GUN SPRING 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.
RARE SMITH & WESSON NUMBER 1 VOLCANIC LEVER ACTION PISTOL. SMITH & WESSON NO 1 VOLCANIC 252H 31 Cal. 31. All steel construction with 4-1/8" oct bbl, pinched pin front sight and fixed rear sight in top flat of frame. Top flat of bbl is marked "SMITH & WESSON / NORWICH, CT." and left flat is marked with the patent date. Mounted with 2-pc bag-shaped smooth rosewood grips matching numbered to this pistol. Receiver and sideplates are nicely engraved in standard Volcanic foliate arabesque patterns. SN was observed on left side of frontstrap, under the grip, right side of lever and inside each grip. According to Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms only about 1,200 of these rare pistols were produced 1854-1855. In 1855, the Smith & Wesson Manufacturing Company was reorganized as The Volcanic Repeating Arms Company and operated as such in 1857, at which time it was reorganized by Oliver F. Winchester in what was to become the New Haven Arms Company. About 1855 or 1856, Smith & Wesson left the company and Oliver Winchester assumed control. The New Haven Arms Company remained in business until about 1860 when B. Tyler Henry capitalized on the design of the Volcanic pistol and produced the very successful Model 1860 Henry rifle, which was succeeded by the Model 1866 Winchester, still using the same design which began the Winchester Dynasty as we know it today. The Volcanic cartridge was simply a hollow base lead bullet that contained the propellant and priming mixture. They were severely under-powered and nearly impossible to extract in the event of a mis-fire or or desire to unload a chambered rnd, without the use of a ramrod type tool. As such, they never gained strong popularity with the buying public resulting in the limited production and low survival rate. CONDITION: Very fine. No orig finish remains being an overall blue-grey patina with a few small dings on the left side of the rotating loading sleeve. Receiver and sideplates show lightly rounded edges with strong, clear engraving. Grips are sound showing high point wear with a few light nicks and scratches and retain most of their orig varnish. Mechanics are fine. Strong bright bore with very fine scattered spots of pitting. 51820-1 JRL (12,500-17,500)