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Important Historic Note
Based on Isaiah Jennings' 1821 patent, an improvement of Joseph Belton's earlier repeating system, these extremely rare rifles were manufactured under contract for the U.S. Government by Robert and J.D. Johnson for issue to the New York militia.
LOT 1139
Incredibly Rare and Historically Significant Documented Ellis-Jennings Four-Shot Sliding Lock Repeating Flintlock Rifle - Serial no. 445, 54 cal., 36 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. These rare repeating rifles
are among the rarest and most fascinating U.S. martial arms. Very, very few
of these rifles are known today, and they are almost never available to the public. This rifle is pictured on pages 457-459 of “American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume II: From the 1790s to the End of the Flintlock Period” by George Moller and has his discreet “GDM” collection mark near the toe. As explained in Moller’s book, these rifles were based on Isaiah Jennings’ September 2, 1821, patented improvement of Joseph Belton’s earlier repeating system and were manufactured under contract with the federal government through Reuben Ellis of New York by Robert and J. D. Johnson of Middletown, Connecticut, for issue to the New York militia. They were inspected by U.S. Ordnance inspectors and delivered to the New York Commissary General in
three batches: 200 on June 30, 1829, 160 on September 21, 1829, and 161 on October 22, 1829. The 521 rifles cost $13,090, a very significant amount for the period. Each of these rifles cost around 2 1/2 times what the government paid for earlier contract rifles. The State of New York legislature authorized the acceptance of these rifles in lieu of one-half of their annual federal allotment of muskets from the Ordnance Department. The pivoting vent covers also serve to stop the lock in the proper position for each shot. When the lock is cocked, a link to the priming magazine tilts the primer and fills
the pan and the screw on the link into the magazine hits the frizzen pulling
it closed. After the shot, the next vent cover is then manually flipped up, and the lock can be pulled to the next position and cocked again in one motion. While some Jennings are known with more than four shots such as the 10-shot rifle at the Cody Firearms Museum, those produced under contract were the 4-shot variety. This design would have allowed for much more rapid fire for four shots before the shooter would then need to reload.
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