The only visible identifying marking is "M.A. BAKER" on the lock, and an additional "M.A. BAKER FAYETTEVILLE N.C." marking is on the bottom of the barrel at the breech. The rifle has a globe front sight, U-notch rear sight, gold banded breech, folding peep sight on the wrist, extensive fine line scroll engraving on most of the components, primarily German silver furniture, a pewter forend cap, single set trigger, spread wing eagle under a banner and flanked by two stars on the cheek piece, another spread wing eagle motif on the left side plate at the butt, and checkered wrist. The ramrod appears to be baleen and has a horn tip. M.A. Baker of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was diversified businessman in the 1850s and 1860s working with primarily metal goods. His local advertisements list him as a copper smith, a retailer and manufacturer of firearms and turpentine stills (North Carolina was the largest producer of turpentine), and operator of the Star Foundry which manufactured a variety of metal products. During the Civil War, he was contracted to make and convert rifles and gun locks for the Confederacy. His foundry was producing 25 gun locks a day before it was consumed by fire on July 28, 1862. On December 13 and 17, 1860, his local advertisement advised residents to "ENCOURAGE HOME INDUSTRY! Keep Your Money South! And build up your own Country and Town, by calling on M.A. BAKER" and notes he manufactured shotguns, rifles, and pistols. A wanted ad from December 17, 1860, also indicated Baker was looking for young slaves suggesting he was using slave labor in his businesses. North Carolina was the second to last state to secede and did not join the Confederacy until May 20, 1861, after the fall of Fort Sumter. However, the secession crisis had already begun immediately following Lincoln's election, was discussed in the local newspaper at the same time as those advertisements, and South Carolina seceded on December 20, 1860. Articles in Fayetteville newspapers make it clear that North Carolina and other states of the Upper South were fearful that secession would mean more runaway slaves and an inevitable war in which the border states would bear the brunt of the fighting, and indeed, North Carolina supplied more men for the Confederate war effort than any other state but also had sizeable pro-Union forces. It was common for American gunmakers to sign the top barrel flat between the rear sight and breech, and the markings found on the bottom of the barrels and on the locks are commonly the makers of those components rather than the completed product. Given this, the rifle may have been built with Baker components by another regional gunmaker rather than by Baker's shop. No matter the final maker, it is an incredible Southern rifle from the mid-19th century, and easily one of the finest we have ever brought to auction.

Very fine with 85% of the original smooth plum brown finish along the barrel, bright gold bands, 50% plus of the dark original case colors remaining on the lock and breech, aged patina on the furniture, crisp markings and engraving, mild scratches and marks, and generally mostly light age and storage related wear. Other than a crack through the top of the wrist, the stock is also very fine and has attractive figure in the butt, one absent pin from the right rear barrel key escutcheon, an added nail in the buttplate finial and small chip nearby, mostly crisp checkering, and some of the usual minor scrapes and dings. Mechanically fine. This is an incredibly fine rifle. Very few M.A. Baker marked firearms are extant, and this is by far the finest we are aware of.