Chardin Bread Knife by Scott Allman

I call this one the Chardin bread knife.....I was researching mid 18th c kitchen and everyday use knives & noticed this one in various painiting resources. Among others this particular one often appears in Jean Baptiste-Simeon Chardin's still life paintings. So I decided to bring it to life beyond the canvas. 

Patina, imperfections and daily use are all created into this one of a kind. Steel is 1095 -hand forged and all made with hand tools by me. (although I would be the first to agree that a higher carbon content steel probably would have not been used on such an every day household knife?.....however it was what I was working with at the time this past summer.) Handle is African blackwood with poured pewter fittings.

For any one interested this can be seen in-person at the Fall Hydref Festival at the Depreciation Lands Museum in Allison Park, Pennsylvania on October 3rd, 2015.

http://www.depreciationlandsmuseum.org/upcoming.Hydref.shtml

Copy and photos supplied by Scott Allman.

Around the Web: New Blog by Brice Stultz

This is a powder measure made by Brice Stultz for Fort Toulouse.  Ft. Toulouse was a fort at the confluence of the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers.  Later after the area changed hands the name was changed to Ft. Jackson.  It holds 110gr.  The fort site is located just south of Wetumpka, AL.

Brice has a blog here.

Copy and photo from Brice Stultz his blog.

Finger Woven Sash in the Works by Alec Fourman

Photographed at the 2015 CLA Show by Jan Riser.

Powder Measure by Jeff Bottiger

Photographed at the 2014 CLA Show by Jan Riser.

Rifle by Philip Gillespie

This rifle was made by Philip Gillespie of Mills River, NC.  Philip was born February 11, 1815 and died of natural causes while serving in the (Union) North Carolina Mounted Infantry in East TN on January 15, 1864.

The 52 cal barrel is also larger than any other known Gillespie Rifle. The barrel measures 37.5” in length; it is slightly swamped, measuring 1.010” at the breech. .940 in mid-section and 1.050” at the muzzle.  The barrel has 4 German silver bands inlaid around it and the muzzle also has a wide German silver inlay.  The patchbox, sideplate, wear plate, ram rod thimbles/entry pipe all appear to be made of the same German silver alloy used in the barrel inlays.  The trigger guard, butt-plate and toe plate are made from brass.  The stock is American Black Walnut.

Philip Gillespie is probably the best known of the Gillespie gun makers.  His rifles are normally marked with the initial P * G stamped on the top barrel flat.  Most often he used little “fern” like stamps on either side of the initials, on this rifle he has them around the rear sight and also fore and aft of the rear German silver barrel inlays.  The front sight/barrel inlays has the same stamp treatment.

Philips gun shop was located on the banks of the Mills River in Henderson County NC. His father, Mathew Gillespie had his shop nearby.  Philips brothers John, James and Wilson may have been employed in his shop.  His brother-in-laws George Washington Underwood and Robert O. Blythe and also his first cousin (and brother-in-law) John Harvey Gillespie may have worked there prior to Philips death in 1864.

Philip was very much and entrepreneur.  In addition to being a gun maker, he was also a farmer and owned a legal distillery.  In 1849 he purchased 347 acres of land from the estate of his Grandfather (and namesake), Philip Sitton Sr. This property included the Philip Sitton, Sr. home as well as the Sitton iron Forge that Sitton had established circa 1800.

Philip was never married and had no children.

Copy by Dennis Glazener from his display. Dennis Glazener is the GGG Grandson of John Gillespie 1753-1822. Photographed at the 2013 Tennessee Kentucky Rifle Show by Jan Riser.

The Gillespie Gun Makers of East Fork NC by T. Dennis Glazener

John Gillespie was born on the banks of the Cowpsture River near Clifton Forge, Virginia circa 1753.  Shortly after the Revolutionary War hostilities ended in Virginia he and Jane Harvey Gillespie moved to the George's Creek area of the Old Pendleton District near modern day Easley, South Carolina.  Circa 1799 John and his family moved to the East Fork area of what was then Buncombe County, North Carolina.

This is the story of John Gillespie and his descendants that made the well known Gillespie mountain rifle of NC/SC/GA.  Many photos of known Gillespie rifles are shown along with information on the makers of each.

An updated 2nd edition is now available. 88 - 8.5" X 11" pages with many color photos. Some additional information on John Gillespie along with new rifles and a bear pistol @ $22.50 plus $3.00 s/h via first class mail, add $2.10 if insurance is desired.

Contact information for Dennis is tdg23113@verizon.net

Copy and photo from Dennis Glazener.

Dagger by Kyle Willyard

Photographed at the 2013 CLA Show by Jan Riser.