Page 11 - 4094-BOOK3

There are sling
swivels mounted
on the left of the
barrel and left of the
stock. It is correctly
mounted with the last style buttstock, which entered
production around the 3200 serial number range and has the gently sloping comb and flat bottom, as
well as being fitted with the earlier style trapdoor buttplate with the rounded heel that was standard until
around the 5100 serial number range.
CONDITION: Excellent, retaining an incredible 90% plus of the original blue finish on the barrel/magazine tube,
with some faint grey patina showing through in a few areas. The lever retains 60% of the original blue finish,
with any original blue being almost unheard of on a Henry. 80% of the muted original case colors remain, most
visible on the sides of the hammer. The bright brass shows an attractively aged patina, some faint darker patina
in grooves and sheltered areas, and the edges remaining crisp and the sideplate junctions tight. The re-oiled stock
is exceptionally fine with some scattered minor dings and scratches. Mechanically excellent. This is an outstanding
example of a Civil War era production Henry rifle, which could easily become the centerpiece of even the most
extensive collections of lever actions or antique American arms!
Estimate: 75,000 - 110,000
This 1864 production Henry has the early style frame which shows an abrupt angle and only a slight edge bevel on the upper
rear, which was standard until approximately the 4900 serial number range. The lever is of the second style with a spur that
engages the lever latch screw, which entered production in the early 400 serial number range and continued until the end of
production. The hammer has the correct course, hand-filed checkering. The frame correctly lacks a rear sight dovetail slot, a
feature that was discontinued around the 3100 serial number range. The magazine follower is the correct, larger, second style
and the frame has the correct milled flats in the receiver slot. The barrel has the correct, two-line, larger style Henry’s patent
and New Haven address marking, which appeared in the 3000 serial number range. The rear sight dovetail is just
in front of the second style, larger-digit serial number, which is at the breech. The matching serial number
is marked on the barrel, left side of the lower tang, in the stock inlet, inside the buttplate, and on the shank
of both buttplate screws. The buttplate screws are hand-fitted to the contour of the buttplate and thus
are correctly numbered, while the tang screws are not hand-fitted and correctly lack numbers, a
transition variation which is seen in approximately the 3000-5600 serial number range. It is fitted the
correct, square-backed, German silver blade front sight and correct folding ladder rear sight
graduated to 900 yards.
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