M1842 Harpers Ferry

[JDM_66]

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for the warm welcome to this forum.

I just wanted to share a very recent purchase and see if anyone had some historical insight to provide. Please refer to the photos attached of a model 1842 Harpers Ferry musket manufactured in 1844. I was fortunate to win this firearm at an auction in Iowa.

When I saw the patina on the barrel, I fell in love with this testimony to its age. Even more exciting, the initials of the former owners are carved into the stock. One side has the letters "AK" while the opposite side has a "JR" carved in the lost art of cursive writing. I am enamored especially with the "JR", since the script seems to be much older (just a guess).

The barrel bears the standard proof marks of the "VP" and eagle.

The intriguing part--the stock bears a stamp of "J .Sullivan" on both sides. The "J .Sullivan" stamp bears an uncanny resemblance to the same font of the rack mark "3" that is also impressed in the stock. A Google search doesn't yield much in the way of results, so that I can continue my amateur sleuthing into the history of this musket.

I love the Harpers Ferry area and its rich Civil War history. We have vacationed there a few years ago and stayed in a former Civil War hospital. A broken Harpers Ferry musket was displayed over the period fireplace, and I've wanted one ever since.

Any info or direction for research would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,
Joanne

 

[captaindrew]

Beautiful piece! Congrats! The M42s are my favorite

 

[JOHN42768]

Nice condition. Is there a date visible on top of breech/tang area of the barrel? The initials present a very high bar challenge trying to ID.

 

[JDM_66]

Nice condition. Is there a date visible on top of breech/tang area of the barrel? The initials present a very high bar challenge trying to ID.

Thank you! Yes, upon closer inspection, there appears to be an "1847" marked on top of the breech/tang area. Thank you for pointing this out. Very interesting to find this date. Also, the lug for the bayonet was broken off a very long time ago, it appears from the amount of browning in the spot remaining.

 

[Gandycreek]

Very nice musket ! Looks untouched, the way I like 'em. I've had 3 '42s over the years. The one I have left isn't going anywhere. Mine is dated 1852 on the lock plate and the tang. I like the J. R. initials too. Is there any proof marks on the stock ?

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

The "J Sullivan" stamp is what is called a "gang stamp" meaning that all the letters were made into a single one-line stamp - in other words, the letters were NOT stamped one at a time with individual stamps.
I've heard and I believe that these were often made as laundry stamps after the Civil War so the owner could ink them and stamp his shirts. I've seen a good many longarms with such stamps and never heard anyone claim that there were put on during the Civil War. So, likely the JR is earliest and the "J SULLIVAN" is later.

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

Very nice what you have there!

I have a 1842 Springfield that is rifled amd has the rear sights and the lockplate and tang are dated 1854.

Although I am more into flintlocks than percussions it is still an awesome firearm.

 

[JDM_66]

Very nice musket ! Looks untouched, the way I like 'em. I've had 3 '42s over the years. The one I have left isn't going anywhere. Mine is dated 1852 on the lock plate and the tang. I like the J. R. initials too. Is there any proof marks on the stock ?

Thanks so much! There appears to be an ovular proof mark to the left of the lock plate. Unfortunately, it is illegible.

 

[JDM_66]

Very nice what you have there!

I have a 1842 Springfield that is rifled amd has the rear sights and the lockplate and tang are dated 1854.

Although I am more into flintlocks than percussions it is still an awesome firearm.

Thank you!

 

[JDM_66]

The "J Sullivan" stamp is what is called a "gang stamp" meaning that all the letters were made into a single one-line stamp - in other words, the letters were NOT stamped one at a time with individual stamps.
I've heard and I believe that these were often made as laundry stamps after the Civil War so the owner could ink them and stamp his shirts. I've seen a good many longarms with such stamps and never heard anyone claim that there were put on during the Civil War. So, likely the JR is earliest and the "J SULLIVAN" is later.

This is very interesting; I have never heard of a "gang stamp" nor am I aware of longarms that are marked this way. I appreciate this information and help! Thanks for providing some direction for the "J. Sullivan" gang stamp research.