This is a lovely example of the relatively scarce .54 caliber dual cavity brass mold for the Jenks Navy Carbines and Rifles, as well as for the Ames and Deringer Box Lock Navy Pistols. The mold is nominally 6.75” in overall length with a pair of 4” bow-legged arms and a 2.75” long mold block. The mold block is .75” tall, including the blued steel sprue cutter and contains two round ball cavities that are nominally .525” in diameter. The mold is unmarked, but a small area with multiple small impact marks on the left side of the mold block suggests that the usual “RC” inspection mark and “32” mark, which indicated “32 Bore” (nominally ,54 caliber) may have been intentionally obscured. Whether this was done because the mold was appropriated from Navy service, or after the item was sold off as surplus is hard to know.

The mold remains in about FINE condition overall. The exterior brass body of the mold has a rich, dark golden patina with some hints of greenish coloration. The interior of the mold block remains bright with a bright gold color. The mold cavities are in EXCELLENT condition and are crisp and sharp and undamaged. The steel spure cutter retains some strong traces of thinning blue with some scattered freckles of surface oxidation and discoloration and has a mostly rich plum patina. The mold functions smoothly and opens and closes tightly with the sprue cutter moving smoothly as well. 

Overall, this is a really crisp and fine condition example of a fairly scarce US Navy bullet mold from the period of the Mexican American War and the Civil War. These molds do not appear on the market very often, as the acquisition of the Jenks pattern carbines and rifles, as well as the Box Lock pistols was relatively small. As the total production of all Jenks Carbines, Rifles and Ames and Derringer Box Lock Pistols was only about 9,450, the usual procurement ratio of one mold per twenty guns suggests that only about 450 to 500 of these molds were produced, explaining their scarcity on the collector market. This would be a fine addition to a US Navy small arms collection or display, as an addition to your Jenks carbine or Box Lock pistol or to add to your collection of bullet molds. The cavities are in such nice condition that the mold would likely cast wonderful round balls today if you wanted to actually use it.

SOLD