November 17 & 18, 2021 Extraordinary Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/17/2021
Massachusetts Arms Company Belt Model revolver with Maynard Tape Priming device and manually rotating cylinder. When these revolvers were originally manufactured, the cylinder was automatically rotated and the ignition system were nipples behind each chamber, much like other revolvers of the period. Unfortunately for Massachusetts Arms Company, Colt saw this as an infringement on their patented revolver system and sued them. They were forced to essentially redesign this revolver, and came up with a push-button system to manually unlock the cylinder for turning of the cylinder and moved to a single nipple near the gas shield and attached a Maynard Tape Priming system for quick reloading. About 2,500 tape primed pocket revolvers were produced from 1851 to 1860. 5" round barrel chambered in .31 caliber rifled with "pinched" screw-in front sight and top strap rear sight. Cylinder is acid etched with Naval motif featuring crossed cannon and anchor, floral scroll, and bands running the circumference of the cylinder. Top and both sides of receiver are engraved with large floral scroll pattern. Tape primer gate is marked with typically seen US Armory Eagle in shield with "MAYNARD'S PATENT"/ "SEP. 22. 1845" above and below the eagle. Color case hardened top strap, cylinder arbor, frame, hammer, and front strap. 2-piece plain walnut grips with silver-plated backstrap and trigger guard. Complete with rarely encountered fitted hardwood case with blue velvet interior and reproduction Hitchock & Co. 116, Broadway, New York label. Accoutrements inside the case include: factory Massachusetts Arms Company flask, bullet mold, ball starter, "L" shaped nipple wrench/screwdriver, and a Massachusetts Arms Company marked tin cylinder full of tape primer rolls. CONDITION: Extremely fine, with a vast majority of the original bluing remaining on barrel with evidence of light cleaning. Cylinder is near mint with sharp, easily legible, complete, etching, possibly unfired. Color case hardened assemblies retain bright original case colors with a few, scattered, minor handling marks. Backstrap and trigger guard retain nearly all of their original silver plating. Grips are extremely fine and strong showing no major signs of distress. Bore is bright and shiny with sharp rifling. Case is excellent with handling marks throughout and reproduction label. An exceptional, high condition, example of a relatively rare Civil War era gun with scarcely seen fitted case and all of the accessories. TON