New Jersey Surcharged Harpers Ferry Type IV Alteration of a US Model 1841 Mississippi Rifle

American Civil War

.58 caliber. 33" round barrel secured by two flat brass spring-retained bands. NSN. Originally browned barrel with color casehardened lock and hammer, brass furniture, walnut stock. Single shot percussion muzzleloading rifle with brass patchbox, M1858 pattern leaf rear sight correctly marked "R" on the leaves, M1855 pattern front sight, M1855 pattern saber bayonet lug on barrel near muzzle, sling swivels and a swelled tip all iron ramrod for elongated ball ammunition. Lock marked with a {SPREAD-WINGED EAGLE}/US forward of the hammer and in three vertical lines at the tail HARPERS/FERRY/1851 at the tail. Breech plug tang dated 1850. Mismatched dates on these arsenal altered rifles are not uncommon as they were fully interchangeable guns. Breech with correct small V/P/{Eagle Head} proofs and an AW/P inspection mark. Counterpane with the block letter JLR inspection of John L Rowe, Foreman of the Harpers Ferry Rifle Works during the 1850s, correct for this gun. Patchbox cut-out with the three router pilot holes found on Harpers Ferry-made 1841 rifle stocks, and with another legible JLR inspection mark inside. Spare cone in patchbox. Buttplate without the "US" on the tang, which is correct for Harpers Ferry M1841 Rifles. New Jersey state ownership marks on both the stock and left barrel flat, with a block NJ on the barrel and an oval cartouches script NJ above the side plate. The rack number 18 is stamped into the toe line of the stock, behind the triggerguard. Correct pattern upper band is in place, the shorter 2.5" variant used by Harpers Ferry on the guns that received saber bayonet lugs on the barrel, replacing the original 3.375" long upper band. During the production run at Harpers Ferry a total of 25,207 Model 1841 rifles would be produced between 1844 and 1855. Of those, nearly 9,000 would be altered at Harpers Ferry to accept bayonets and would receive new, long-range rear sights of various patterns. This is one of those later alterations, which took place during fiscal year 1860. According to Moller's research 1,071 Harpers Ferry Model 1841 Rifles received this alteration, which included the 1858 pattern there leaf rear sight, 1855 front sight blade and 1855 saber bayonet lug. These guns were also reamed up to .58 caliber and re-rifled with the traditional 3 lands and grooves in use at the US arsenals at that time. A solid and complete example of the last of the major Harpers Ferry Model 1841 Rifle alterations, performed in the months prior to the outbreak of the American Civil War. {ANTIQUE}

From the Lifetime Collection of Robert G. Paulsen

This lot is located in Cincinnati.