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LOT 1017
Extraordinary Early Factory Engraved and Silver Plated Deluxe First
Model New Haven Arms Co. Henry Lever Action Rifle with Exceptionally
Rare Dust Cover - Serial no. 1094, 44 Henry RF cal., 24 1/4 inch octagon bbl.,
blue/silver finish, deluxe walnut stock. This beautiful factory engraved and
silver plated Henry rifle was manufactured in 1862 during the American Civil
War. This rifle was kept by the factory museum collection until it was sold in
June of 1991 in the Musser Auction in Cody Wyoming which liquidated part of
the museum collection. Factory engraved Henry rifles are scarce and among
the most desirable of all the antique firearms by collectors today thanks to
their important place in the development of lever action firearms and the
Winchester Repeating Arms Co., as well as their place in the history of the
American Civil War, the West, and popular culture. This highly attractive factory
engraved Henry is about as desirable as it gets with beautiful factory scroll
and border engraving and silver plating on the brass frame and buttplate, a
deluxe select grain walnut stock, impressive condition, and an extremely rare
breech cover also known as a dust cover. In studying numerous Henry rifles for
his book “The Story of Benjamin Tyler Henry and His Famed Repeating Rifle,”
author Les Quick notes that he only observed three of the dust covers. He
notes that it is believed these dust covers may have been standard for a period
of the Henry rifle’s production. Very, very few survive. They would have been
extremely easy to lose since they are not attached to the rifle, would need to
be removed for using the rifle, and would automatically be knocked off by
running the lever.
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