This rifle is featured on page 46 of John D. Baird's "Hawken Rifles: The Mountain Man's Choice" where it is identified as "a S. Hawken rifle, of about 1860 period." Jacob (1786-1849) and Samuel Hawken (1792-1884) are among the most famous makers of American muzzle loaders. They have long been associated with the 19th century mountain men, and their early rifles are known to have been used by the men active in the fur trade in the 1830s, including by General William Henry Ashley and the American Fur Company. After Jacob's death, Samuel Hawken continued on until retiring in 1855, and his son William sold the shop in 1860 to a group of gunsmiths, including J.P. Gemmer who eventually took over and continued to produce the shop's famous "Hawken rifles" and continued to use the "S. HAWKEN. ST. LOUIS" marking seen on this rifle's barrel. The barrel also featured a nickel-silver blade front sight with dovetailed brass base, a dovetailed buckhorn rear sight, and distinctive slant breech with sculpted bolster and coordinating standing breech. The lock is unmarked. The furniture is iron. The trigger guard is similar to other known Hawken rifles and encloses typical adjustable single set triggers. The plain maple stock has a rounded and fairly shallow cheekrest on the left. Provenance: The Morris Racker Collection; Property of a Gentleman