December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/12/2024
After a favorable trial of his alteration design, Lieutenant James Noble Ward, was authorized to alter 1200 muskets to his "Magazine Hammer" hammer mounted Maynard tape primer design at $4.00 each for the state of New York. The muskets observed of these 1200 were of different types, mostly 1816s and M1812 muskets provided to New York under the Militia Act of 1808. Unfortunately for the Ward design, they were of irregular size and weight, the covers fell off nearly half of the issued muskets, and were generally unpopular, so in 1858, the state of New York stated that the arms were not satisfactory and Ward was ordered to stop producing them. This particular example is made from a Waters 1821 dated M1816 musket that was altered to percussion, and then altered to the Ward system. CONDITION: Fair to good, as carefully repolished over time to restore the National Armory Bright polish, now forming a freckled patina. Front sight is no longer present, and rear sight dovetail has been filled in by weld. Forearm as well as barrel have been cut down and reshaped. Stock has large period repair in the wrist near lock and heavy handling marks throughout. Mechanically fine, although magazine cover is no longer present. Bore is dark.
Caliber/Bore
.69 Smoothbore