Volcanic Lever Action Carbine with 16-inch barrel manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company circa 1859. The carbine has a blued barrel, silver-plated receiver and crescent buttplate, and casehardened lever and hammer. The stock is oil-finished, straight grain, American walnut. The top and sides of the receiver and edges of the buttplate are decorated with open scrollwork, simple floral designs and border work. The engraving is period correct and similar but not identical to the typical factory engraving on Volcanic firearms. The carbine is accompanied by a letter from Winchester expert George Madis. The Madis letter states that all the carbine's major parts are original, all the internal assembly/serial numbers match and that the barrel blue and silver plating are original. Madis describes the engraving on the receiver and buttplate as "early style engraving" and notes that it is of slightly higher quality than is typically found on New Haven Arms Co. Volcanic firearms. The barrel is the early "Type I" style with full rib and nickel-silver cone front sight. The top flat is lightly stamped "PATENT NEW HAVEN. CONN." in a single line. The receiver has a dovetail mounted rear sight with elevation wheel. The hammer has fine knurling on the spur. The serial number is stamped on the right side of the loading lever and on the left side of the lower tang beneath the stock. The assembly number "14" is stamped on the right side of the lower tang and on the shank of all three of the hand-fitted tang screws. "H" is stamped on the left side of the tang ahead of the serial number and "X" is stamped on the left side of the lever. The stock is stamped "14" underneath the buttplate and "14" is stamped inside the buttplate heel. The top buttplate screw is brass and appears to be a period replacement. Provenance: Gillespie collection.

Very good. The blue finish on the barrel and integral magazine has an artificial dull blue on the exposed flats but retains traces of original blue in protected areas. The New Haven Arms Co. legend is light but legible. The replated silver-plated finish on the receiver and crescent buttplate is tarnished but remains at least 85% intact. The engraved scrollwork, floral decorations and borders on the receiver and buttplate are all professionally recut. Nearly all of the muted case colors are present on the hammer. The case colors on the lever have faded to a silver-gray patina on contact points. The replacement stock has several areas of varnish loss and dents on the both sides of the wrist but remains in very good condition overall.