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His June 2, 1832, dated advertisement was published on the same page as the town’s proclamation of support for Andrew Jackson in the election of 1832 and notes that A.A. Harrington of Poughkeepsie, under the sign of an eagle, offered double and single barrel guns for $4.25 to $75, fine rifles for $10 to $100, “smooth rifles” for $9, pistols, variety of muskets for
$4 to $8, and an assortment of accoutrement. A $100 rifle would certainly have been a high end piece. The barrel was
of the Northeast in this period. The lock has a rainproofed
pan with distinct gutters that direct water away from the pan,
a “J-FISHER” maker’s mark, scroll and cornucopia engraving, stepped tail, and roller on the frizzen spring. The rifle has an adjustable single set trigger. The stock is finely figured curly maple and engraved German silver furniture including an eagle on the bottom of the grasping section of the forend, scroll accented trigger guard, ornate banner inscribed “OLD HICKORY”
manufactured by Remington and has their curved maker’s mark partially visible on the left flat at the breech and has three holes for false muzzle (not included), a brass blade front sight, adjustable notch rear sight with decorative finial, the above noted maker’s mark, a peep sight with a long extended tang and light engraving, five bands at the breech (two broad at the rear and three narrower at the front), and coned vent. Shorter barrels became more popular during the percussion era. The false muzzle was patented in 1840 by Alvan Clark of Boston as a “loading muzzle” and was reportedly solely assigned to Edwin Wesson. Wesson began licensing other gunmakers as well, and some New York gunmakers simply made unauthorized use of Clark’s design. The peep sight was also likely installed at that time. The building of highly accurate rifles became a specialty
and scroll engraving on the rounded cheekpiece, scroll pattern accent trim along the edge of the butt between the buttplate tang and toeplate with twist motif borders, the patch box has a pair of deer and foliage, a cougar mask, and bald eagle finish with a banner inscribed with the motto “NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT” held in the eagle’s beak. The Latin motto on the banner in the eagle’s beak means “no one provokes me with impunity” and is most famously the motto of the Stuarts and the Kingdom of Scotland as well as the Order of the Thistle and multiple Scottish organizations. Andrew Jackson’s parents were Scots-Irish immigrants. The patch box appears to be purely decorative. No provision for opening the lid has been found after close investigation in search for a hidden release button, and the lid fits tightly against the buttplate. The engraving
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