This Winter 2013 Bulletin examines the longrifle makers of Guilford County, North Carolina, documenting the evolution of the Early Deep River School into the Jamestown School. Through analysis of signed rifles, apprenticeships, and regional architecture, the issue highlights Guilford County as the most prolific center of longrifle production in the South and a critical contributor to American gunmaking history. [read more]
This Fall 2013 Bulletin examines the long standing attribution issues surrounding gunsmith Christian Beck of Jonestown, Pennsylvania. Drawing on church records, tax rolls, estate documents, and signed rifles, the article clarifies Beck family relationships and corrects prior misidentifications of Christian Beck “the Earlier” and “the Later.” The study establishes a documented framework for accurately identifying rifles produced by Christian Beck during the early nineteenth century. [read more]
This Spring 2013 Bulletin explores the Clark family of Lebanon, Ohio, documenting their emergence as the state’s most prolific early gunsmiths. Using surviving rifles, census records, and workshop histories, the issue traces James Clark and his sons through apprenticeship, production, and market adaptation as American gunmaking shifted with westward expansion. [read more]
