During the War of 1812 the state of Maryland purchased 5,832 muskets from private suppliers, the largest of whom was J.J. Henry of Philadelphia, who formed a consortium of gun makers to fulfill his contract with the state. The Nippes family of Mill Creek, PA, just outside Philadelphia are well known gun makers of the period and had close business and personal ties to Henry, Abraham Nippes supplying him with barrels, musket furniture, and bayonets. It also looks like this extended to complete muskets through his own firm, or at least through Winner, Nippes and Steinman. After Abraham Nippes’ death in 1813, son Daniel Nippes seems to have supplied Nippes made and marked muskets to Henry through step-brother Daniel Henkels. Moller illustrates a Nippes musket with Maryland marks that he believes was a post-war delivery from its low-comb stock (2.217f.,) but Gaede and Marsden show and record several other Nippes muskets with the same lock markings, Maryland proofs and ownership stamps as this musket, with a raised comb, has, which are regarded as wartime and Moller thinks it probable some of the 813 muskets supplied by Henkels to Henry included muskets produced by Daniel Nippes or had locks made and marked by him (2.215.)

The rear of the lockplate is very clearly stamped “NIPPES / & CO / PHIL-D.” Forward of the hammer is a US eagle perched on top of an oval with US in the center. The left breech of the barrel is inspection/proofmarked with a deeply stamped with “P” in a recessed oval cartouche. Just ahead of that and slightly more centered in a M with serifs on the base. These are both Maryland markings. The lock uses a hammer with straight tang and frizzen spring with triangular terminal, both correct for gun makers supplied with the Springfield pattern musket, but follows the Harpers Ferry style, Henry’s preference for his Maryland contract, in having a bottom mounted bayonet stud.

The barrel is silver gray with small darker gray and some brown stains. The barrel is full length and still has its bottom mounted bayonet stud. The barrel shades toward brown closer to the breech and there is some shallow crustiness from the pan to the breechplug. The lock markings are sharp and the metal smooth, with a mix of gray and brown. The wood generally has good color and surface with a good fit to the metal though with some rounding to edges and wear along the forestock from handling, but with no chips or cracks. The lock apron is very good. The side flat shows handling dings and no visible markings, but just one short hairline from the breech to the upper lock screw, which is fairly common. The buttstock shows small handling dings and scratches but only one shallow divot on the upper left near the buttplate tang and fits the buttplate tightly. We see only a narrow shrinkage gap along the breechplug tang on the right. The sideplate and lock plate have a tight fit. The ramrod channel is good. All bands, springs, swivels, and the ramrod are in place. The mechanics are good.

This comes with an original 1808 pattern bayonet set up for a bottom mounted bayonet stud. As is common with this pattern, it is unmarked. The metal is smooth and the colors match the metal of the musket well.

This is a scarce War of 1812 musket with solid connections to Maryland, which found itself prominently in the front lines of the conflict as the British attacked Baltimore and Washington.   [sr] [ph:L]

DISCLAIMER: All firearms are sold as collector's items only - we do not accept responsibility as to the shooting safety or reliability of any antique firearm. All firearms are described as accurately as possible, given the restraints of a catalog listing length. We want satisfied customers & often "under" describe the weapons. Any city or state regulations regarding owning antique firearms are the responsibility of the purchaser. All firearms are "mechanically perfect" unless noted, but again, are NOT warranted as safe to fire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS.

THANK YOU!