Lot 134: D.S. Nippes Maynard Conversion U.S. Contract Model 1840 Musket

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 brass blade front sight, bayonet stud on the bottom of the barrel, trumpet head ram rod, "1841" on the barrel tang, "MILL CREEK/PA/1842" on the lock, "EDWARD MAYNARD/PATENTEE/1845" on the primer door, and an "SK" inspector mark and a circled script "EB" cartouche followed by a "WAT" inspector mark and a circled script "WAT" cartouche on the left flat. Includes a U.S. socket bayonet.

Very fine with primarily gray and brown patina, some spots of minor pitting, general minor marks and scratches, and sharp markings. The stock is fine with some scattered dents, some light scratches, pressure marks, and crisp cartouches. Mechanically excellent. This is a solid example of a rare and early Maynard primed firearm, and an important piece in the evolution of U.S. martial arms that precedes the U.S. Model 1855 series.