This is an extraordinary example of a Henry lever action rifle that was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co. of New Haven, Connecticut, in 1863. The rifle has the distinctive brass receiver and crescent buttplate with octagon barrel and integral 15-shot magazine. The rifle has the first style receiver with rear sight dovetail and early style buttplate with rounded heel. The rear sight dovetail on the receiver was discontinued about serial number 3,000 and a buttplate with pointed heel was introduced at about serial number 4,000. The barrel has the second pattern nickel silver front sight blade with tapered front and flat back and third pattern folding leaf rear sight. The third pattern rear sight is distinguished by "900" stamped below the center notch in the top of the leaf elevator bar with rounded ends and lack of the elevator stop screw in the top of the leaf. The magazine has the large diameter brass follower used after serial number 1,900. The receiver has milled flats on either side of the follower slot. The stock and barrel are not fitted with a sling swivel and loop for a sling hook (sling swivels and loops were extra cost, special order items until mid-1863). The buttplate has a hinged brass trapdoor and the butt trap contains a jointed four-piece hickory cleaning rod. The stock is straight grain American walnut with a varnished piano finish. The rifle has a blue barrel and integral magazine. The hammer, trigger and lever are color casehardened. The rear sight components, bolt and receiver, trigger spring and buttplate screws have a fire blue finish. The top barrel flat is roll stamped with the two-line legend "HENRY'S PATENT. OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT'D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS.CO. NEWHAVEN.CT." The legend is the smaller first style which utilizes Roman (serifed) letters for all of the address except for the second "NEWHAVEN" which is stamped in Gothic (block) letters. The "H" inspection mark of B. Tyler Henry is stamped on the lower tang behind the lever latch. The serial number is stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver, the left side of the lower receiver tang beneath the stock, the stock in the upper tang inlet, the inside of the buttplate below the trap, the hand-fitted buttplate screws and the upper and lower tang screws. All of the visible serial numbers match. The period initials "JB" are lightly scratched in the left stock wrist facing the receiver. The initials are 5/16-inches high and 14 to 16-inches long and are noticeable only on close inspection. Experts believe that most of the 7,500 Henry rifles manufactured between April 1862 and January 1865 were purchased for use in the Civil War and saw some military service. Aside from 900 rifles purchased by the Ordnance Department in 1863-1864 to arm the 1st D.C. Cavalry Regiment, nearly all Henry rifles used in the Civil War were privately purchased by soldiers who wanted to have the most advanced firearm available and take advantage of the sustained firepower of a 15-shot magazine rifle. As a result, the great majority of the Henry rifles under serial number 7,500 show moderate to heavy wear. Henry rifles manufactured during the Civil War with any original finish are very rare. Provenance: The Joe Marlin Hilliard Collection

Extremely fine. This rifle is completely original and retains 80% of the original blue finish overall. The blue finish on the barrel and integral magazine is thin but remains 80% intact. Significant wear is limited to two small areas of pitting on the right side of the barrel and the magazine near the muzzle. Most of the fire blue finish is present on the bolt, trigger spring and receiver and buttplate screws. The hammer, trigger and lever retain 90% of the subdued casehardened finish. The brass receiver and buttplate are excellent. The brass has a very attractive untouched mustard yellow patina. The side plate joints are perfect and the side plates do not appear to have been removed from the receiver. Receiver wear is limited to several very minor handling marks. The barrel legend, serial numbers, and "H" inspection mark are very sharp. The stock is excellent and retains 90% plus of the original piano finish. Stock wear consists of a few scattered and very minor handling and storage marks, some shallow chips in the toe next to the buttplate and the previously mentioned period initials. This is a stunning example of a Civil War production Henry rifle that retains most of the original finish and shows very little handling wear. It would be extremely difficult to find a better example of a Henry first model rifle!