Thursday, December 20, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Silver Rifle
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Masonic Rifle II (2005)
The first Masonic Kentucky rifle was valued at $20,000 Usd. This one exceeds that one, by far. As usual, the decoration is mostly Masonic symbolism. For example, the patch box is made to resemble a coffin lid, inlaid with a sliver moon and a sprig of acacia. Engraved upon it are the sun and seven stars, to complete the ensemble. The muzzle cap, and the ramrod pipes have silver wedding bands, engraved in ropework, an allusion to the cable tow. Silver inlays in the pipes are: the forward pipe: the Junior Warden’s plumb rule, the middle pipe: the Senior Warden’s level, and the rear, or entry pipe: the Master’s square. The cheek piece inlay is the all-seeing eye of God, with silver rays extending outward. Beneath it are silver compasses, which cross the square, here formed into the Masonic shaking hands.
The cheek piece inlay is bordered on one side by the Rising Sun, an allusion to my Lodge, Rising Sun #85, G.R.C., which will be celebrating its 150th Anniversary in 2007. There are a few “rising suns” inlaid or engraved on this rifle, so I call it “The Rising Sun Gun”. The other side of the inlay is bordered by seven brass stars, and a silver moon.
The draw took place on December 27th, 2007. The rifle was won by a gentleman from Tamworth, Ontario.
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Joe Harris' Rifle (2004)
In the Fall of 2003, Joe Harris of North Carolina contacted me about building a rifle. After numerous e-mail exchanges, we came to an agreement. Since Joe's ancestor fought at the Battle of King's Mountain during the Revolution, the rifle would be a recreation of a gun that might have been made somewhere in Virginia in the 1770's. Joe and I both like the Adam Haymaker rifle, and the "I Was Free Born" rifles shown in RIFLES OF COLONIAL AMERICA, Vol. II, so his rifle will have elements of both.
I volunteered to send Joe photos of the gun as it progressed, as I usually do for clients, and he suggested that I post them here so you could see his gun being made.