December 13-15, 2022 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/14/2022
US Model 1840 musket manufactured by and altered to the Maynard tape priming system by Nippes, dated 1848. Daniel Nippes was producing the last of his 1840 flintlock musket contract for the US Government when, on February 28, 1848, he received a new contract from the Ordnance Department to alter 1000 of these M1840s to percussion using the Maynard tape priming system. On October 2nd of the same year, the Chief of Ordnance, Colonel Talcott, ordered that 700 additional Nippes M1840s be sent to him from Frankford Arsenal for this conversion. Nippes would receive another contract for 1000 on November 18, 1848, manufacturing 2000 in total between 1848-1849. The Nippes contract alteration muskets were considered experimental by the Ordnance Department, eventually leading to the production and adoption of the improved Maynard lock for the M1855 rifle muskets. 42" barrel in .69 caliber smoothbore with brass blade front sight integral to front double strapped barrel band. Barrel is marked "US / JH / P (proofmark)" near breech and is dated 1844 on barrel tang. Lock is dated 1842. Maynard tape primer door is unmarked, possibly a replacement. 1 piece walnut stock in standard configuration with 3 barrel bands and US marked buttplate. Left flat of stock opposite lock bears "WAT" cartouche. CONDITION: Excellent as professionally restored to National Armory Bright with markings crisp and scattered handling marks. Stock excellent as cleaned with filled in knot on left stock flat and small chips at barrel tang and lock tail. Mechanically fine. Bore is dark.
Caliber/Bore
.69 Smoothbore