This Deluxe No. 2 Lever Action Navy pistol was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company c. 1860. Only about 300 No. 2 Navy pistols were manufactured with six-inch barrels. This pistol has a silver-plated frame with deluxe engraving and two-piece antique ivory grips. The engraving features open scrollwork on a punch-dot background on the frame and side plates with cross-hatch and dot engraving on the top of the receiver ahead of the ejection port, elaborate border work on the upper edges of the frame and side plates and scrollwork on the top of the frame and the back strap. The engraving is very similar to the engraving on the pair of No. 2 Lever Action pistols with silver-plated frames owned by Oliver Winchester and illustrated on page 97 of "VOLCANIC FIREARMS" by Lewis and Rutter. Although nearly identical in style, the engraving on this pistol appears to be slightly more detailed. The engraving was almost certainly executed by the same hand as the engraving on Oliver Winchester's pistols. The six-inch octagon barrel has an integral, eight-shot, magazine with full rib. The rib indicates the barrel was probably made by the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company and subsequently utilized by the New Haven Arms Company. The barrel has a crowned muzzle, rounded T-bar spring, brass cone-shaped front sight and clam-shell shaped magazine follower. The frame has circular cut-outs on the front and rear of the ejection port, a simple dove-tail mounted rear sight, hammer with coarse, hand-cut knurling on the spur and loading lever with finger hole. "1" is stamped on the left side of the loading lever and the serial number "2366" is stamped on the right side of the lever. The serial number is also stamped on the right side of the butt beneath the grips. The barrel has a high polish blue finish. The bolt, rear sight and cartridge elevator are fire blue. The hammer, trigger and lever are color casehardened and the brass frame is silver-plated.

Fine. This pistol is all original and retains 80% plus of the blue finish on the barrel/magazine. The New Haven Arms Company legend on the top flat is crisp. The delicate silver-plated finish on the frame is visible on the areas protected by the grips. The exposed areas of the frame have a very attractive untouched patina. The well executed engraving is deep and crisp. The frame has no significant handling marks and perfect side plate joints. Small amounts of fire blue finish are visible on the cartridge elevator and rear sight. The case colors on the hammer, trigger and lever have faded to a mottled gray-brown patina. The attractively aged grips are in very fine condition with only several tiny stress cracks around the screw escutcheons. This deluxe No. 2 Navy Pistol is one of the most elaborately engraved and finished Volcanic pistols extant and nearly identical to the engraved Volcanic pistols owned by Oliver Winchester. Provenance: Dr. Gerald Klaz collection.