GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
SCARCE FIRST TYPE MARTIAL HENRY MODEL 1860 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.NEW HAVEN1860 HENRY306344RFCal. 44 RF Henry. Standard Henry rifle with 24-1/4" oct bbl, integral magazine tube and early 1st type German silver front sight blade with rnd top and 2nd type 900 yard Henry ladder rear sight without slide stop screw. Right forward side of frame has the inspector initials "HH" and correspondingly on the right bbl flat at the receiver the inspector, "CGC". Mounted with uncheckered straight grain American walnut buttstock with straight grip and early style brass buttplate with rnd heel and large trap for the accompanying 4-pc hickory & steel cleaning rod. Right side of buttstock is amateur inlaid with a 5-point brass star secured with a single nail through the center. Right wrist of buttstock shows the outline of a cartouche visible under strong light. Right heel of buttplate is marked with a tiny "C" inspector mark with corresponding "C" adjacent on the wood. SN was observed in the usual place on top flat of bbl between rear sight & frame and on left side of the lower tang under the wood as well as in the top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. The 2 buttplate screws are matching numbered to the rifle. The 3 receiver screws, although unnumbered are orig Henry style screws and probably orig to this rifle. Left top front side of receiver has a small plugged hole which likely was installed for ease of access to change the extractor which was a weak point on the Henry rifle. The lever latch tab is too short to engage the lever latch on the lower tang indicating that the lever is from another rifle, probably an 1866 or 1873. Given the overall condition, along with the "Texas star" in the buttstock, the argument can be made that this probably was a Confederate captured rifle during the Civil War and saw extensive hard service thereafter, both during the war and on the American frontier. There were a total of 1,731 Henry rifles purchased by the US Military, of which only about 800 were the Type-1 as found here, the majority of which were used to arm the 3rd Regiment Veteran Volunteers. This unit was initially intended to act as "shock troops", but were primarily used for guard and picket duty around Washington, D.C. They did have a few small engagements just toward the end of the war and then were absorbed into the 2nd Maine Cavalry until the war was over. These veteran volunteers, as part of their enlistment agreement with honorable service were allowed to retain their arms and accoutrements at their expiration of service. Apparently the majority of those soldiers took advantage of this provision and took their Henry rifles home with them where they usually saw very hard service on the American frontier, some of which were so harshly used that they are unidentifiable as Martial issued. PROVENANCE: The collection of Robert Roughton. CONDITION: Fair, all matching. Bbl & magazine retain a crusty brown patina under a coating of old varnish with heavy pitting on both sides. Receiver & side plates show numerous nicks & dings with light scratches and retains a dark brown brass patina. Lever & hammer are also dark patina with moderate to heavy rust on the lever. Stock is sound showing a "Henry bump" on the left side with numerous light nicks & scratches and retains a very old, dark restored finish. Mechanics are balky on closing, otherwise they are fine. Strong bore with moderate to heavy pitting and a couple of rings about mid-point. Cleaning rod is extremely fine. 52328-52 JRL (15,000-25,000)