EXTRAORDINARILY RARE EARLY HALF-NICKEL MODEL 1860 HENRY LEVER ACTION RIFLE.

EXTRAORDINARILY RARE EARLY HALF-NICKEL MODEL 1860 HENRY LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 641. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Wonderful family documented early Henry rifle with 24-1/4″ oct bbl that has integral magazine, rnd top German silver front sight and orig 1st type 1,000 yard Henry ladder rear sight, missing its slide. Mounted with straight grain, uncheckered American walnut stock that has a perch belly with orig, matching numbered 1st type buttplate with rnd heel & trap. Stock has large compartment for the accompanying orig 4-pc hickory & steel cleaning rod. Receiver, lever, hammer, buttplate & magazine follower have orig nickel finish and receiver has the 2nd sight dovetail in top flat. SN was observed on top flat of bbl between receiver & rear sight, left side of lower tang under the wood, inside top tang channel of buttstock and inside top tang of buttplate. All stock & buttplate screws are also matching numbered. Assembly number “62” is found on top of the rnd section of the bbl under the rotating loading sleeve and on the rear face of loading sleeve. This rifle has all the attributes & features of the earliest models plus the lever lock which was standard equipment by the time this rifle was manufactured. Accompanied by a sworn, notarized affidavit from consignor stating that this rifle has been her family since the late 1880s. She states that her great-grandfather, Robert Davidson Smith (1864-1932) left London, Ohio in the mid-1880s and settled on a farm near Dodge City/Ashland, Kansas, where he was shortly joined by his younger brother, James (Jim) and sister, Hattie. Consignor states that she has many letters from her great-grandfather dating to this period postmarked either Dodge City or Ashland. She states that Jim was an accomplished violinist and had a job playing the fiddle in a local saloon that was, reportedly, owned by the sheriff. She continues that after a few years Uncle Jim and her great-grandfather returned to Ohio but before they left, according to family history, the sheriff/saloon owner told Uncle Jim “Come upstairs because I want to give you something.”This Henry rifle was given to Uncle Jim in part payment for his services as a musician and because the sheriff just liked him. Consignor states that she can recall her mother reading her a letter from the 1880s in which her great-grandfather, Robert Davidson Smith, makes specific reference to the Henry rifle acquired by Uncle Jim and that she also has an audio tape from the 1970s wherein her grandfather, Robert V. Smith, discusses the Henry rifle and the circumstances by which his Uncle Jim acquired it. Consignor’s Uncle Jim had no sons, but daughters, and gave this Henry rifle to her grandfather, Robert V. Smith (1894-1978), where it remained until he died in 1978 and possession passed to consignor’s mother, Roberta Ann Smith O’Neill (1922-2008), when the grandparents’ property was divided. When consignor’s mother died in 2008 consignor gained ownership of the rifle. She states that the accompanying canvas case with the hand-written initials “RVS” was from her grandfather when he was a young man. Also accompanying is a copy of a 3-page hand written letter on The Ashland House stationery, Ashland, Kansas, dated April 11, 1887. Also accompanying is a copy of a photograph of a 6-pc band with the seated man in the center holding a fiddle, Uncle Jim. There is another photograph accompanying which features a very rugged landscape with three men in 1880s costume on horseback with two ladies and a child in a buggy, three ladies and another child in the foreground and a large dog. None of the individuals are identified. This extremely rare rifle is made even more rare with the addition of the family history dating to Dodge City, Kansas in the mid-1880s during which time it was still the “wild west”. It is likely that research in the Dodge City/Ashland, Kansas area would disclose additional information regarding the Smith brothers and probably the name of the sheriff who owned the saloon where Uncle Jim was employed. Since the Smith brothers homesteaded near Ashland it is also probable that the homestead records are still available which would further certify the provenance of this rifle. Regardless this is an extremely rare and unusual Henry rifle. PROVENANCE: James Smith & descendents. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbl & magazine tube retain most of their orig factory blue turned slightly dull and plum colored; the rotating loading sleeve has matching finish; receiver, lever, hammer, buttplate & magazine follower retain virtually all of their strong orig nickel finish turned slightly milky; heel & toe of buttplate show light brass color with some minor sharp edge wear on receiver; receiver has crisp sharp edges with a minor ding or two and a couple of light scratches; stock is sound with a few handling & use marks with a small bruise on left side, a few small nicks on right side of wrist and a light gouge on right side at buttplate. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with scattered light pitting. Hickory cleaning rod is orig and has a sliver missing from one section, otherwise appears new. 4-44211 JR321 (75,000-125,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 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
	2203	$126,500.00	EXTRAORDINARILY RARE EARLY HALF-NICKEL MODEL 1860 HENRY LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 641. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Wonderful family documented early Henry rifle with 24-1/4″ oct bbl that has integral magazine, rnd top German silver front sight and orig 1st type 1,000 yard Henry ladder rear sight, missing its slide. Mounted with straight grain, uncheckered American walnut stock that has a perch belly with orig, matching numbered 1st type buttplate with rnd heel & trap. Stock has large compartment for the accompanying orig 4-pc hickory & steel cleaning rod. Receiver, lever, hammer, buttplate & magazine follower have orig nickel finish and receiver has the 2nd sight dovetail in top flat. SN was observed on top flat of bbl between receiver & rear sight, left side of lower tang under the wood, inside top tang channel of buttstock and inside top tang of buttplate. All stock & buttplate screws are also matching numbered. Assembly number “62” is found on top of the rnd section of the bbl under the rotating loading sleeve and on the rear face of loading sleeve. This rifle has all the attributes & features of the earliest models plus the lever lock which was standard equipment by the time this rifle was manufactured. Accompanied by a sworn, notarized affidavit from consignor stating that this rifle has been her family since the late 1880s. She states that her great-grandfather, Robert Davidson Smith (1864-1932) left London, Ohio in the mid-1880s and settled on a farm near Dodge City/Ashland, Kansas, where he was shortly joined by his younger brother, James (Jim) and sister, Hattie. Consignor states that she has many letters from her great-grandfather dating to this period postmarked either Dodge City or Ashland. She states that Jim was an accomplished violinist and had a job playing the fiddle in a local saloon that was, reportedly, owned by the sheriff. She continues that after a few years Uncle Jim and her great-grandfather returned to Ohio but before they left, according to family history, the sheriff/saloon owner told Uncle Jim “Come upstairs because I want to give you something.”This Henry rifle was given to Uncle Jim in part payment for his services as a musician and because the sheriff just liked him. Consignor states that she can recall her mother reading her a letter from the 1880s in which her great-grandfather, Robert Davidson Smith, makes specific reference to the Henry rifle acquired by Uncle Jim and that she also has an audio tape from the 1970s wherein her grandfather, Robert V. Smith, discusses the Henry rifle and the circumstances by which his Uncle Jim acquired it. Consignor’s Uncle Jim had no sons, but daughters, and gave this Henry rifle to her grandfather, Robert V. Smith (1894-1978), where it remained until he died in 1978 and possession passed to consignor’s mother, Roberta Ann Smith O’Neill (1922-2008), when the grandparents’ property was divided. When consignor’s mother died in 2008 consignor gained ownership of the rifle. She states that the accompanying canvas case with the hand-written initials “RVS” was from her grandfather when he was a young man. Also accompanying is a copy of a 3-page hand written letter on The Ashland House stationery, Ashland, Kansas, dated April 11, 1887. Also accompanying is a copy of a photograph of a 6-pc band with the seated man in the center holding a fiddle, Uncle Jim. There is another photograph accompanying which features a very rugged landscape with three men in 1880s costume on horseback with two ladies and a child in a buggy, three ladies and another child in the foreground and a large dog. None of the individuals are identified. This extremely rare rifle is made even more rare with the addition of the family history dating to Dodge City, Kansas in the mid-1880s during which time it was still the “wild west”. It is likely that research in the Dodge City/Ashland, Kansas area would disclose additional information regarding the Smith brothers and probably the name of the sheriff who owned the saloon where Uncle Jim was employed. Since the Smith brothers homesteaded near Ashland it is also probable that the homestead records are still available which would further certify the provenance of this rifle. Regardless this is an extremely rare and unusual Henry rifle. PROVENANCE: James Smith & descendents. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbl & magazine tube retain most of their orig factory blue turned slightly dull and plum colored; the rotating loading sleeve has matching finish; receiver, lever, hammer, buttplate & magazine follower retain virtually all of their strong orig nickel finish turned slightly milky; heel & toe of buttplate show light brass color with some minor sharp edge wear on receiver; receiver has crisp sharp edges with a minor ding or two and a couple of light scratches; stock is sound with a few handling & use marks with a small bruise on left side, a few small nicks on right side of wrist and a light gouge on right side at buttplate. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with scattered light pitting. Hickory cleaning rod is orig and has a sliver missing from one section, otherwise appears new. 4-44211 JR321 (75,000-125,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 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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