Frederick Sell (1781-1869) was among the most talented of the "Golden Age" American gunmakers and rifle craftsmen. Influential author and Kentucky long rifle collector Joe Kindig, Jr. wrote: "Frederick Sell was one of the great masters of Kentucky rifle making. . ." the Sell family "is one of the most important families -- if not the most important family -- of Kentucky rifle makers. The earliest records we have found lists Frederick Sell as a single freeman gunsmith in the Borough of York in 1807." By 1816 he was settled in Littletown and appears in records there until 1858. Tax records suggest he was devoted to gunmaking as he owned little else. Kindig is "certain he worked as a journeyman for at least three men: George Eister, John Lechner, and Adam Ernst." Sell is the presumed son of Jacob Sell (1741-1821) and brother of Jacob (1780-1855); both were talented gunmakers in their own right and certainly greatly influenced one another. Sell adopted the aspects he liked of various other period makers as well to create a distinctive style that was at once his own yet reflected aspects of many of the most talented Golden Age makers. His designs varied greatly which makes him a great maker for collectors and all identified guns by him are beautifully done. A detailed hand-written description signed by respected early American arms collector, dealer, and Kentucky Rifle Association and American Society of Arms Collectors member Stephen D. Hench on August 27, 2020, is included and notes: "The closest example of Frederick Sell's work can be seen on p. 466, plate #189, in Joe Kindig's 'Golden Age' Kentucky rifle book, recently updated with addendums and also color photos." Kindig notes that Sell more often inlaid with brass than silver making this a rare example as it is fitted with four silver inlays as well as a mother of pearl inlay on the underside of the buttstock. The mother of pearl inlay has a brass pin in the center that is easily mistaken as a non-functioning patch box lid button, but the true patch box lid release is neatly hidden at the tail of the trigger guard and slides backwards to open the box. Hench notes that this rifle has a "hand-engraved" lock that is original to the rifle and "undoubtedly made by F. Sell himself. It matches the well-known 'brass-locked' F. Sell rifle featured in several books." The single trigger is nicely sculpted. The full length curly maple stock has a brass forend cap, attractive flame figure, and detailed incised and raised relief carving, including scroll patterns at the ramrod entry pipe, barrel tang, wrist, and left side of the butt stock and nicely shaped tear drop flats. The carving and engraving are very similar to other known rifles by Sell. The brass furniture has scroll, border, and crosshatch engraving, including the toe plate and the plate behind the trigger guard. There are silver rectangle inlays on the sides of the wrist, a silver oval wrist escutcheon, and a silver oval cheekpiece inlay with a trackline border and "AP Barnes" or "AJ Barnes" inscription. Hench notes that an A.P. Barnes is recorded in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, around Sell's working period.

Fine as professionally re-converted to its original flintlock configuration (by "the best individual in this field" per Hench) and an over engraved signature due to an aggressive over cleaning of the softer brass signature inlay (image of the signature before included). Stephen Hench notes the rifle as in "almost 'work bench' condition" and particularly notes the exceptional condition of the stock. The rifle exhibits a smooth brown along the barrel, dark gray on the lock, some mild oxidation on each of these components, attractive mellow aged patina on the brass and silver, crisp engraving, and general minor wear. One screw for the patch box has been carefully replaced and is essentially undetectable. The stock is also very fine and has mostly crisp original carving, some faint cracks in the forend, a slight chip above the nose of the lock, the usual crack at the rear lock screw, slight loss and a faint crack at the toe, some cracks in the pearl inlay, and highly attractive flame figure along the whole length. For a "Golden Age" American Long Rifle, this rifle has relatively minor overall wear. Provenance: Built by Frederick Sell in the early 1800s, believed to have been purchased from Francis Bannerman & Co. in the 1920s and then retained by the family until sold at Bonhams on November 12, 2012, lot 3276.