HACKER MARTIN RIFLE WITH ANTIQUE FRENCH LOCK

Photography by Wayne Estes.

HACKER MARTIN

 
"Ole Thunder"  Made in 1959 for Earl Lanning.  Martin was age 64 when he made the gun. Hacker made every part for this rifle including the lock and barrel. The barrel is 50 inches

PHOTO'S BY WAYNE ESTES

Poulin Auction: SMALL BOYS OR LADIES CONTEMPORARY FLINTLOCK by Hacker Martin

 

Lot #: 3493

Estimate: 5,500.00 - 7,500.00 USD

Realized Amount: 5,445.00 USD

KENTUCKY RIFLE BY HACKER MARTIN. Cal. 32. NSN. Hacker Martin was an old school Kentucky rifle builder who learned his craft from his grandfather. This small bore light rifle has 42" octagon barrel fitted with "U" notch rear and German silver bead front sights. An inlet German silver area on top flat behind rear sight is engraved "H*Martin*Made Me For*Norma Bedford". Old, trade type flintlock with serpentine cock and bridled roller frizzen is stamped "RIGBY". Stock of hard maple with curly grain extends to muzzle with 2 1/2" brass cap and attaches to barrel with four brass side bolts. Stock is brass mounted with usual faceted trigger guard and crescent buttplate. Fancy sideplate has three piercings, the center being a heart. Patchbox is quite unusual, shaped and engraved depicting a church spire, windows and belfry are pierced. Buttplate return with many piercings has fancy outline and patchbox release button is toward rear. Other unusual features of stock are the very long top tang which extends over comb, and pierced German silver comb plate. Stock is decorated with over 35 small German silver inlays of crescent moon and heart pattern. Side bolt escutcheons are also of a fancy pattern. Butt has inlaid 8 pointed star at face of cheekpiece and edge has German silver wear plate with pricker. Area between trigger guard and thimble are inlaid with German silver palm plate having five elliptical piercings, central portraying a running stag. Stock also has some incised scroll carving behind and under cheekpiece. 

CONDITION: fine with artificial aging. Barrel and lock showing brown patina. Stock retains most of its original oil finish. Brass has toned to brown. Bore is shiny but has many minor pits toward muzzle, mechanically good. (01-21949/MGM). 
Poulin_2023_H_Martin

The realized price has been added to items previously posted on the Poulin Auction.

Copy and photography from 2023 Spring Poulin's Auction here.

Poulin's Antiques and Auctions, Inc.

199 Skowhegan Road
Fairfield, ME 04937

Date(s) 5/12/2023 - 5/15/2023

The Johnson City School of Gunsmithing by Randal Pierce in Muzzleloading Magazine

The March/April 2018 MUZZLELOADER magazine has an article, “The Johnson City School of Gunsmithing” by Randal Pierce with photography by Ric Lambert .

Several of these gunsmiths have had their work shown at the Tennessee Kentucky Rifle Show over the years.  Leroy Fleenor attended the show for a couple of years.

Randal Pierce who wrote the article has been helping with the Tennessee Kentucky Show for years.  This year he and his wife, Linda,  have taken the lead in running the show.  Randal is always willing to share his knowledge.  Jason Gatliff will be at the shows with copies of the magazine for sale as well as back issues of MUZZLELOADER and books for sale.

Hacker Martin is considered the founder of this school.

(1895-1970)


Hacker Martin pistol

Lester Smith, an apprentice to Hacker Martin (right)

(1920-1970)

More photos of this rifle by Lester Smith here.

Leroy Fleenor

(1929-2016)
More photos from this Contemporary Makers Portrait series here.

More of this rifle by Leroy here.

Louis A. Smith

(1927-2000)

More photos of this Louis Smith pistol can be found here.

More photos of horn by Louis here.

Dale Johnson

((1944 –

Donald R. Davidson

(1943-2017)

Dale Johnson and Donald Davidson are two other makers identified with the Johnson City School. Their work can be seen in Muzzleloading Magazine.

The above images have been posted on the Contemporary Makers blog along with more work by these gun makers.

Hacker Martin for R. Hopkins from the Bob Roughton Collection

Number	87
Name	Heavy barrel Virginia Rifle, Variation of Rock Bridge County
Made by	Hacker Martin for R. Hopkins
Barrel Length	41 7/16"
Caliber	.45
Value
Purchased from
Private or Company	Private
Misc	Lockplate signed Dupont Paris, Carving, 12 silver inlays 107 on NRA Private / BB = $3,000

For more information contact Jim Chambers by email at chambers@flintlocks.com, by phone at 828-667-8361.

Copy and photos supplied by Jim Chambers.