Jacob and Samuel Hawken are among the most famous makers of American muzzle loaders and were active in St. Louis from 1825 to 1855 and are best known for their half-stock "mountain rifles" often associated with the mountain men of the fur trade. Their wares are known to have been used by General William Ashley, the American Fur Co., and Jim Bridger. Though their rifles are generally very plain, they were very well-made. Adolphus Meier & Co. were hardware merchants in St. Louis from the 1830s to the 1870s. This same rifle appears to be pictured on page 61 of "Fifteen Years in the Hawken Lode" by Baird where he notes: "Once been thought to have been a full-stock rifle made into half-stock, other one-key J & S Hawken rifles might indicate otherwise." If it has been converted, it was certainly done excellently and a long time ago. The rear sight and single barrel key placement are the same as are some of the wear marks and the overall design. The barrel has seven groove rifling, a dovetailed silver blade front sight with brass base, dovetailed standing U-notch rear sight, and "J & S HAWKEN ST. LOUIS" on top of the breech section. The lock is marked "ADOLPHUS MEIER/& Co." and has a bird scene and scrollwork patterns. The lock is secured by a single screw that passes through a tear drop shaped washer on the left and is tripped by a set of adjustable double set triggers. The iron trigger guard leaves ample room for the triggers. The upper tang extends the length of the wrist. The buttplate and toe plate are also iron. The stock has a pewter forend tip and a shallow cheek rest with molding line along the edge.

Very good with some traces of blue/black finish, gray and brown patina, mild pitting, general marks and scratches, a crack and additional screw in the upper tang, legible markings, slight gaps at the butt, faint crack at the nose of the lock, and generally mild wear. Mechanically fine.