This Henry lever action rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co. in June 1865. The rifle has the distinctive brass receiver and crescent buttplate with octagon barrel and integral 15-shot magazine. The stock is oil-finished, straight grain American walnut. The barrel has a mid-late production, nickel-silver, square back front sight with tapered profile blade and the final style folding leaf rear sight. The rear sight has a 900 yard notch on the top of the blade, elevator bar stop screw and elevator bar with rounded ends. The stock has the second style buttplate with pointed heel. The buttplate has a hinged brass trapdoor, and the butt trap contains the four-piece, jointed steel ramrod with brass tip furnished with later production Henry rifles. The left side of the stock and the barrel have a factory sling swivel and screw-fastened loop for a sling hook that were standard on later production Henry rifles. The magazine has the late, large diameter follower, and the receiver has the late milled follower cut. The buttplate and tang screws are the cap head style used on mid-late production rifles rather than the hand-fitted and serial numbered screws used on early production rifles. The barrel and magazine are blued, the hammer, lever and trigger have a color casehardened finish, and the receiver and crescent buttplate have the natural brass finish. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the second style legend: "HENRY'S PATENT. OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT'D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS CO. NEWHAVEN.CT." in two lines ahead of the rear sight. This late marking is slightly larger than the first style marking (3 9/32" vs 2 17/32") and uses all serif letters rather than the combination of serif and block letters found in the first style legend. The matching serial number is stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the left side of the lower receiver tang, and on the inside of the buttplate. The last two digits of the serial number remain on the buttstock with the first two removed by screw from period installed tang sight which has been removed. The tang and buttplate screws are, correctly, not serial numbered. The "W" inspection mark used by Oliver Winchester is stamped on the lower receiver tang between the lever latch and stock screw. Provenance: The Joe Marlin Hilliard Collection

Excellent. The rifle retains 85% plus of the original blue finish on the barrel/magazine. The barrel has light finish wear on the edges and the blue has faded to a plum patina on the contact points along the bottom of the rear 1/3 of the magazine. The New Haven Arms Co. address and serial number are crisp. Most of the fire blue finish is present on the rear sight elevation bar. The brass receiver and buttplate are both in excellent condition with a very attractive, untouched patina. The receiver side plate joints are perfect. The upper receiver tang has been drilled and tapped for a tang sight. The faded case colors on the hammer, trigger and lever are lightly visible and are mostly a mottled brown patina. Traces of the original fire blue finish are present on the tang and buttplate screws. The stock is also in excellent condition, and retains most of the original oil finish with only a few scattered and very minor handling and storage marks. This is an outstanding example of an 1865 production Henry rifle in excellent condition that would be very difficult to improve upon.