a small gold faced compass just below the trigger guard with a small, all metal rectangular cap box having a gold cover, and has very decorative silver inlay in the wood. Trigger guard is extremely ornate with serpentine shaped finger rest & decorative filed trigger plate with doubleset triggers. Lock plate is also silver or silver plated, having full coverage engraving with the maker’s name engraved in a panel. Hammer is equally elaborate with very decorative filing & engraving having a dolphin motif on the hammer nose & spur. Hammer screw has a decorative gold cover. The breech plug has an integral elaborately shielded nipple with screw clean out plug and a gold mounting screw. Bottom of the bbl has five decorative turned silver ferrules containing its original gold tipped ebony ramrod with six spiral inlaid silver wires about 3/4 of the length. The breech plug, top tang, top flat of the bbl at the breech end & top three flats at the bbl at the muzzle end along with the lock plate & hammer are wonderfully engraved in various patterns w/ a fine punch dot background in foliate arabesque patterns. Tang sight base is engraved to match. Barrel & lock plate are silver plated w/ all furniture & attachments either solid silver or gold. Accompanied by what is probably its original walnut casing that consignor states he had custom re-lined in rose colored felt several years ago. It is French fitted in the bottom for the rifle, the original false muzzle w/ decorative turned finial that has a gold knob, original copper tipped two piece bullet starter, a bullet swedge, a patch cutter, a Colt-style two cavity ball & bullet mold w/ sprue cutter & a ribbed powder flask. All of the accessories in the case are silver plated. This is one of the most extraordinary deluxe percussion rifles this cataloger has ever had the privilege of examining. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus. Overall retains most of its original metal finish with some chemical staining on the left side of the bbl. Wood is sound with a few minor dings and retains most of its orig finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore, possibly unfired. Case is sound w/ light nicks & dings and retains most of a professionally restored finish. Accessories are equally fine and retain most of their lightly oxidized silver finish. This is a museum quality piece of the highest order. 35269 JR268 (30,000-50,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2009 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

.red{fill:#B50938;} .white{fill:#FFFFFF;} .blue{fill:#005596;}