Here are images of the presentation of his collection of rods, guns and smiths.
Labels from the presentation:
H. L. Leonard Two Shot Rifle: 50 caliber. This unmarked rifle's single barrel was charged with two loads of powder and ball (bullet), one on top of the other. The lock was fitted with a mechanism to fire the first charge, then the second. This was known as Leonard's “Two Shooter”.
Fly Rod: Marked “H. L. Leonard, Maker, Bangor, ME” c. 1878.
Fly Reel: Marked “H. L. Leonard, Maker, Patd June 12, 1877” the patent inventor was Francis Philbrook, also a gunsmith.
Gilbert L. Bailey, Portland, ME. (1824-1904)
Fowler: 12 GA. 42 Inch patent breech barrel stamped “G. L. Bailey, Portland, ME” with a small pistol stamped in front of his name. OAL: 57 ½ Inches.
Landing Net: Similar to Nason Landing Net. See Patent, April 7, 1885, improvement to fasten net ring to staff.
Charles E. Wheeler, Farmington, ME. (1847-1916)
Single Barrel Fowler: 12 GA. stamped “C. E. Wheeler, Farmington, ME”. c. 1870.
Fly Rod: Marked “C. E. Wheeler, Farmington, ME”, c1875.
Folding Landing Net: Marked “C. E. Wheeler, Farmington, ME. Pat. July 30, 1889”.
John H. Krider, Philadelphia, PA. (1813-1887)
John Krider Half-Stock Target Rifle, circa 1850.
32” full octagonal 45 Cal. bbl marked “JOHN KRIDER . PHILADELPHIA”. The barrel si turned for a bullet starter. The engraved lock is marked “J. KRIDER”. The rifle has dbl set triggers, Globe front sight and adjustable rear peep sight.
John Krider Fly Rod: Pack rod, marked "John Krider, Philadelphia", circa 1875. Pictured in "Land of Little Rivers", p 143. Erroneously attributed to H. L. Leonard.
William Billinghurst, Rochester, NY (1807 – 1880):
Maker of high quality sharpshooter's rifles and rifles, buggy rifles/pistols,some underhammer mechanisms, some cased.
Rifle: 27 & ¼” Barrel, 35 Cal. (Not Displayed.)
Billinghurst Side Mounted Fly Reels: One of America's earliest fly reels.
2nd Model: 3 inches diameter, Patented “Aug. 9, 1859”
3rd Model: 3 & 1/4 inches diameter, Patented “Aug. 9, 1859 & Aug. 1873”.
Leonard 2 shot mechanism opened and closed:
Documentation
Introduction:
Before 1835, fishing tackle was generally imported from England to the United States. In the 1830's, John Conroy started producing fishing reels and by the 1840's was making fishing rods. The famous Kentucky reels were produced about this same time. Only a few other rod makers from the 1830-1840 period are known. Benjamin Welsh, who made several rods for statesman Daniel Webster, started in the later 1830's. Jabec B. Crook, a reel maker who started at Conroy's, began producing rods by 1850. Thaddeus Norris Jr. of Philadelphia and gunsmith Samuel Phillippe of Easton, PA. Both began rod making in the 1840's.
After the Civil War and with the start of the Industrial Revolution, came some leisure time. The popularity of hunting and fishing increased and
gunsmiths who produced arms for necessities tuned to making sporting guns and improving or inventing fishing tackle.
Hiram Lewis Leonard, Bangor, ME. (1831-1907)
Hiram was born in 1831 in Sebec, Maine, moving with his parents to New York State, then to Pennsylvania. He returned to Maine sometime before
1853. He apprenticed to gunsmith Charles V. Ramsdell of Bangor, becoming a master of the trade as well as a famous hunter. Henry David Thoreau met Leonard in 1856 and wrote about his encounter in his book In The Maine Woods. Leonard's firearms were prized possessions by the Maine hunters and trappers. Hiram was known to have made pistols and rifles. Known pistols are marked to Leonard while only two rifles are marked, the majority are not stamped. In 1870, the H. L. Leonard Rod Company started in Bangor, and after partnering with William Mills, moved to Central Valley, NY in 1881. The Leonard Rod became synonymous with quality and the training of other generations of master craftsmen.
Display:
H. L. Leonard Two Shot Rifle: 50 caliber. This unmarked rifle's single barrel was charged with two loads of powder and ball (bullet), one on top of the other. The lock was fitted with a mechanism to fire the first charge, then the second. This was known as Leonard's “Two Shooter”.
Fly Rod: Marked “H. L. Leonard, Maker, Bangor, ME” c. 1878.
Fly Reel: Marked “H. L. Leonard, Maker, Patd June 12, 1877” the patent inventor was Francis Philbrook, also a gunsmith.
Charles E. Wheeler, Farmington, ME. (1847-1916)
Charles was trained as a gunsmith by his father Albert G. Wheeler and William Lawrence, gunsmiths of Farmington, ME. The Rangeley Lakes
region of Maine, with its large brook trout, was popular destination with Farmington as the Gateway. In 1868, young Charles (21) was asked to copy a Charles Murphy fly rod and thus began “Charles E. Wheeler, Split Bamboo Fishing Rod Maker”. Wheeler made high grade fishing rods, some marked to him and many unmarked and sold through Boston and New York sporting goods retailers. A portable landing net patent was granted to Wheeler in July, 1889.
Display:
Single Barrel Fowler: 12 GA. stamped “C. E. Wheeler, Farmington, ME”. c. 1870.
Fly Rod: Marked “C. E. Wheeler, Farmington, ME”, c1875.
Folding Landing Net: Marked “C. E. Wheeler, Farmington, ME. Pat. July 30, 1889”.
Charles F. Nason, Lewiston, ME. (1835-1909)
C. F. Nason produced rifles, pistols and shotguns for the Maine sportsmen, woodsmen and marksmen. He was an expert shot and won many shooting contests with rifle or shotgun. He received America's second patent on landing nets August 31, 1875. Those nets were sold through tackle retailers and were sold by the Orvis company for more than 25 years.
Display:
Target Pistol: Marked “C. F. NASON”. 31 Caliber. 18 inches overall length, 14 inch barrel. c. 1850.
Target Rifle: 31 & 1/2” full octagonal 45 Cal. bbl turned for a bullet starter marked “C. F. Nason, Auburn, ME, NO. 72”. OAL: 46”. The engraved lock is marked “HAPGOOD”. The rifle has a single trigger, Globe front sight and an adjustable rear sight.
Portable Landing net: Marked “C. F. NASON, Pat. August 31, 1875. The net ring is stored in the bamboo handle.
Gilbert L. Bailey, Portland, ME. (1824-1904)
G. L. Bailey had a keen interest in improving the products of his day. As a result, he obtained 21 U. S. Patents including such items as gun locks,
reloading tools, buckles, bicycle holder, bed rollers and fishing tackle. He invented a reel seat in 1884 and an improved landing net in 1885.
Display:
Fowler: 12 GA. 42 Inch patent breech barrel stamped “G. L. Bailey,
Portland, ME” with a small pistol stamped in front of his name. OAL: 57 ½ Inches.
Landing Net: Similar to Nason Landing Net. See Patent, April 7, 1885, improvement to fasten net ring to staff.
John H. Krider, Philadelphia, PA. (1813-1887)
John Krider was one of Philadelphia's most famous and finest gunsmiths. His “Sportsman's Depot” sold the finest of firearms and fishing tackle. Only fishing rods (after 1870) and guns were made at his shop. Krider made rifles for the “Philadelphia Shooting Club” which operated from 1843 to 1853.
Display:
John Krider Half-Stock Target Rifle: circa 1850.
32” full octagonal 45 Cal. bbl turned for a bullet starter marked “JOHN KRIDER . PHILADELPHIA”. The engraved lock is marked “J. KRIDER”. The rifle has dbl set triggers, Globe front sight and adjustable rear peep sight.
John Krider Fly Rod: Pack rod, marked "John Krider, Philadelphia", circa 1875. Pictured in "Land of Little Rivers", p 143. Erroneously attributed to H. L. Leonard.
William Billinghurst, Rochester, NY (1807 – 1880):
Maker of high quality sharpshooter's rifles and rifles, buggy rifles/pistols,some underhammer mechanisms, some cased.
Display:
Rifle: 27 & ¼” Barrel, 35 Cal.
Billinghurst Side Mounted Fly Reels: One of America's earliest fly reels.
2 nd Model: 3 inches diameter, Patented “Aug. 9, 1859”
3 rd Model: 3 & 1/4 inches diameter, Patented “Aug. 9, 1859 & Aug. 1873”.
