Introduction
The antique muzzle loading rifle shown on this web page is attributed to the Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmith Jacob Mier (1793-1873) by its knowledgeable owner. Part of the basis for the attribution is the carving. The barrel is swamped and its bore is approximately 50 caliber. A stock recess for the cock of a flintlock suggests this muzzleloader was originally flintlock.
Discussion of the first photo below
The following photo shows the finial of the patch box and the comb of the buttstock on the Mier rifle. In terms of its outline and piercing, the finial is identical but mirror image to the finials on two rifles in the 2001 book "Gunsmiths of Bedford, Fulton, Huntingdon, & Somerset Counties" by Whisker & Yantz. Unlike those rifles, the buttstock on the rifle pictured on this web page has a comb.
Please bear with me as I wander around in my thoughts about the aforementioned rifles in the 2001 book that have this same patch box finial. One of the rifles is at the bottom of page 87 of the 2001 book and is attributed to Jonathan Dormayer (1826-1885). The other rifle with this finial is at the top of page 113 of the 2001 book and is attributed to Jacob Mier. Both rifles have a stock profile and wrist carving that resemble a Jonathan Dormayer rifle on this website. The Mier-attributed rifle at the top of page 113 of the 2001 book also has a lock bolt plate that resembles the distinctive lock bolt plate of the Jonathan Dormayer rifle on this website. No one is surprised when rifles by different Bedford County gunmakers share design features, so I guess we shouldn't be surprised when rifles by different Somerset County gunmakers share design features either.
Discussion of the second photo
The following photograph shows the lock bolt plate and mating stock panel. The blunted tail of this panel is like the one on another rifle attributed to Jacob Mier that is included at the bottom of page 113 of the 2001 book. The blunted tail of this stock panel is also like the one on another Jacob Mier rifle on this website..
Discussion of the third photo
The following photo shows a portion of the forearm of the Mier muzzleloader. The owner reports that the break in the carving at the barrel key is a treatment that Jacob Mier used.
Discussion of the fourth photo
The following photo shows the incised carving aft of the cheekpiece before cleaning. With its cross-hatching, this carving has a definite stylistic resemblance to the carving on the rifle attributed to Jacob Mier on the bottom of page 113 of the 2001 book and to the carving on another Jacob Mier rifle on this website.. The carving shown below also resembles the carving on another rifle attributed to Jacob Mier that I have seen pictures of. In the photo below, you can also see that the rifle once had a crescent moon inlay on the cheekpiece.
Discussion of the fifth photo
The following photo shows the incised carving rearward of the cheekpiece of the Mier gun after light cleaning. This carving has a definite stylistic
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