Rock Island Auction Company is pleased to present this beautiful and historically unique, pre-production factory engraved New Haven Arms Co. Henry Rifle. The origins of the Henry Rifle trace back to the partnership between pioneering gunsmiths Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson in the manufacture of lever action repeating magazine pistols under the name Smith & Wesson, and these pistols represented the first variation of the lever action/integral magazine. S&W was re-incorporated as the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company. Smith and Wesson left to form their second business venture involving the manufacture of revolvers, but their lever action design endured. In 1857, financial problems doomed the Volcanic Repeating Arms Co. and the entire assets were sold to company stockholder Oliver F. Winchester. Winchester reorganized the company as the New Haven Arms Company where the Volcanic pistols and rifles continued to be manufactured. Eventually, the Volcanic action was redesigned to use large caliber rimfire metallic cartridges created by B. Tyler Henry. The success of the redesign became the famed Henry lever action rifle. Oliver Winchester continued to serve as chief executive officer of New Haven Arms when the name changed in 1866 to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Under Winchester's direction the Henry Rifle was ultimately refined to become the legendary Winchester Model 1866. Offered here is what we believe to be the only surviving pre-production example to that famed revolutionary arm, the Henry Rifle. Although this rifle has an absence of serial numbers where one would normally find them, it is marked with a “2” on the face of its frame, likely indicating the second rifle made to handle the newly created cartridge. Its brass frame is comparable to the early production Henry frame, with contours less sloping at the rear when compared to later production specimens. The frame on this pre-production example is slightly larger/fatter than the standard early production frame and a comparison to the front contours also show noticeable differences. The receiver measures 1.25 inches thick at the side plates, 1.16 inches thick at the breech, 2.18 inches from the underside of the receiver to the top of the chamber, 3.18 inch long upper tang, and 3.18 inch long lower tang. The corresponding measurements on a standard production First Model Henry are the following: 1.22 inches thick at the side plates, 1.13 inches thick at the breech, 2.15 inches from the underside of the receiver to the top of the chamber, 2.62 inch long upper tang, and 4.61 inch long lower tang, with both being lengthened slightly on all proceeding examples to increase strength. We believe with certainty that this gun was personally studied and inspected by both Henry and Winchester, who were so confident in its design that they immediately had it engraved, either before or after test firing. The in-house engraver gave this Henry the type of embellishment he knew best and what he knew best were Volcanic arms. This is especially true when one considers that the Henry frame was so similar to that of a Volcanic. The embellishment on the frame and butt-plate tang are in the typical style New Haven Arms used on its Volcanic arms. The resemblance to the basic Volcanic scroll and border pattern is clearly evident on virtually all factory engraved Volcanic arms. This engraving consists of floral scrollwork, floral blossoms and simple border patterns. Additional scrolls and leaf patterns decorate the upper flats of the frame. As part of the marketing strategy to win over customers, New Haven Arms engraved and plated a large percentage of the early produced Henrys. Advances in decoration would soon develop during production until a standard Henry pattern emerged (see, for example, nos. 1888, 4515, 6057 and 7169 in R.L. Wilson’s “Winchester’s Engraving” on pages 23, 24, 29 and 32). The top of the frame is twice slotted for a rear sight. A folding ladder rear sight graduated to 900 yards is mounted in the rear slot. A brass filler block is in the other sight slot. The top barrel flat is stamped “HENRY’S PATENT. OCT. 16, 1860/MANUFACT’D BY THE NEW HAVEN ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN, CT.” As stated above, there are no serial numbers stamped in the usual locations (barrel, left side of the lower tang, stock inlet and butt-plate) as found on standard production Henrys. The absence of a serial number but the unusual “2” on the front of the frame is indicative of a tool room marking, likely signifying that this was the second pre-production model. The straight grip stock is nicely figured varnished walnut. The brass trapdoor butt-plate follows the early production pattern with a round heel. The Henry rifle saw extensive service in the Civil War. Besides the 900 rifles purchased by the Ordnance Department in 1863-1864 to arm the 1st D.C. Cavalry Regiment, many additional Henry rifles were privately purchased by soldiers who wanted to take advantage of the sustained firepower of a 15-shot magazine rifle. The firepower of the Henry Rifle was valued on the frontier in the years that followed the Civil War. The Henry was the first in a long lineage of successful Winchester lever action rifles. As author Wiley Sword put it, “It was perhaps the most important firearm of its era. Tested and proved in the fiery crucible of the Civil War, the Henry Rifle became the forerunner of the famous line of Winchester Repeating Rifles that ‘Won the West’”. It is quite possible that this rifle (considering its wonderful condition) was preserved by the factory or even privately by Henry or Winchester themselves, however there is no definitive provenance as to its chain of ownership. The care that was taken over the years to preserve this gorgeous rifle is evident as it is one of the most attractive Henry Rifles we have ever encountered.

Fine, and in absolutely elegant, untouched condition. The barrel and magazine retain 40% plus original blue with the balance faded to a finely aged blue and plum brown. The brass has a highly attractive, untouched aged appearance. The receiver side-plates are tight. The engraving is crisp. The stock is very fine with minor dings and scratches and retains nearly all its original finish with wonderful color. Mechanically excellent. This pre-production factory engraved New Haven Arms Co. Henry Rifle is worthy of the finest private or public collections. A definite must have for the serious collector, especially for collectors who believe they have seen it all!