Page 59 - Auction84-Book3

LOT 3061
Very Fine Volcanic Repeating Arms Co. Lever Action Navy Pistol - Serial
no. 1146, 41 cal., 8 inch octagon bbl., blue/bright finish, varnished walnut grips.
This Lever Action Navy pistol was manufactured by Volcanic Repeating Arms c. 1856. The pistol has an eight-inch barrel with integral ten-shot magazine, distinctive brass frame and
loading lever with finger hole. The Type I, octagon, barrel has a full rib, rounded T-Bar spring, iron, clam-shell follower and German silver cone front sight. The
brass frame has a shallow semi-circular cut-out at the front on the ejection port and a fixed, dove-tail mounted, rear sight. The bolt has a single hook extractor and the hammer has fine, hand-cut, knurling on the spur. The top
barrel flat is roll-stamped: “THE VOLCANIC/REPEATING ARMS CO./PATENT NEW HAVEN CONN. FEB. 14. 1854” in three lines. The serial number is visible on the right side of the loading lever, left side of the butt beneath the grips and the inside of both grips. All the visible serial numbers match. The barrel/magazine has a high polish blue finish. The bolt, rear sight, loading lever, cartridge elevator and trigger spring are fire
blue. The hammer is color casehardened. The walnut grips have a high gloss varnish finish. The brass receiver is unplated and retains the natural finish. Operating between 1855-1857, the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company manufactured approximately 3,000 lever action pistols using a refined variation of the toggle action magazine design introduced by Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson. The self-cocking toggle action, integral magazine
and self-contained ‘Rocket Ball’ cartridge represented a revolutionary advance in firearms design. Investment in Volcanic Repeating Arms introduced Oliver Winchester to firearms manufacturing and led to the foundation of the New Haven Arms Company and the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.
CONDITION: Very fine. This pistol is all original and retains 60% of the bright blue, fire blue and casehardened finish. The bright blue finish on the barrel has faded on contact points and shows edge wear. The barrel legend
is crisp. The brass receiver has an attractive, un-touched patina and tight side-plate joints. Significant amounts
of niter blue finish are present on the bolt, rear sight, loading lever, cartridge elevator and trigger spring. The trigger is an even dove gray. The hammer retains 90% plus of the original case colors. The grips remain in very fine condition with scattered handling marks and 90% plus of the varnish finish. Mechanically excellent. This is a very fine, original, example of a scarce and historically significant Volcanic Repeating Arms Lever Action Navy Pistol. Provenance: The Milan J. Turk Collection.
Estimate: 14,000 - 22,500
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