Beschreibung:

.54 caliber. 35" round barrel secured by three flat brass screw-retained bands. SN: 14/28. Browned barrel, color casehardened lock and hammer, brass furniture, smooth walnut stock. Single shot breechloading percussion rifle. Mule ear percussion lock marked Wm JENKS at tail and in three lines in the center N.P. AMES / SPRINGFIELD / MASS. Top of breech marked in one line horizontally Wm JENKS and in four lines vertically: USN / RP / P / 1844. Interior of breech operating lever marked 14 / 28. Socket bayonet lug under barrel marked 36. Soft script JL cartouche on reverse of stock, the mark of US Naval officer Joseph Lanman who served in the Naval Board of Ordnance from 1843-1846 and inspected a variety of naval small arms during that period. Rifle with oval loading aperture. Small socket bayonet stud under barrel is numbered 36. The Jenks Naval Rifle was one of the first breechloading arms acquired by the US Navy and utilized Jenks' patented action. 1,000 of the rifles were ordered in 1841 and were delivered over the next three years. This 1844 dated example would be from the last year of deliveries. A rare and difficult to obtain US Naval small arm that would be a fine addition to any serious 19th century US Naval collection. The correct bayonet for this rifle is available in this sale as well as the next lot, #29. Provenance:ex-Peter Wainwright Collection. Condition: Fine. Retains some thinning brown on the barrel with some scattered surface oxidation and discoloration. Markings remain clear and crisp. Mechanically functional, very good bore with strong rifling and scattered light to moderate pitting. Stock with some light to moderate wear and a couple of small tight grain cracks in the wrist region that do not appear to be structural, otherwise with scattered bumps, dings and mars.