EXEMPLARY GOLDEN AGE JACOB SELL, THE YOUNGER KENTUCKY RIFLE.

Cal. 48.
NSN.
Bbl. 51″.

This is a most unusual gun in that it was no doubt made by Jacob Sell but utilized a slightly earlier very long bbl. marked “JACOB FERREE”. This massive gun w/ beautiful lines measures 66 1/2″ overall w/ 51″ oct. bbl. The architecture & hardware are quite similar to other noted examples. 4-piece, 5-piercing patchbox terminates in stylized horses head which is virtually identical to an example, figure 179 Kindig. A fine engraved hunters horn is found on patchbox lid. Stock is elegantly incised & low relief carved. Kindig states “Jacob Sells carving is really top quality. He understood the proportion & curve of the C-scroll and he utilized them to the best advantage. There are few men who designed & executed carvings better than this man. He carved in beautiful high relief and in generally the same four places- to the rear of the ramrod pipe, to the rear of the bbl. tang, forward of the patchbox & extensively on the cheekpiece side. In his carving, he repeated a few designs time after time.” This gun has similar carving rear of ramrod thimble, rear of bbl. tang & nice relief framing at wrist wrapping around patchbox & forward of cheekpiece into low relief scroll before terminating in lg. incised panel w/ a central lg. oval w/ sm. circle designs throughout unlike any other Sell we are aware. This is a unique, possibly earlier Jacob Sell, the younger as it also has earlier style curled trigger & fine hand forged lock w/ rebated tail.

PROVENANCE: ex Herman Dean collection: ex William Crews: ex Dr. Howard Engle collection (1962).

STATUS: ANTIQUE