doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Optimus

Corresponded yesterday with an individual from Kalifornia who owns an Optimus that he believes has been in his family since new (family moved from NY State to Kalifornia after the San Francisco earthquake and fire). It is a very early 30" ten bore, serial number 9954. The gun is complete, remains solid, is unaltered, and looks its age (I'm guessing a manufacture date between 1887-89; although its myriad screw slots remain virtually untouched. As with early Optimus guns this example is not engraved nearly to the degree of later Optimus guns, and it has only one gold inlay; a prancing horse with flowing tail on the trigger guard bow. I've never seen a horse figure on another Lefever, or any other make that I can recall; so clearly a very special customer request. Maybe the original owner operated a circus? The gun features a pivot opener, as opposed to the thumb opener, and has a hand-matted top rib (only the second example I've seen with a hand matted rib). The push button fore end release features a single initial, an "S", which is the beginning letter of the family's last name. Based on our discussion the gun will remain within the family; but, as I assume this is a heretofore unknown example of the Optimus and has a very low serial number, a few of Lefever aficionados here would appreciate having this information. And lest I forget, the word "Optimus" is engraved upon the trigger guard.

Pictures please! The Optimus grades are beyond beautiful.

SRH

Stan
The pics I received were very poor, but if you'll PM me with your email I'll be glad to forward what I have.
Thanks
Tom

When I was doing research on the engravers that were at The L.C. Smith Gun Works, Syracuse, N.Y. and then moved to Fulton, N.Y. when the Gun Works was sold, I had heard of a Optimus grade that was done for President Benjamin Harrison that was engraved by A. Spangler and he had signed the lock plate with his name on it. I didn't have a picture which I thought I did but put a few feelers out and did receive an email back with a picture of the gun and was able to enlarge it and see Spangler's name on it. I was told I could have the picture but the owner wished to remain anonymous.
L.C. Smith hired only the best engravers the Spangler Brothers, Joseph Glahn and his 3 sons and a young Albert Kraus. The Spangler's were the first to go to Fulton for the now Hunter Arms Co. and then the Glahn's along with Kraus. It is known fact that the Spangler's and Joseph Glahn did other work for Lefever and Parker in the early days and possibly others as well.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/pLvT5B1.jpg?1[/img]

That is one hell of a gun.

Brent, thanks for converting to the picture, I was able to do that when I used Photobucket but then they wanted you to pay so went to Imgur.
How do you post pictures for use here?

David, I use Imgur too and I'm not a fan of it, however. Just what I chose when I had to choose something.

In your case, you did some editing of the photo on imgur and when you did, it renamed the photo with adding "?1" behind the ".jpg" part of the file name. Sometimes you can post those just fine. Other times, you have to go in, delete the "?1" portion from your [img] [/img] command and then it goes. That's what I did here.

That is an amazing looking gun.

I've no idea where my copy is, but the Benjamin Harrison Optimus is featured in R.L. Wilson's book "Steel Canvas". I had a chance to see and handle that gun years ago when it was on consignment at the now defunct Atlanta Outfitters; it was a beautiful gun, but in my opinion not as stunning as the Linneman Optimus featured years ago in the DGJ (2001?). Although I've never seen a signed piece, at least one member of the Glahn family engraved for the Syracuse Arms Company based on pictures of pulls found within family archives.

The Harrison Optimus sold very recently very publicly and well photographed by the auction house

https://www.morphyauctions.com/jamesdjulia/item/2429-391/

Brent, thanks I will try that next time. I always edit the pictures because when I take them they are very large and so I edit the size.

Something isn't right either with the one I posted or the one that was sold. The one I posted looks like it had Finest Damascus barrels whereas the other stated Whitworth Fluid Steel.
I will have to write to the person that sent me the picture I posted to see if that gun was sold. Confusing!!!!!!

I also noted that the trigger guard on the picture I had shows a dog engraved on it, whereas the other has an eagle holding a banner stating Protection to the American Industry.
I also believe that when this gun was made there were no recoil pads

There's a few things that aren't correct here.

1. Jacob Glahn, not Joseph. Born in Germany, raised in Brooklyn, NY, arrives in Meriden, CT and engraves for Parker, then Syracuse for Lefever and LC Smith.
2. Only Jacob and his 2nd son Augustus went to work at Hunter. Every indication I have seen -- including U.S. and NY State census records, as well as business directory records -- put his first son George and 3rd son Theodore, in Syracuse. They are listed for a time as staff engravers for Syracuse Arms Co., and also as independent engravers. Clearly the possibility exists that they worked for Hunter at a distance, but if so, I have seen no reference to this effect.
3. Outside of Cincinnati, OH, where they were from and ultimately returned, Albert Spangler and his kid brother Milton (not "Wilton," as is incorrectly noted in both internet threads and books), I have not found a reference to them living anywhere in NY State other than Syracuse. So their continued work on LC's after Hunter acquired it seems to have been done at a distance (which would not have been odd in that day). Not long after the turn of the century they were back in Cincinnati.
4. As an aside, Wilber Glahn was the son of George, and became famous on his own, engraving 15+ years at Remington, followed by almost 30 years at Colt. He, and his grandfather Jacob, were probably the best of the Glahn clan.

NDG

Nudge I stand corrected on Jacob Glahn's first name. I indicated that Jacob and his three sons came to Fulton, I did not say all of the sons worked at Hunter Arms Co.
The Spanglers' did live in Fulton and below is a copy from the Fulton Patriot.

Jacob Glahn
A. E". Kraus recalls the many changes in the engraving department fronTTK"e~old dys. The first engraving from Syracuse were ^A. E. Spangler and his brother, Milton; succeded six or seven years later by Jacob Glahn and his sons, George, "Gus," and Theo, who lived in the old white house on Third~~street now occupied" by the McCordys. "All" Kraus, who has been in charge of the engraving department for many years, worked with the Glahns and LaFevers in* Syracuse and later moved to Fulton when the Spangler s lived on Erie and Sixth street in a big house with a fancy iron fence, around it. That house is still standing.

Jacob Glahn's full obituary is as follows:
Obituary from Fulton Patriot:
Glahn - Died at his home, 258 South Third Street, Fulton, Saturday October 5th, 1902. Jacob Glahn, in his 70th year. Funeral services at the residence Tuesday afternoon, Rev. W.L Sawtelle officiating. temporary internment in Mt. Adnah receiving vault, under Masonic auspices, Permanent internment in Syracuse Later.

It is with deep regret that The Patriot chronicles the demise of our friend and fellow townsman, Jacob Glahn, which occurred Saturday evening at his home in South Third street at the ripe age of 70 years, the cause of being the result of a paralytic stroke.

On Friday evening, October 3rd, Mr. Glahn retired at 11 o'clock, suffering from a severe headache, but he attached no importance to it. On the following morning his son Augustus is passing his father's sleeping room saw him lying on the floor near the door, in his night clothes apparently asleep. He tried to arouse him and found him unconscious. Medical aid was called and the unfortunate man removed to his bed. He continued in an unconscious state, with his right side paralyzed and no power of speech until about Friday, when he seemed to rally and was partially conscious. On Saturday there was a change for the worse and he passed away at 4:35 p.m.

Jacob Glahn was born in Germany in 1852 and at the age of four years he came to New York city with his parents. As soon as he reached the proper aged he served a thorough apprenticeship as an engraver with the best workmen in the metropolis. in 1851 he married Miss Ellizabeth Worthege and the union was blessed with four children, vis.; George of Syracuse, Augustus, Theodore and Miss Mae Glahn of this city, who together morn the loss of a kind husband and father in all that these terms imply. Mr. Glahn is also survived by two brothers, George A. Glahn of Foreatville, Conn., and Augustus Glahn of New York; also, one sister, Mrs. Lousia Kunz of Brooklyn.

Mr. Glahn and his family came to Fulton in 1893 and took charge of the L. C. Smith gun engraving department of the Hunter Arms Co., his sons Theodore and Augustus assisting in the same department. And with the exception of three years, they have done all the engraving. The deceased was one of the best engravers in the country and has produced some of the finest work in his line that has ever been done on guns or silverware, some of his productions having been sold at high figures.

Mr. Glahn was a member of the Masonic order and was held in high esteem by the members of the lodge, Hiram No. 144, of this city.

He was well educated and kept posted o current events and of that genial social nature which made friends of all who formed his acquaintance. he was also noted for his manly, straight-forward course in the every-day life and his donations to the poor, while made quietly, were numerous. He openly denounced all shams and dishonesty in individual and officials, and was a citizen any city might be proud of. His loss to Fulton will be keenly felt and a large circle of friends will deeply sympathize with the relatives in their sad affliction.

David,

Wow look at that. Thank you very much, I have not seen this reference before. George and Theo have "official" residence in Syracuse throughout this time, so I guess they moved back and forth as work required.

Thank you for sharing this. Truthfully, if they are counted as staying at a house there it would be hard to believe they WEREN'T doing some work there. Jacob would presumably have farmed out work to all of them, just as Albert Spangler did with his brother.

I'll have to have a look through my records to see what years George was explicitly listed as the engraver at Syracuse Arms. Perhaps it was intermittent.

NDG

What a great and beautiful gun! Glad to see more GA folks on here

Ain't that the truth-only wish that Uncle Danny LeFever was as astute businessman, as Chuck Parker, Louie Smith (Ithaca) and Johnny Olin- alas... RWTF

"What a great and beautiful gun! Glad to see more GA folks on here".

Brother 67G - I've been "here" for years, just seldom post these days; want to avoid getting caught up in the bickering involving too many posts, and many others are technical in nature and beyond my expertise. So I limit my comments to areas where I do have knowledge, and to those I think might be of interest to collectors. And in that regard am glad some members found this Optimus "discovery" interesting, as I've since learned this to be the earliest/lowest serial number Optimus yet recorded by the LACA. These early Optimus guns are indeed beautiful examples of "gun art", but neither the subject gun or the Harrison Optimus come close to being as beautiful as the Linneman Optimus featured in the Spring 2001 issue of the Double Gun Journal.

And for what it's worth, although Brother Stan still hails from GA, yours truly is now a resident of SC; relocated in 2013 for a career opportunity too good to pass. So SC is now "home", meaning I really need to update my profile; but Lord how I miss those red clay hills of my north GA home!

By the way, I've always admired the 60's era Galaxies and consider the '67 Galaxie a great looking car; but my favorite Galaxie models were the '63 and '64 "fastbacks".

Runs, since you mentioned Ithaca and a Louie Smith (don't know who that Smith is) but I thought you might like this. Don't know the year but I do know that George Livermore (brother-in-law to Lyman C. Smith) worked till he was 93 years old at Ithaca. Lyman's older brother Leroy also worked at Ithaca along with W.H. Baker in the very beginning.

I received an answer back from the gentleman about the picture I posted, I stand corrected, that Optimus grade is a 10 gauge known as the Neighbors gun.

Looks like over a 3" drop in the buttstock-nice gun indeed, but I couldn't shoot it well in the field, except maybe for rabbits being chased out by a beagle- great sport, but a LeFever Duston Special would serve the same purpose, assuming the same aprox. drop. The late Paul A, Curtis once remarked that, in his experience, a die-hard rabbit hunter would prefer more drop in the stock than, say, a driven grouse shooter. RWTF

Quite a story and obit- but the writer meant to spell "morn" as "mourn" as in "The family mourned the passing away of Mr. Glahn"- NOT "The family morned---. Apparently they didn't have spell checky-checky function as we have today- wonder if the newspapers in Fulton used L.C. Smith typewriters- RWTF