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LOT 3258
Exceptional and Scarce Massachusetts “MS” Marked 1839 Dated U.S. Ames Model 1832 Foot Artillery Sword with
Scabbard - Patterned after a French design, the Model 1832 was intended to serve as a utility tool as much as a defensive
weapon, with a heavy weight blade suitable for chopping brush to build barricades or clear a path for a cannon. “MS”
property marking of Massachusetts marked on both the hilt and the tip of the included original brass fitted black leather scabbard. Records indicate that the Federal
Government forwarded a total of 311 Foot Artillery/NCO swords to the individual states in the year 1839. It is unclear how many of those 311 went to Massachusetts, as many of the
other states did not mark their swords. The sword measures 25 1/4 inches long overall, with a 19 1/8 inch straight triple fuller blade, bearing an eagle above the two-line “N.P. AMES/
SPRINGFIELD” address on one side and “UNITED/STATES/1839/WS” on the reverse. Single piece brass hilt with “M.P.L” (Mann Paige Lomax) and “ORD.” inspection initials marked on
the guard, with a scaled grip and American Eagles on the pommel. Also includes consignor supplied copies of numerous military service and pension records of a James H. Estey
listed as active throughout the Civil War with Company A 44th Ohio Infantry and subsequently with Company A 8th Ohio Cavalry.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine, the blade exhibits attractive bright surfaces with sharp edges. The brass shows an attractive golden aged patina, with dark spots visible in the scales of
the handle. The scabbard is very fine with some minor age related marks.
Estimate: 1,600 - 2,500
LOT 3257
U.S. Springfield Model 1847 Percussion Musketoon - NSN, 69 cal., 26 inch round bbl., bright/blue
finish, walnut stock. This U.S. Springfield Model 1847 Musketoon has the swiveling ramrod fixture typically
seen on the cavalry variant, although it does not have a cavalry type sling bar and ring, and has a filled in oval section in the bottom rear area of the stock where a sling swivel base
once resided as typical of the artillery variant. The lock is dated “1847” at the tail with the federal eagle above “US” at the center, illegible date on the barrel tang, “V/P/eagle head” proofs
on the breech, brass fittings, with “11” stamped in the left stock flat, and “U.S” marked buttplate.
CONDITION: Very good, with mottled brown oxidation and light to mild pitting on the bright iron, and areas of old refinished blue showing on the lock with visible markings. The brass is attractively aged. Stock is
also good, with numerous scattered dents, scratches and scuffs. Mechanically fine.
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
LOT 3256
Mexican-American War Era U.S. Contract Whitney Model 1841 Percussion
“Mississippi Rifle” Dated 1846 - NSN, 54 cal., 33 inch round bbl., brown/casehardened finish, walnut stock. The Model 1841 rifle gained fame during the Mexican War when the 1st
Mississippi Rifles commanded by Colonel Jefferson Davis and armed with Model 1841 rifles played a key role in the U.S. victory at Buena Vista in February 1847. Most Model 1841 rifles
were altered to .58 caliber, to accept bayonets, and/or fitted with long range sights prior to and during the Civil War. Unaltered Model 1841 Rifles in their original configuration like this one are scarce. Half-
moon shaped brass blade front sight, fixed notch rear sight, iron ramrod with flared brass tip, and brass furniture with the distinctive over-sized brass patchbox, lock marked “N. HAVEN/1846” in two lines behind
the hammer and “E. WHITNEY/US” in two lines ahead of the hammer, no visible date on the barrel tang, “US/GW/V P” proofs on top of the breech with “W.C.K” on the right, left stock flat stamped with a boxed script “JCB”
inspection cartouche and oval script “W.A.T” (William A. Thornton) inspection cartouche along with “W.C.K” inspection initials stamped in between the cartouches, and “US” marked buttplate. Includes an extra
percussion nipple in the patchbox.
CONDITION: Very good, retains 60% original brown finish on the barrel, lock turned to a smooth gray patina, scattered spotting overall on the balance, and mostly defined markings in the iron. Brass shows a bright golden patina.
Modern replacement percussion nipple, trigger and some screws. Stock is fine with defined edges, scattered characteristic scratches, dents and chips, and crisp cartouches. Mechanically fine. A very good example of a Mexican War
dated model 1841 rifle!
Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
LOT 3255
Very Scarce
Maynard Conversion D.S. Nippes U.S. Contract Model 1840 Musket with Bayonet
- NSN, 69 cal., 42 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. Edward Maynard originally intended to join the military but was forced to
drop out of West Point due to ill health. He subsequently became arguably the nation’s leading dentist and was also an active inventor. He
is most famous today for his automatic tape primer, which ultimately proved too unreliable for sustained military use, and
his more dependable breech loading single shot rifles and carbines. Only 2,000 of these muskets were converted by D.S.
Nippes of Philadelphia in the late 1840s using Maynard’s patented tape primer. These conversion muskets helped pave the
way in development of the subsequent Maynard primed Model 1855 rifle-muskets. It has a bayonet stud on the bottom of the barrel, brass blade front sight on the
forward strap of the front barrel band, trumpet head ram rod, “US/F.B/P” markings at the left of the breech, “1841” dated barrel tang, “MILL/CREEK/PA/1842” marked
at the tail of the lock, “EDWARD MAYNARD/PATENTEE/1845” marked on the primer door, and two oval script inspection cartouches stamped on the left stock flat
including “JH” (either Joseph Hannis or John Hawkins) and “WAT” (William A. Thornton). Includes a “U.S.” marked socket bayonet.
CONDITION: Very good with scattered patches of dark colored light to mild pitting on the otherwise bright iron surfaces with sharp markings. Stock is fine with defined edges, scattered scratches
and dents, a chipped section and a crack visible to the right of the barrel tang, and crisp cartouches. Absent end feeding piece inside the Maynard primer mechanism, otherwise mechanically fine.
Bayonet is also very good with some scattered surface oxidation.
Estimate: 2,250 - 3,500
LOT 3254
Exceptional U.S. Harpers Ferry Model 1819 Hall Breech Loading Flintlock Rifle Dated 1838 with Bayonet - NSN, 52 cal., 32 3/4 inch round
bbl., brown/casehardened finish, walnut stock. John Hall’s
innovative breech loading rifles were the first breech loading
firearm adopted by the U.S. military and the first firearms to be
produced with interchangeable parts. They were meant to be issued to Army rifle units, skirmishers, and flank
companies. The Sixth U.S. Infantry, stationed at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, was issued Hall rifles in the spring of 1832, and these rifles were used at
the Bad Axe Massacre at the end of the Black Hawk War. The rifles had issues with gas leakage, fouling, and stock breakage, but later examples like
this “1838” dated rifle saw use through the Mexican-American War and even through the Civil War, typically after having been converted to percussion by the time the Confederates
fired on Fort Sumter. This example has the standard markings and features and includes an unmarked socket bayonet.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine with 85% plus original finish remaining, minor wear, and some dents and flakes on the very fine stock. The bayonet is fine and is mostly bright with some patches of oxidation.
Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500