Flintlock Longrifle
George Schreyer, Sr.
An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art
This elegant, and beautifully made rifle probably dates to about 1770. It is complete and in nearly original condition, which is rare for an American longrifle of this period. Although the rifle is unsigned, the architecture of its stock, particularly the low comb and straight lines of the buttstock, and the form of the brass mountings suggest it comes from York County, a region that was home to many talented gunsmiths. Among the most prominent of these was George Schreyer Sr. (1739–1819), whose style influenced a generation of gunmakers in York and neighboring parts of Maryland and Virginia. This rifle display’s Schreyer’s signature motif, a fleur-de-lis carved on the top of the stock at the base of the barrel and on the underside behind the rear ramrod pipe, which appears on all of his signed works. One of the most noteworthy features of this rifle is the very unusual, lively, and skillfully rendered carving on the cheek side of the buttstock, which has no parallels on Schreyer's many other rifles from later in his career. If Schreyer had a hand in the creation of this rifle, it may be that he was responsible for some areas or parts of it at a time when he was still an apprentice or a journeyman working for another gunsmith, perhaps in Reading or Lancaster in the late 1760s or early 1770s, before returning to York, where he spent the rest of his life. Joe Kindig Jr. (see references) said of this rifle: "This is a very beautiful Lancaster daisy patch box rifle made before or during the Revolution. The very flat butt plate and thick heavy stock indicate its earliness. The barrel displays three more early details: it tapers from the broad breech to within six or eight inches of the muzzle and gradually flares again; it is fastened to the stock with pins; the tang is square. These details suggest that this was one of the earliest guns made with an ornamented patch box. The patch box is not as sophisticated in outline as some, but it bears very nicely designed, deep engraving. The relief carving is beautifully designed and well executed. There is nicely carved forestock molding too. The stock is finer curly maple than we expect to find in the early period, and it has the high comb…This is a fine detail which was executed only by the best early gunsmiths. I hope the maker of this rifle will be known eventually, for he was certainly one of the best of his period." George Shumway (see references, Shumway, 1982) described the decoration on the cheek of the butt stock as "a rather sophisticated and beautifully designed display of relief and incised carving…"
Arms and Armor
An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art
The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.