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LOT 30
Very Scarce Factory Engraved Smith & Wesson Large Frame Volcanic No. 2 Lever Action Pistol - Serial no.
209, 41 Volcanic cal., 8 inch part octagon bbl., brown/blue finish, rosewood grips. Smith & Wesson of Norwich, Connecticut,
manufactured fewer than 500 of these .41 caliber large frame No. 2 Volcanic pistols between 1854-1855, per page 25 of “Volcanic Firearms” (2011) by Lewis
and Rutter. They are based on a patent of Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson and were manufactured prior to the subsequent renaming of the company
to Volcanic Repeating Arms in 1855. The company was then reorganized by Oliver Winchester as the New Haven Arms Company in 1857 which would
ultimately become the Winchester Repeating Arms Company in 1866. Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson continued to pursue their own development of
revolvers starting around 1856, and the rest is history. Surviving examples of these early Smith & Wesson Volcanics are scarce and extremely desirable in any
condition, as part of the beginning of the development of lever action repeaters that evolved into the Henry and Winchester 1866 rifles, and they also mark the
very beginning of Smith & Wesson. This factory engraved, large frame No. 2 Volcanic lever action pistol has an 8 inch barrel, and the distinctive “Type II” features which include
a crowned muzzle and rounded magazine locking spring. The frame has a hump behind the lever, the loading lever has a finger spur, the barrel has an integral 10-shot magazine
below, a bead front sight, and a screw-fastened notch rear sight on top of the frame. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the three-line legend “SMITH &WESSON/PATENT/NORWICH. CT.”
ahead of “CAST-STEEL”. The hammer has fine hand-knurling on the spur. The receiver sides, top, backstrap, sideplates, and back of the hammer are decorated with the well-executed, open scroll
factory engraving. The matching serial number “209” is marked on the back of the rear sight, the left side of the grip frame, and handwritten on the interiors of the grip panels.
CONDITION: Very good plus, with an attractive natural aged appearance, retains 30% original blue finish on the barrel and magazine tube assembly, with smooth brown patina on the balance,
some patches of light pitting, and distinct markings and engraving. Grips are also very good, with some light scratches and dents, a small chip at the bottom right rear corner, and defined edges.
Mechanically functions. This desirable factory engraved Smith & Wesson Volcanic No. 1 pistol is a significant piece in the history of lever action repeating firearms!
Estimate: 13,000 - 19,000
According to "Volcanic Firearms"
by Lewis and Rutter, fewer than
500 Smith & Wesson No. 2
Volcanic pistols were produced.
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