Revised: 3/3/2015

Please note: There is a typo: Galpolis is spelled incorrectly. It should be “Gallipolis”.

RARE CIVIL WAR ERA PRESENTATION INSCRIBED HENRY MODEL 1860 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.

SN 1534. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Standard rifle with 24-1/4″ oct bbl that has integral magazine with early style square back German silver front sight and second type 900 yard ladder rear sight. Top flat of receiver is also dovetailed for a rear sight. Mounted with uncheckered straight grain American walnut with first type brass buttplate that has rnd heel. Rifle is second type with early features of a sharp radius at the top rear of the receiver, small magazine follower without a relief cut in the frame, small lever and small trigger pin. Buttstock is also early type with perch belly and a pronounced “Henry bump” on left side along with the scarce feature of a factory swivel mounted on the right side with corresponding staple & ring on right side of barrel. Buttplate has the large diameter trap with corresponding large diameter hole in the buttstock to accommodate the accompanying orig 4-pc hickory & steel wiping rod. Serial number was observed on top flat of bbl, between rear sight & frame, left side of lower tang under the wood, in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. All five screws of the buttstock & buttplate are also matching numbered. Assembly number “662” was observed on the rnd portion of the bbl, under loading sleeve and on rear face of loading sleeve. Right sideplate is period engraved “S. Wright, Ka / March 29th, 1863.” This rifle was presented to Stapleton Wright, the Captain of the Union Steamboat “Victor No. 2”, who piloted his boat through a Confederate ambush on the Kanawha River near Galipolis, Ohio on March 29, 1863. The Confederate force of about 800 men led by Gen. A.G. Jenkins had fought the 2nd Battle of Hurricane Bridge on March 28, 1863 with little or no losses on either side. The next day, as the Confederate force proceeded toward Point Pleasant the steamboat “Victor No. 2” hove into sight and the rebels hastily set up an ambush, ordering the steamboat to stop. Captain Wright refused, ordering full steam ahead and ran the ambush with no loss of life, although the boat & pilot house were much shot up. Later Capt. Wright was presented this rifle by the grateful Union authorities at Galipolis, Ohio. This presentation is mentioned in the Galipolis Journal on April 2, 1863. Capt. Stapleton Crutchfield Wright was born in 1839 and lived in Kanawha County, West Virginia where he worked as a steamboat Captain following a long line of river men from the Wright family. Accompanied by a 4-page hand written letter of authentication by famous author, George Madis, where he verifies most of the information about the rifle as noted above. Also accompanied by the book, History of Putnam County West Virginia, Volume I, Wintz, where the information regarding the ambush of Capt. Wright’s boat is described with the subsequent presentation of the rifle to Capt. Wright. This rifle is pictured on p. 88. Capt. Wright’s family genealogy is also listed on p. 134 of the referenced publication. Additionally there is a photograph of one of Capt. Wright’s descendents, Ralph Wright, holding a Henry rifle. Also there is a history of ownership of this rifle as follows: Capt. Wright, his son James Wright, William McKinley (James’ son), Bert Cook (husband of William’s daughter Jane), Wayne Woodall (a pawnbroker in Buckhannon, WV, who in 1984 had loaned Bert Cook $5,000 and held the rifle as collateral). In 1999 Mr. Woodall sold the rifle to renowned collector/dealer Bobby Smith of TN. Mr. Smith apparently then sold the rifle to renowned collector Norm Vegely who sold it to the consignor. While presentation Henry rifles are not extraordinarily rare, those presented to non-military persons are exceedingly rare, especially for acts of valor by a civilian. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching as noted above. Bbl retains a fine blue/brown patina with about 40% strong blue in the gullets and around rear sight; receiver & sideplates show strong clean edges with little or no nicks or scratches and retain a wonderful dark mustard patina; hammer retains silvered case colors on the sides with the edges a dark patina; lever is also a dark patina; buttplate is matching patina to the receiver. Wood is sound with a few light nicks & scratches and retains about 90% orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with a few light scattered spots of fine pitting; wiping rod is extremely fine. 4-47918 JR1 (40,000-60,000) – Lot 1183

Click here to view provenance

Auction: Firearms - March 2015

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1183	$92,000.00	Revised: 3/3/2015 Please note: There is a typo: Galpolis is spelled incorrectly. It should be “Gallipolis”. RARE CIVIL WAR ERA PRESENTATION INSCRIBED HENRY MODEL 1860 LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 1534. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Standard rifle with 24-1/4″ oct bbl that has integral magazine with early style square back German silver front sight and second type 900 yard ladder rear sight. Top flat of receiver is also dovetailed for a rear sight. Mounted with uncheckered straight grain American walnut with first type brass buttplate that has rnd heel. Rifle is second type with early features of a sharp radius at the top rear of the receiver, small magazine follower without a relief cut in the frame, small lever and small trigger pin. Buttstock is also early type with perch belly and a pronounced “Henry bump” on left side along with the scarce feature of a factory swivel mounted on the right side with corresponding staple & ring on right side of barrel. Buttplate has the large diameter trap with corresponding large diameter hole in the buttstock to accommodate the accompanying orig 4-pc hickory & steel wiping rod. Serial number was observed on top flat of bbl, between rear sight & frame, left side of lower tang under the wood, in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. All five screws of the buttstock & buttplate are also matching numbered. Assembly number “662” was observed on the rnd portion of the bbl, under loading sleeve and on rear face of loading sleeve. Right sideplate is period engraved “S. Wright, Ka / March 29th, 1863.” This rifle was presented to Stapleton Wright, the Captain of the Union Steamboat “Victor No. 2”, who piloted his boat through a Confederate ambush on the Kanawha River near Galipolis, Ohio on March 29, 1863. The Confederate force of about 800 men led by Gen. A.G. Jenkins had fought the 2nd Battle of Hurricane Bridge on March 28, 1863 with little or no losses on either side. The next day, as the Confederate force proceeded toward Point Pleasant the steamboat “Victor No. 2” hove into sight and the rebels hastily set up an ambush, ordering the steamboat to stop. Captain Wright refused, ordering full steam ahead and ran the ambush with no loss of life, although the boat & pilot house were much shot up. Later Capt. Wright was presented this rifle by the grateful Union authorities at Galipolis, Ohio. This presentation is mentioned in the Galipolis Journal on April 2, 1863. Capt. Stapleton Crutchfield Wright was born in 1839 and lived in Kanawha County, West Virginia where he worked as a steamboat Captain following a long line of river men from the Wright family. Accompanied by a 4-page hand written letter of authentication by famous author, George Madis, where he verifies most of the information about the rifle as noted above. Also accompanied by the book, History of Putnam County West Virginia, Volume I, Wintz, where the information regarding the ambush of Capt. Wright’s boat is described with the subsequent presentation of the rifle to Capt. Wright. This rifle is pictured on p. 88. Capt. Wright’s family genealogy is also listed on p. 134 of the referenced publication. Additionally there is a photograph of one of Capt. Wright’s descendents, Ralph Wright, holding a Henry rifle. Also there is a history of ownership of this rifle as follows: Capt. Wright, his son James Wright, William McKinley (James’ son), Bert Cook (husband of William’s daughter Jane), Wayne Woodall (a pawnbroker in Buckhannon, WV, who in 1984 had loaned Bert Cook $5,000 and held the rifle as collateral). In 1999 Mr. Woodall sold the rifle to renowned collector/dealer Bobby Smith of TN. Mr. Smith apparently then sold the rifle to renowned collector Norm Vegely who sold it to the consignor. While presentation Henry rifles are not extraordinarily rare, those presented to non-military persons are exceedingly rare, especially for acts of valor by a civilian. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching as noted above. Bbl retains a fine blue/brown patina with about 40% strong blue in the gullets and around rear sight; receiver & sideplates show strong clean edges with little or no nicks or scratches and retain a wonderful dark mustard patina; hammer retains silvered case colors on the sides with the edges a dark patina; lever is also a dark patina; buttplate is matching patina to the receiver. Wood is sound with a few light nicks & scratches and retains about 90% orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with a few light scattered spots of fine pitting; wiping rod is extremely fine. 4-47918 JR1 (40,000-60,000) – Lot 1183 Click here to view provenance Auction: Firearms - March 2015 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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RARE CIVIL WAR ERA PRESENTATION INSCRIBED HENRY MODEL 1860 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.