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AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK VOLCANIC FIREARMS: PREDECESSOR TO THE WINCHESTER RIFLE BY LEWIS & RUTTER
The New York Times on May 26, 1859, reported that “The bill of the New Haven Arms Company, amounting to $1,150, for Volcanic arms which
the Company let the authorities have during the Quarantine riots, in September last, was received.” Houze estimated that around 50 were kept in service while 70 were returned to Merwin and the company. It is further theorized in the book “that rifles were marked in this manner while they were in use by the New York Metropolitan Police.”
According to "Volcanic Firearms: Predecessor to the Winchester Rifle" by Lewis & Rutter, approximately
1,000 New Haven carbines were produced in total in all barrel lengths.
Further investigation into period newspapers found other accounts of the
police all being armed with Volcanic carbines, and some reports also indicate they had Volcanic pistols as well. For example, The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser on September 6, 1858, republished a report from the New York Evening Post that stated
“The one hundred policemen required to be
sent to Quarantine by the Commissioners of
Emigration arrived there in the steamboat Dr.
Kane...They were all armed with the volcanic
repeating rifles and pistols, furnished by the
manufacturers, and are under the command
of Captain Walling, the same officer who
commanded during the Seaguine’s Point
War. They have a six-pounder, and plenty of
ammunition in charge.” The report also notes
that Tompkins was arrested “quietly” and “After
delivering Mr. Ray Tompkins into the care of
Captain Williamson, of the 14th precinct, Detectives Stephenson and
Wildey returned last night to Quarantine, for further operations. At
daybreak this morning they took a force of twelve policemen, armed
with the volcanic repeating rifles, and sallied forth” and made additional
arrests.
The carbine is marked with the rack number “19” on the underside of the frame behind the cartridge elevator. It has a blued
octagon barrel, casehardened loading lever and hammer, brass frame and buttplate, and a high gloss varnished walnut stock.
A fixed rear sight is mounted in a dovetail on the receiver behind the elevator port. The top of the barrel flat is stamped with the
later New Haven Arms Company marking: “NEW HAVEN CONN PATENT FEB 14 1854” adopted after the Volcanic Arms Company was
re-organized as the New Haven Arms Company by Oliver Winchester in 1858. The left side of the lower tang has “230” crossed out by five
lines and then “136” further towards the rear. The screws, inside of the buttplate at the heel, and heel of the stock under the buttplate are
also numbered “136.” The Volcanic lever action carbines were not a commercial success, but the design was sound and with the development
of reliable rimfire cartridges evolved into the Henry Rifle and paved the way for the highly successful Model 1866 Winchester rifles and carbines.
Production of Volcanic Carbines with 16-1/2, 21 and 25 inch barrels totaled fewer than 1,000 pieces, and surviving examples are rare. These “rack
numbered” 16 1/2 inch carbines are particularly rare and desirable. The Volcanic lever action carbine is a key piece in the evolution of the Winchester lever action rifle.
CONDITION: Fine. The barrel has aged to a smooth, blue-gray patina. Most of the metal surfaces are smooth, but there is some minor, scattered pitting on the right side of the barrel.
The loading lever has a brown patina with traces of case colors, and the hammer has most of the casehardened finish. The brass receiver and buttplate have a mellow and very attractive
age patina. The brass surfaces are in very fine condition with minimal handling and storage marks and very tight side plate joints. The original varnished walnut stock is in excellent condition; nearly all of the high polish finish is present, and the stock shows only very minor storage wear. The markings are sharp. This is a fine example of a rare and important carbine that would enhance the most advanced collection of Winchester rifles.
Provenance: The Stephen Rutter Collection, Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 20,000 - 35,000
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