As noted in the well-known "Foxfire 5" book, Lester Smith (1920-1970) is said to have been Hacker Martin's favorite apprentice and "could inlay metal to wood as perfect as any man alive. He was a master engraver, and his work in his late years can be found in some of the best collections of the country." Smith was one of the best gunmakers of the "Johnson City School," and this rifle is certainly among his finest work. It has very fine ornamentation in gold, silver, and brass and featuring very detailed zig-zag, scroll, and floral engraving among which are a federal eagle motif on the cheek rest, long wear plate with pierced designs on the forend connecting the ramrod entry pipe to the front of the trigger guard, long toe plate with diamond and key-hole piercings and golden escutcheons, gold daisy on the patch box finial, gold scrollwork panels on the patch box lid, and more. While thoroughly ornamented, it is avoids bordering on garish and has a rather classical feel to it. The highly figured curly maple stock also has raised relief floral and scroll carving, an attractive "Roman nose" butt, and brass wire inlay accents in the scroll and floral carving on the left side of the butt. The barrel has traditional blade and notch sights, scroll engraving, and "Lester Smith" signed in a silver panel on top of the breech section. The scroll engraved lock has file work on the frizzen and frizzen spring and gold inlay on the cock.

Very fine as custom made with 70% of the antiqued appearing brown finish along the barrel, nearly all of the case colors on the lock, some mild oxidation around the spring and pan, light aged patina on the various fittings, crisp checkering and carving, a few small and very discreet original splices in the stock, beautiful figure along its length, and mostly only minor age and handling related wear. Excellent early craftsmen like Lester Smith helped pave the way for many of todays incredible traditional rifle makers.