This factory cased Volcanic Pistol-Carbine was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company circa 1858 using components produced by the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company. The New Haven Arms Company did not manufacture pistol carbines as a regular production item. Pistol-carbines with New Haven Arms Company markings are some of the rarest Volcanic firearms. An unknown but very small number of unfinished Volcanic Repeating Arms Company pistol-carbines were finished and sold by the New Haven Arms Company following the reorganization of the company by Oliver Winchester in May 1857. Very few New Haven Arms marked pistol-carbines have original factory cases. This pistol-carbine has a .41 caliber, 16-inch, octagon barrel with integral 20-shot magazine, brass receiver and cocking lever with round finger hole. The back strap has a single hole to accept a detachable shoulder stock lug and a small alignment pin. The pistol butt has an inverted, knurled, round head, adjusting screw. The attachable stock is straight grain American walnut with piano finish, blued attachment lug and silver-plated crescent buttplate. The blued Volcanic Arms barrel has a crowned muzzle and rounded T-bar with full rib and 2.65-inch magazine block. The barrel has a nickel-silver, pinch-back, front sight. The magazine has a small, clam-shell shaped follower. The top barrel flat has the altered Volcanic Repeating Arms marking: "REPEATING ARMS CO./PATENT NEWHAVEN CONN. FEB. 14. 1854" in two lines. The first line is faint, and the second line is sharp. The brass receiver has an ejection port with square front and rear edges and dove-tail mounted, carbine-style rear sight. The hammer has hand-cut knurling on the spur. The receiver has a natural brass finish, and the hammer, trigger and lever are color casehardened. The two-piece grips are piano-finished walnut. The serial number, "402", is stamped on the right side of the loading lever, the left side of the frame underneath the grip, on the inside of both grips and the top of the stock buttplate. "49" is stamped on the inside of the stock beneath the buttplate, the inside of the buttplate and the shanks of both hand-fitted buttplate screws. This extremely rare carbine is complete with an equally rare factory case. The walnut, American style case is lined in red velvet and has five compartments including space for a cleaning rod or spare magazine spring and ammunition tin. The case is complete with an ammunition tin with black japanned finish and paper New Haven Arms label glued to the inside of the lid. The tin contains six .41 caliber "Rocket Ball" cartridges.

Fine. The barrel exhibits 70% of the original blue with a plum-colored patina and 2 inch cold blue touched up nearest breech on two of the three barrel flats. Metal surfaces are smooth, edges are sharp and the faint, lightly struck patent markings are legible. The brass receiver is in fine condition with an attractive, un-touched patina and light handling wear. The rear sight retains 75% of the original fire blue finish. Most of the case colors are present on the hammer muted overall yet vibrant in flashes. The case colors on the trigger and lever have faded to a gray-brown patina with traces of age discoloration on the left side of the lever. The grips show an old over coat of varnish and are in fine condition and retains most of the finish with a few scattered handling marks. The action requires repair - the hammer will not remain at full-cock. The attachable stock is in excellent condition and retains nearly 95% of the original piano finish with a few insignificant handling and storage marks. Traces of the original blue finish are visible on protected areas of the stock lug and yoke. The brass buttplate has 75% of the delicate silver-plated finish. The case remains in good condition. The lid has 80% of the original varnish with scattered handling marks and one hair-line crack. The velvet lining is faded but clean; wear is limited to compression marks from the pistol barrel, receiver and butt. The ammunition tin has 75% of the black finish; at least 80% of the paper label is present on the inside of the lid. A New Haven Arms Company marked Volcanic Pistol-Carbine is one of the rarest of all Volcanic firearms, and a factory cased New Haven Pistol-Carbine is rarer still. This extremely scarce, factory cased Volcanic Pistol-Carbine would be the center-piece of the finest collection of Volcanic firearms. Provenance: Dr. Gerald Klaz collection.