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Patch Boxes of Kentucky Rifles Rendered by Albert Levone watercolor and gouache on paperboard, 50.9 x 35.9 cm (20 1/16 x 14 1/8 in.) Index of American Design 1943.8.3636 |
Object 11 of 17
In a molten state brass can be cast into intricate shapes like this patchbox cover. A patchbox is a container inserted into the butt of a flintlock rifle to hold a greased cloth or other small piece of equipment. Flintlock rifles, developed by the Pennsylvania Germans, played an important role in the Revolutionary War. Also called Kentucky rifles, they were made famous by such backwoods heroes as Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett. This patchbox cover was made about 1750. Pennsylvania German gunsmiths displayed their love of fine decoration by including elaborate detail on their rifles. The scroll design of this patchbox cover reflects the ornate style fashionable in the eighteenth century, while the bird motif is in keeping with Pennsylvania German tradition.
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