October-November Gunsmith Study: Nicholas Beyer of Lebanon County, PA
Nicholas Beyer: A Lifetime of Building Fine Rifles
Collectors and students of the Kentucky Rifle everywhere know the name of Nicholas Beyer. Beyer is generally considered to be one of the most prolific makers in the post American Revolution and Golden Age eras of gunsmithing. While his rifles were architecturally pleasing, they were also finely decorated and are highly prized in today’s collecting community.
Nicholas Beyer was most likely born in 1780, although no records associated with him are available until 1807, when he worked as a gunsmith near Annville, PA. It is a common belief that Beyer apprenticed with the Master Gunsmith, J.P. Beck. This belief is based upon the fact that the two builders share many stylistic characteristics on their rifles.
Beyer would build rifles throughout his life. According to the Kentucky Rifle Foundation, a Federal Census taken in 1850 showed Nicholas “Boyer” living in an almshouse (poorhouse) in South Lebanon Township.
Beyer was an excellent example of a gunsmith who adhered to the school in which he built, known as the “Lebanon School.” Bold raised carvings, straight high combs on the buttstock, riveted patchbox lids, and screw placement on his muzzle caps–all details that are commonly found in the Lebanon style rifles, were commonplace on Beyer’s works.
Beyer also brought another aspect to his rifle building, incorporating Pennsylvania Dutch folk art into patchboxes, inlays, carvings, etc. An example of this is his common use of the “distelfink” or bird on his rifles. Throughout his career, Beyer used the distelfink as a character for cheek inlays and forward patchbox finials. Another common Pennsylvania Dutch motif found on his rifles was the Tulip. Beyer would incorporate the Tulip in engraving designs, cheek carving, and patchbox finials.
LaMaster Arms has had two rifles associated with Nicholas Beyer come through our shop, one signed and the other attributed. Both rifles display key “Beyer” characteristics that were previously discussed above. The rifle pictured to the right shows a distinct similarity to the work of J.P.Beck. Included in the similarities are the stock architecture, patchbox, engraving style, and cheek carving. The signature says “N.Beyer” in script on the barrel.
The second rifle is an attributed later work of Beyer. The carving is in the design and style of Beyer and one can observe the engraved distelfink cheek piece decorating the smooth rifle. This rifle shows a small change in architecture, as the buttstock shows a slight curvature downwards, otherwise known as a “roman nose.”
Beyer was an important and talented gunsmith, who is considered among the upper echelon of gunmakers in the Golden Age of the Kentucky Rifle. Builders today can only aspire to build rifles for more than 50 years, as Beyer did in his lifetime.
Sources:
Building and Historical Knowledge of Brian C. LaMaster
Kindig, Joe. Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in Its Golden Age. George Shumway Publisher, 1960.
Images from Google Images and LaMaster Arms, INC