American & Southern | March 26, 2026
Thu, Mar 26, 2026 10:00AM EDT
Lot 160
Fine Early Henry Ledford Decorated North Carolina Davidson School Longrifle
Estimate: $2,000 - $4,000
Sold for
$2,800
Sold Price excludes BP
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $100 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $200 |
| $3,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
(Davidson County, NC, 1786-1856) circa early 1800s, flintlock fullstock, 43 in. octagonal barrel, 3/8 in. bore, dovetail blade front sight, split rear sight, stamped "H. LEDFORD" on top of barrel, 3-/12 in. two screw pointed barrel tang, lock plate stamped " T. HOWELL & Co. / PHILADELPHIA", crescent shaped brass side plate, forestock molding with eight diamond shaped inlays, inlays to either side of wrist, butt stock molding, twisted star finial patch box, carved cheek rest inlay and brass pick holder, double set triggers, brass trigger guard, butt plate, ramrod guides and thimbles, ramrod, 57-3/4 in. overall
Provenance: From The Collections of Dr. George Waynick and Dr. Edward G. Hill Jr., Old Salem, North Carolina
Note: Henry Ledford was one of the most prolific makers of longrifles of the Davidson School, his gun shop was located at Abbotts Creek where it crosses modern day HWY 109, see The Longrifle Makers of Davidson School, C. Michael Briggs, pgs. 25, and 24-115, also North Carolina Schools of Longrifles 1765 - 1865, by William Ivey and Kenneth Orr, pgs. 166-169.
Available payment options
Purchased items will be available for pick up or shipping from our Asheville, North Carolina auction facility within ten business days of the auction, or will be assessed a storage fee of $5.00 per day, per item. Purchaser agrees that packing and shipping is done at the purchaser's risk and that the purchaser will pay in advance all packing expenses, materials, carrier fees and insurance charges. At our discretion, items will either be packed by an agent such as a packaging store or Brunk Auctions. Please allow two weeks for shipping after payment is received. Shipment of large items is the responsibility of the purchaser. We are happy to provide names of carriers and shippers if a purchaser so requests. Brunk Auctions will have no liability for any loss or damage to shipped items.
From The Collections of Dr. George Waynick and Dr. Edward G. Hill Jr., Old Salem, North Carolina
handling wear consistent with age and use, barrel with wear and oxidation, some light pitting, other metal components with oxidation and tarnish, thin 1-3/4 in. loss to left forestock at fore cap, 2-1/4 in. wood split with small chip in front of trigger guard, 1/2 in chip to wood at rear of trigger guard, old 1 in. chip to wood behind hammer, cock frozen in position, overall good surviving example
Note - Brunk Auctions makes every effort to offer accurate and thorough information, but encourages prospective bidders to inspect items in person whenever possible. Condition statements are provided as a courtesy for general guidance and should not be considered complete or definitive. They do not represent a warranty or assumption of liability by Brunk Auctions. Certain condition issues may not be specifically noted in the report but may be visible in the accompanying photographs, which are considered part of the overall condition report. Please refer to our Terms of Sale for complete information and contact us for additional photos or information as needed.
