RARE IRON FRAME HENRY MODEL 1860 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.

RARE IRON FRAME HENRY MODEL 1860 LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 197. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Usual configuration with 24-1/4″ oct bbl with integral magazine tube and slightly altered orig German silver front sight with 1,000 yard Henry ladder rear sight, missing its slide. Henry’s Patent and New Haven arms 2-line address are of the small letter type and completely legible. Receiver & sideplates are of iron with a second dovetail in the top flat of the receiver. Mounted with nicely figured, slab-sawed American walnut that has a bottom mounted sling swivel with a sling loop on right side of bbl. SN was observed in the usual place on the top flat of the bbl between rear sight & receiver. It is also found on left side of lower tang, under the wood, inside top tang channel of buttstock and inside buttplate tang. Buttstock has the large hole for wood cleaning rod and also has a groove down the bottom of the hole. Top of the rnd section of the bbl, under the rotating sleeve, is marked with assembly number “146” which number is also found on rear face of rotating sleeve. Right side of rotating sleeve is screw-mounted with a saber bayonet lug. All screws are matching numbered. Pages 184-186 of The Henry Rifle, Quick, pictures a similar bayonet lug on an early Henry rifle, similarly mounted on right side of rotating sleeve but of a longer style for the “Bahn Frei” bayonet. Both of the lugs utilize a similar catch with the one in the picture having the notch on the bottom vs. notch on the top of this rifle. Information contained in the referenced publication states that there were less than 400 of these iron frame Henrys produced very early in the production run with no. “355” the highest SN known. Mr. Quick also reports that the general consensus among knowledgeable collectors & dealers is that the iron frame & brass frame Henrys were produced simultaneously and that there were probably substantially less than 400 ever made. The chart in the referenced publication on pp. 54 & 55 show a duplication of 16 SNs between iron & brass frame rifles out of 167 rifles surveyed. This same panel of experts concluded that this duplication was simple bookkeeping errors. This rifle has all of the correct early features including the German silver front sight, 1,000 yard ladder rear sight, sharp radius at top rear of receiver, small loop finger lever without locking spur, slight perch belly stock and the large cleaning rod recess. CONDITION: Fine to very fine, all matching. Bbl retains a smooth even plum blue/brown patina with some mottling in the gullet on the right side; receiver retains a plummy blue/brown patina with silver patina showing through; top edges of sideplates are slightly battered as is the bottom of the carrier; trigger return spring has a replaced screw. Stock is sound with light nicks, dings & scratches and a chemical streak from the bottom tang to the buttplate and overall retains most of its fine orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with good shine and scattered pitting. 4-46197 JR257 (75,000-125,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012

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
	1223	$86,250.00	RARE IRON FRAME HENRY MODEL 1860 LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 197. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Usual configuration with 24-1/4″ oct bbl with integral magazine tube and slightly altered orig German silver front sight with 1,000 yard Henry ladder rear sight, missing its slide. Henry’s Patent and New Haven arms 2-line address are of the small letter type and completely legible. Receiver & sideplates are of iron with a second dovetail in the top flat of the receiver. Mounted with nicely figured, slab-sawed American walnut that has a bottom mounted sling swivel with a sling loop on right side of bbl. SN was observed in the usual place on the top flat of the bbl between rear sight & receiver. It is also found on left side of lower tang, under the wood, inside top tang channel of buttstock and inside buttplate tang. Buttstock has the large hole for wood cleaning rod and also has a groove down the bottom of the hole. Top of the rnd section of the bbl, under the rotating sleeve, is marked with assembly number “146” which number is also found on rear face of rotating sleeve. Right side of rotating sleeve is screw-mounted with a saber bayonet lug. All screws are matching numbered. Pages 184-186 of The Henry Rifle, Quick, pictures a similar bayonet lug on an early Henry rifle, similarly mounted on right side of rotating sleeve but of a longer style for the “Bahn Frei” bayonet. Both of the lugs utilize a similar catch with the one in the picture having the notch on the bottom vs. notch on the top of this rifle. Information contained in the referenced publication states that there were less than 400 of these iron frame Henrys produced very early in the production run with no. “355” the highest SN known. Mr. Quick also reports that the general consensus among knowledgeable collectors & dealers is that the iron frame & brass frame Henrys were produced simultaneously and that there were probably substantially less than 400 ever made. The chart in the referenced publication on pp. 54 & 55 show a duplication of 16 SNs between iron & brass frame rifles out of 167 rifles surveyed. This same panel of experts concluded that this duplication was simple bookkeeping errors. This rifle has all of the correct early features including the German silver front sight, 1,000 yard ladder rear sight, sharp radius at top rear of receiver, small loop finger lever without locking spur, slight perch belly stock and the large cleaning rod recess. CONDITION: Fine to very fine, all matching. Bbl retains a smooth even plum blue/brown patina with some mottling in the gullet on the right side; receiver retains a plummy blue/brown patina with silver patina showing through; top edges of sideplates are slightly battered as is the bottom of the carrier; trigger return spring has a replaced screw. Stock is sound with light nicks, dings & scratches and a chemical streak from the bottom tang to the buttplate and overall retains most of its fine orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with good shine and scattered pitting. 4-46197 JR257 (75,000-125,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012 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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