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LOT 3014
Fine Civil War New Haven Arms Company Henry Lever Action Rifle
- Serial no. 8638, 44 Henry RF cal., 24 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This well cared for Henry rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co. in April 1864. Henry rifles are one of the rarest and most desirable of all of the classic American lever action rifles variations and are highly sought after by collectors making getting your hands on one very difficult. The firepower of the Henry rifles was valued on the frontier in the years that followed the Civil War and were popular with both settlers and Native Americans. As a model of rifle that typically exhibit wear vaccinated with years of hard use, surviving examples are extremely rare, especially those in above average condition such as this example. This specific rifle, no. 8638, falls between nos. 8635 and 8639 (only one digit away from this rifle) which are two Henry rifles documented on page 76 of “The Historic Henry Rifle” by Wiley Sword reported by the 3rd Regiment U.S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry. Although the federal government purchased just over 1,700 Henry rifles during the Civil War and only one regiment, the 1st District of Columbia Cavalry, was fully armed with Henry rifles, experts believe that the majority of the approximately 9,000 Henry rifles manufactured between April 1862 and April 1865 saw service during the Civil War as privately purchased weapons. Federal soldiers, particularly in “Western” regiments from Illinois,
Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky appreciated the firepower offered by the Henry lever action and were willing to spend their pay for the most advanced rifle available during the war. Several Western regiments were armed primarily with privately purchased Henry rifles by the end of the Civil War. The rifle features a brass receiver that lacks the alternate rear sight dovetail, brass buttplate with pointed heel, blade front sight with squared back, and folding ladder rear sight graduated to 900 yards. There is a buttstock swivel and screw fastened sling hook loop on the left side of the barrel. The top barrel flat is roll stamped with the two-line legend ahead of the rear sight: “HENRY’S PATENT OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT’D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS CO. NEWHAVEN. CT.”The matching serial number is stamped on the top barrel flat at the breech, left side of the lower tang, stock inlet, and buttplate. CONDITION: Fine. The barrel and magazine retain 40% original blue finish with an attractive untouched smooth brown patina on the balance. The very fine brass has a highly attractive mellow aged appearance. The receiver has tight fitting side plates. The period refinished stock is also fine with a splice repair under the swivel and minor handling marks. A solid representative example of a highly sought after, well cared for Civil War era New Haven Arms Henry Rifle.
Estimate: 30,000 - 50,000