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WWII
AUCTION ITEM
Premiere Firearms Auction (December 4, 5 & 6 2009)
Lot #: 1243
Estimated Price: $30,000 - $50,000
Deluxe Engraved, Silver-Plated, New Haven Arms Co., Volcanic Lever Action No. 2 Navy Pistol with Ivory Grips
LOT SOLD
Serial #: 1638 Manufacturer: Volcanic
Model: Lever Type: Pistol
Gauge: 41 Volcanic Catalog Page: 239
Barrel Length: 8 inch Finish: blue/silver plated
Grip: ivory Stock: N/A
Sell Date: Saturday, December 05, 2009
Condition Rating:  
Description: Rare, deluxe Volcanic No. 2 Navy Pistol manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co., prior to the Civil War. The deluxe pistol features silver-plated brass receiver that is decorated with bold Germanic scroll engraving on a punch-dot background. The barrel was originally blue and the hammer and finger lever have a case-hardened finish. The top of the barrel is roll stamped: "REPEATING ARMS CO./PATENT NEWHAVEN CONN. FEB. 14. 1854" in two lines. The "VOLCANIC" markings which were part of the barrel legend were omitted after Oliver F. Winchester reorganized the Volcanic Repeating Arms Co., as the New Haven Arms Co., in April 1857. The serial number, "1638" is stamped on the right side of the finger lever and on the inside of both ivory grips. All of the visible serial numbers match. New Haven Arms Company advertisements from February, 1859, list the "No. 2-8-inch Navy Pistol" available "OO-plated and engraved" for $20.00. The engraving on this pistol is more detailed and better executed than the relatively simple engraving shown on the standard engraved Volcanic revolver illustrated on page 6 of "THE BOOK OF WINCHESTER ENGRAVING" by R.L. Wilson. The combination of detailed scroll and border engraving, silver-plated receiver and ivory grips appears to be nearly identical to the pair of deluxe engraved Volcanic pistols with 8-inch barrels made for Oliver Winchester shown on page 6 of "THE BOOK OF WINCHESTER ENGRAVING". This pistol almost certainly represents the highest level of engraving, finish and deluxe features available on a New Haven Arms Co., Volcanic pistol. Also, an artist painting of this pistol # 1638 was used for the cover of the 14th annual edition (1960) of Gun Digest by John T. Amber.
Condition: Very good. The barrel has a very attractive, plum-brown once cleaned (and toned) patina. The markings are fully legible and the barrel edges are sharp. There is some very fine pitting on the left side of the barrel which does not detract from the overall appearance of the pistol. The hammer and loading lever have a dark age patina with some scattered light pitting. The brass frame retains approximately 20% of the original silver-plated finish which is contained in the protected areas. The well-executed engraving is crisp and deep. The edges of the receiver side-plates are sharp and straight with almost none of the battering found on side-plates that have been removed. The fine ivory grips have a yellow patina with several minor spots of brown discoloration and several hair-line age cracks on the butt. The pistol is functional and the action works well. This is a rare, deluxe engraved, New Haven Arms Co., Lever Action No. 2 Navy Pistol.
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