4364 ELEGANT CHRISTIAN BECK GOLDEN AGE FLINTLOCK RIFLE.

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[?]Live Online Auction Starts In 2025 Nov 02 @ 10:00 (UTC-04:00 : AST/EDT)
Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 6,000.00 USD
Estimated at 12,000.00 - 15,000.00 USD
Cal. 52. NSN. 56.5" overall, 41" octagonal barrel beautifully signed "C Beck" with fancy script and 4-pointed star between "C" & "Beck", straight comb curly maple stock, elegant incised carved C-scrolls with his distinctive cross-hatching & 8-pointed silver hunter's star inset on cheek piece, engraved 4-piece patch box, vacant oval silver thumb plate, unmarked hand forged flint lock, rebated tail, sculptured unsupported serpentine cock, roller frizzen, distinctive Lebanon school side plate & trigger guard, wood ramrod has attached threaded iron flange for worm. This is as fine an "as found" Christian Beck rifle you will find beautiful aesthetic throughout. [John] Christian Beck (1787-1863) was son of Lebanon school maker [John] Christian Beck (1750-1806) and nephew of Lebanon school maker John Philip Beck (1751-1811). Beck had quite an interesting history as gunmaker, farmer, soldier, Methodist exhorter [lay preacher], and finally wagon train master. All of this distinctive Lebanon school rifles were made 1807-1827 while in Jonestown, PA. After moving around Pennsylvania, then Maryland, then Viginia, and then the Midwest, fighting in the Blackhawk wars as an officer in the Hancock County Indiana militia, he became farmer and Methodist preacher in Illinois. He buried 2 wives and had 13 children born in the various places he lived in PA, MD, VA, and his last son Andrew Jackson Beck born 1831 in Fayette County, Indiana. In 1863 as son Andrew Jackson Beck was fighting at Vicksburg with 33rd Illinois, Beck was leading settlers to Oregon. "Beck was wagon master of a party of pioneers including the families of his son Joseph Beck, his daughter Margaret Beck Robertson and his daughter Elizabeth Conwell Beck Rice. They wanted to go to Oregon sooner but Elizabeth Stamm Beck feared the Mormons. He died en route on the Oregon Trail after consuming spoiled salmon, September 6, 1863. His death was a devastating blow to his Oregon Trail weary children who settled in Baker County [Oregon] and did not travel on to the end of the trail in Oregon City. Beck was buried along the Burnt River near Huntington [Baker County, Oregon]. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: 2 KRA publications "Which Christian Beck Is It" by Van Pitman, parts 1 & 2, fall 2012 & Spring 2013, showing Christian Beck's work and previous references. These scholarly articles show many examples of Beck's signed guns with same distinctive furniture as this example. CONDITION: fine overall, complete & original throughout, finial on patch box slightly bent and raised, barrel & lock have dark smooth iron patina, brass has smooth light mustard patina, mechanics fine, clean clear smooth bore. Original ramrod protrudes 1.5" past muzzle. PROVENANCE: from a prominent collector. (01-28025/JS). ANTIQUE. $12,000-15,000.