Page 63 - Auction84-Book3
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   LOT 3065 New Haven Arms Company Volcanic No. 1 Pistol - Serial no. 502, 31 cal., 6 inch octagon bbl., blue
finish, walnut grips. The New Haven Arms Company manufactured approximately 225 .31 caliber pistols with
six-inch barrels between 1857 and 1862 using the small frame No. 1 action. This pistol has a Type 3 (non-ribbed) octagon barrel with integral eight- shot magazine, rounded T-bar spring, pinch-top front sight blade and brass, clam-shell, follower. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped: “NEWHAVEN CONN.
PATENT FEB. 14.1854” in one line. The plain brass receiver has semi-circular cut-outs at both ends of the ejection port and a dove-tail mounted rear sight.
The bottom of the frame, correctly, lacks the external spring mounting screws found on large frame Volcanic pistols. The pistol has the distinctive loading lever with finger hole. The hammer has hand-cut knurling on the spur. The bolt has a single hook extractor. The serial number is stamped on the left side of the butt beneath the grips and on the inside of both grips. All of the visible serial numbers match. The barrel originally had a bright blue finish. The bolt, cartridge elevator, rear sight and trigger spring are fire blue. The hammer, trigger and lever all appear to be color casehardened. The two-piece walnut grips have a high gloss varnish finish. The No. 1 Target pistol is one of the most difficult to obtain and most desirable of all of the New Haven Arms Company Volcanic firearms. CONDITION: Fine. The barrel/magazine has an even, dove-gray patina with traces of bright blue finish in protected areas. The edges of the barrel are sharp and the legend is crisp. The brass frame is fine with tight side-plate joints, minimal handling and storage wear and a very attractive aged patina. The two-piece grips remain in fine condition with much of the original varnish finish and a few very insignificant storage marks. Traces of fire blue are present on protected areas of the bolt and rear sight; nearly all of the fire blue remains on the trigger spring. The hammer has 40% of the muted case colors. The loading lever and trigger have a mottled blue-gray patina. This is a fine example of a rare and highly desirable New Haven Arms Company Volcanic No.1 Target pistol. Provenance: The Milan J. Turk Collection. Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500
LOT 3066
Scarce and Desirable Engraved Smith & Wesson No. 1 Lever Action Pistol with Smith
& Wesson Letter - Serial no. D18, 31 Volcanic cal., 4 inch part octagon bbl., brown/blue finish, rosewood grips. This Small frame No. 1 Lever Action Pistol was manufactured by Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson in Norwich Connecticut c. 1854. The pistol has the distinctive
part-round/part octagon, 4-inch, .31 caliber, octagon barrel with integral magazine and loading lever with finger hole. The barrel has a crowned
muzzle, rounded T-bar spring, nickel-silver, pinch-top, front sight and clam-shell shaped magazine follower. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend: “SMITH & WESSON/NORWICH. CT.”. The receiver has a fixed rear sight, ejection port with semi-circular cut-out on the front end, loading lever with finger loop
but no spur, finely knurled hammer spur and two-piece, bag-shaped, rosewood grips. The serial number is stamped on the left side of the butt beneath the grips. “18”
is stamped on the inside of both grips. The pistol has internal retaining springs and lacks the screws on the bottom found on pistols with serial numbers higher than “1C”. The receiver sides and back, back strap, side plates and back of the hammer are factory engraved with the standard S&W open scroll and floral engraving. The barrel was originally browned, the receiver blued and the grips have a varnished piano finish. The pistol is complete with a copy of a S&W factory letter that states this pistol was manufactured in 1854, had a blue finish and was sold through J. Dixon & Co., the sole distributor for S&W lever action pistols. CONDITION: Good. The barrel and receiver have an even, silver-gray, patina with slight surface texture. There are traces of shallow pitting on the barrel, magazine and receiver. The legend on the barrel is clear. The well-executed factory engraving on the receiver, side-plates and hammer is sharp. Most of the mottled case colors are present on the hammer. The grips are very good with minimal handling wear and retain much of the original varnished piano finish. This is a good- looking, original, example of a rare Smith & Wesson No. 1 Lever Action pistol. Provenance: The Milan J. Turk Collection. Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500
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