The Contemporary Longrifle Association will hold its
2014 CLA Fundraising live auction on Friday night, August 15, at 5:00 PM in
Lexington Kentucky.Grand Ball Room, Lexington Convention Center, 400 West
Vine Street, Lexington, KY.
Note the auction time has changed and it will be on Friday night this
year. Those who cannot attend
Friday can take advantage of the absentee bidding process established last
year.
The Contemporary Longrifle Foundation organizes and
conducts the live auction. The CLF
is a part of the CLA. The
Foundation is dedicated to providing funds to support the mission of the
CLA. Postings with additional
details on each auction item and the donors can be found on the CL Foundation
section of the CLA website. For
the past three years, the auction theme has been related to the bicentennial
anniversary of the War of 1812.
Last year's auction theme focused on the Battle of New Orleans and,
thanks to all of you, it was very successful. This year will be the final
Auction themed on the War of 1812 and will be broadly based on the American
culture as the war of 1812 ended.
This includes the Westward movement, the conflict with and among the
Native American tribes involved in the war; Southern influences on the longrifle
and the longrifle culture; and, the transition of the frontier from the
Trans-Appalachian across the Mississippi to the plains and mountains of the far
west.
We have three southern-themed firearms currently being
built for the auction by noted CLA artists, Mike Miller, Roger Sells, and Marc
Tornichio. Each of these are
inspired by rifles and pistols related to Southern frontier gunsmiths of the
War of 1812 era. We have two
knives, a folder by Scott Summerville and a belt knife by Jerry Eitner plus
knives by Joe Seabolt, Rich McDonald and others that are part of hunting bag
sets. This years auction will feature an extraordinary selection of hunting
bags and accoutrements; a double bag, a bag and horn, and 4 complete hunting
bag sets. The bags and sets are late 18th to early 19th century style and are
variously southern, Illinois country, and western river; Ohio, Cumberland,
Missouri and Mississippi, influenced.
All would look right at home from the upper Cumberland to the upper
Missouri.
Mike Miller is copying an iconic southern flintlock
pistol - the Elisha Bull “death or
victory” pistol – possibly Elisha’s personal pistol that he made and used in
the southern conflicts associated with the War. Guy Montfort said about the original pistol “If someone
totally unfamiliar with these guns asked you something as simple as -
"what were southern guns like?" and you could only show them one
example, you could point to this Elisha Bull piece and feel comfortable that
they were getting a good lesson in all the important stuff.Simple - well,
subtle is a better word I guess - the more you look at it the more you realize
is there - elegant yet still sort of humble; proud, determined, fiercely
independent with that "don't cross me" attitude proudly engraved on
it. Conjures up ghosts of folks like John Sevier, Andy Jackson, and Davy
Crockett.” This is almost a bench
copy of the original pictured here.
Mike was able to handle, measure and photograph the original. The pistol exhibits Mike’s impeccable
craftsmanship and attention to detail. There is more on Mike in the April 2014
issue of Muzzle Loader magazine
Roger Sells is constructing an Elisha Bull inspired
rifle. Not an exact copy of
any one Elijah Bull rifle it incorporates many of the signature features of
Elijah’s work. I think this is an
appropriate approach because Elisha Bull was always developing and refining the
the western Appalachian style.
This rifle features iron furniture, a long barrel and an extended tang
in the best Bull style. Roger Sells
is noted for his finely styled and crafted iron mounted rifles with those extra
touches of the best southern mountain smiths. An accomplished builder, his work often appears on the
Contemporary Makers Blog http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com
Marc Tornichio is building a contemporary
interpretation of an early iron mounted rifle circa 1800 to1810. A style of rifle that would have been
on the southern mountain frontier, fought in the war of 1812, and headed on
west. It is not a copy, but it is based on several rifles. Marc says it is influenced a lot by the
Wallace Gusler 2003 article on the “GB” rifle iron mounted rifle with stepped
toe architecture. It also draws inspiration from several other original
southern rifles with iron mounts. Marc is using a barrel that Ed Rayl copied
directly from a very early southwest Virginia iron-mounted rifle. The length is
over 46" and it is 48 cal. The lock is a Jim Chambers late Ketland which
was donated by Jim. Harrison gunstocks donated a piece of curly stump maple for
the rifle. Marc is forging the butt plate, trigger guard and double set
triggers. He will be making all the other parts from scratch also, except for
the screws. There will probably be carving along with a patch box. Although not
a copy, it is strongly based on surviving original rifles from the southwest
Virginia area.
The two rifles and pistol are a good sampling of early
19th century guns with strong southern features. They showcase the style of rifles moving with the Southern
Appalachian frontier, showing up at the war of 1812 battles in the west, and
moving on to the Rocky Mountains. Note by 1814 Lewis and Clark had been there
and done that and folks like Manuel Lisa and John Coulter were there and doing
that! Many of these men, like the Sublettes - had family roots on the early
Kentucky or Tennessee frontiers.
Jerry Eitner has donated one of his notable frontier
blacksmith style hunting knives with sheath, Scott Summerville one of his high
quality period accurate folding knives with bone scales. Note that knives by Rich McDonald, Joe
Seabolt accompany their hunting bag sets. Jerry Eitner’s knife is rugged and reliable, forged
from 1080 steel. The 5 1/2 blade
has an Indiana deer antler handle.
Paired with the black leather sheath this knife says frontier and use
me.
Scott Summerville donated one of his elegant period
correct folding knives. This knife
has bone scales and the crocus polish of best Sheffield and Solingen folders of
the early 19th century.
The selection of hunting bags and bags sets for this
auction is really remarkable. I
really want one of these bags, I just cannot decide which one.
Noted pouch maker, Maryellen Pratt teamed up with noted
blacksmith Joe Seabolt for this years auction. Maryellen made the pouch, horn
strap, and lucet. Joe Seabolt made everything else. The set is in part
based original work of the period but is really a contemporary bag and
horn set inspired by work of the early 1800s. The D shaped pouch is made of a
mix of bark tanned deer hide and calf hide, hand sewn with linen thread. Has a
forged iron buckle and fringed embellishments on the flap and sheath.
The contemporary horn by Joe Seabolt has a unique iron "end cap"
stamped w/ makers mark, and a turned walnut applied tip. The spout plug is
secured by a length of lucet cordage hand woven by Maryellen, an interesting
small detail. Maryellen also produced the loom woven strap with leather
ends. There is a river cane powder measure and vent pick suspended by steel
chain - powder measure features burned in decoration- and a Seabolt
traditional antler handled half tang patch knife.
Jeanne McDonald has donated a Southern Mountain bag
with classic lines and a woven
strap, the workmanship definitely being of the better class of southern bag,
then or now. Rich McDonald
furnished the knife and the classic accoutrements, a fish bullet block, and
handcrafted brush, net pick and measure.
Chris Barker designed and assembled a great early 19th
century (or late 18th century) bag.
The bag is by Chris with a lined deerskin body. The bag also features a complete set of
accoutrerments,including a Jeff White knife, Mark Ewing powder measure and
Southern banded horn, and hand forged iron buckles and vent pick from Wilde
Weavery. Chris fabricated a pan brush to complete the set.
Don and Tina Shaver have contributed a great beaver
tail shaped bag with nicely sculpted buffalo powder horn and bone measure. Both
the bag and horn have excellent workmanship and style and Don and Tina are well
known for their work. I think it
is a classic early Missouri/rocky mountain style perfect for heading west at
the end of the war.
Well known, long time hunting pouch maker William Smith
has donated a special bag for the fundraising auction. This is a double bag
with double pockets in each section. A large bag it has the holding and
organizing features a shooter or trekking reenactor needs. The black leather is
of top shelf quality and the design, stitching, and fitting is best cordwainers
work. Bill’s pouches have a
reputation with serious shooters for their well thought design, workmanship and
durability and this one will offer it’s lucky owner a lifetime of service.
This year
promises to be another great auction.
The CLA greatly appreciates the support of the artists who donate their
time and talent to make the auction a success. We also appreciate the bidders who support the auction.
Remember, the auction this year is on Friday, If you cannot be there remember absentee bidding is
available.
There will be
a special separate auction item donated by Earl Lanning. It is not by a CLA artist so it will be
auctioned separately. This
appealing image of of Simon Kenton
in a winter camp did hang in Earl’s home for many years. There is nice
attention to detail in the depictions of the clothing, arms and accoutrements;
this piece looks like it could be gracing a museum display about Kenton and his
life on the frontier through the War of 1812. It is oil on canvas by "Selleikjer N.A."
Date unknown. Some damage, sold as is.
For those who are unable to attend the annual
show, we are once again offerering an absentee bid process. Absentee bids can be mailed or emailed to the CLF and
will be accepted up to 5 days prior to the auction. All bids must include the maximum bid amount,
credit card information(type and #s required) and full contact information. Shipping and insurance will be added to the final bid
price. All sales are final.
Forward bids to the Contemporary Longrifle Foundation
: The postal address is CLA, attention Auction Manager, POBox 2247,
Staunton VA 24402 and email is cla@longrifle.com please put "Auction Bid" in the subject line.
A note on phone bids: we do not have the structure to handle live phone bids
through the CLF. However bidders are welcome to make their own
arrangements with friends on the floor to handle bids by cell phone.
After the auction we will notify
winning bidders of the charges, and we will notify those who were
outbid.
The CLA wishes to thank all of our donating artists and
encourage you to give them your patronage. Their contact information follows.
Jerry Eitner - Frontier blacksmith knife and sheath
Scott Summerville - Period folding knife
Bill Smith
Double hunting pouch with multiple inset pockets
Maryellen Pratt and Joe Seabolt - Bag, horn and knife
TC Albert and Tim Crosby - pouch and horn set
Chris Barker - Pouch, Horn, knife, vent pick and ball bag, set
Rich and Jean McDonald - Pouch, measure, brush, pick ,and bullet board
Don and
Tina Shaver - Bag and Horn Set
William Smith - Hunting Bag
Marc Tornichio - Iron mounted rifle
Roger Sells
Bull rifle, iron mounted
Mike Miller
Copy of Elisha Bull pistol
We also wish to offer a special thank you to Earl
Lanning for his donation of a painting of Simon Kenton by the artist N.A Selleikjer
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