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According to Volcanic Firearms Predecessor to the Winchester Rifle by Lewis & Rutter, fewer than ten Smith & Wesson No. 2 Lever Action pistols are known with 6 inch barrels.
LOT 87
Rare Engraved Short 6 Inch Barrel Smith & Wesson No. 2 Lever Action Repeating Pistol with Letter of Provenance - Serial no.
22, 41 Volcanic cal., 6 inch part octagon bbl., blue/brown finish, walnut grips. This Smith & Wesson No. 2 Lever Action pistol was manufactured c. 1854. This large frame .41 caliber pistol has the rarely encountered six inch barrel and Type II features which include the distinctive hump on the top of the frame, two spring screws on the bottom of the frame and part-round/part-octagon barrel with crowned muzzle and T-bar magazine locking spring. The barrel has a flattened cone front sight, and a fixed L-shaped rear sight is mounted on the top of the frame. The hammer has borderless hand-cut knurling on the spur. The lever lacks the spur usually found on No. 2 pistols with 8 inch barrels. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped “SMITH & WESSON/PATENT/CAST STEEL/NORWICH CT.” using four different stamps. The serial number “22” is stamped on the lower left side of the frame beneath the grip and on the back face of the rear sight. “22” is written in pencil on the inside of both grips. All of the visible serial numbers match. The sides and top of the frame and back
strap are decorated with simple scroll and leaf factory engraving. The two-piece grips are straight grain American walnut. Smith & Wesson manufactured approximately 500 No. 2 pistols c. 1854-55. Most of these pistols had eight inch barrels. No. 2 Lever Action
80 pistols with six inch barrels are extremely rare and almost never seen
even by knowledgeable
experienced collectors.
According to “Volcanic Firearms
Predecessor to the Winchester Rifle” by Lewis & Rutter, fewer than ten Smith & Wesson No. 2 Lever Action pistols are known with 6
inch barrels. This pistol is accompanied by a letter of provenance. Provenance: Eugene Herber (1848-1903), original owner and western saloon keeper; William Morris Jones (1878-1953), son-in-law to Herber; Arthur S. “Pete” Jones (1920-2013), son of William Jones (a copy of his New Mexico death certificate is also included), James Robinson, nephew of Arthur S. “Pete” Jones.
CONDITION: Good. The metal surfaces have aged to an attractive silver-gray patina with scattered light pitting. The barrel markings and factory scroll engraving remain sharp. The rear sight aperture has been widened and only part of the serial number is visible. The grips are in good overall condition with a few minor handling marks. This is a rare example of a S&W No. 2 lever action pistol with six inch barrel and factory engraving. The S&W lever action pistols were the predecessors of the Volcanic lever action pistols and carbines which in turn led to the development of the Henry and
Winchester lever action rifles.
Provenance: Eugene Herber; William Morris Jones;
Arthur S. “Pete” Jones; James Robinson; Property of a Gentleman. Estimate: 16,000 - 25,000