Manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co. c. 1857. The carbine has the distinctive blue octagon barrel with integral magazine and brass gunmetal receiver, cartridge follower and crescent buttplate. The hammer and lever are casehardened. The straight grain American walnut stock has a high polish piano finish. The barrel has a nickel silver half moon front sight. A screw adjustable rear sight is mounted on the top of the receiver. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped "NEW HAVEN CONN. PATENT FEB. 14, 1854" . The marking indicates that this carbine was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company after the Volcanic Arms Company was reorganized by Oliver Winchester in April 1857. A rack number "46" is boldly stamped on the bottom of the receiver behind the cartridge elevator. The serial number "8" is stamped on the lower left side of the receiver tang, on the heel of the stock beneath the buttplate, on the inside of the buttplate and on the shanks of the hand fitted buttplate and lower tang screws. The Volcanic carbines and pistols were revolutionary firearms that featured self-contained primed cartridges, spring loaded magazines and lever actions. The basic design of the Volcanic carbine formed the basis for the more successful New Haven Arms Henry and Winchester Model 1866 and Model 1873 rifles. Shirt-maker Oliver Winchester's investment in the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company introduced him to firearms manufacturing.

Very good plus. The blue finish on the barrel has aged to a very attractive smooth blue-brown patina with original finish in protected areas. The barrel edges are sharp and the markings are crisp. The fine brass receiver has a mellow unpolished patina. The sight plate joints are tight and wear is limited to a few scattered handling marks and scratches. The crescent brass buttplate has the same unhandled patina with some minor spots of age discoloration. The case colors on the hammer and lever have a deep brown patina. The stock is fine and retains 70% of the high polish piano finish. The rear sight is a professionally made replacement. The stock has a number of minor dents and scratches, and has a hairline crack on each side of the wrist. Mechanically functions fine, but lever does not stay up. This is a fine example of an early and scarce New Haven Arms Company Volcanic Carbine.