Interesting detail on vintage half stock

[Tumbledown]

I was looking at half stock rifles for inspiration and came across this rather plain Massachusetts gun from around 1840-50. Does anyone else notice the fore does not have a cap, but rather has the distinct appearance of a whale's head? (It also has a wood rib, common on early New England half stocks.)

 

[Jim Wag]

Wooden ribs
Very cool!

And that fore end
Endless options
For carvers

Jim in La Luz

 

[Notchy Bob]

How about that?! Very cool! I saw photos of a powder horn once that had whales and ships scrimshawed on it. That must have been an important industry.

Notchy Bob

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Is it yours now? It is always interesting to me to see an original rifle that doesn't conform to the schools or standards that we have set in these later years. It's been my theory for a long time that there were a lot of rifles made by unknown and maybe backwoods folks that have not survived that would be really interesting if we could see and handle them today. The rifle you posted is one of these for sure if it is not signed by the maker.

 

[hawkeye2]

Is that a globe front sight? The gun had a tang sight at one time. The wood rib was very common on New England guns and far more attractive than a metal one in my opinion.

 

[UndeadPoet]

Very neat!

 

[Tumbledown]

Is it yours now? It is always interesting to me to see an original rifle that doesn't conform to the schools or standards that we have set in these later years. It's been my theory for a long time that there were a lot of rifles made by unknown and maybe backwoods folks that have not survived that would be really interesting if we could see and handle them today. The rifle you posted is one of these for sure if it is not signed by the maker.

I wish it was mine. Only the lock is marked.