Lot - Factory Panel Scene Engraved Whitney-Kennedy Deluxe Rifle

Scarce Exhibition Grade Factory Panel Scene Engraved Whitney-Kennedy Deluxe Small Frame Lever Action Rifle with Presentation Case, Bowie Knife, and Accessories This is an incredible and scarce, masterfully factory engraved, deluxe Whitney-Kennedy lever action rifle manufactured c. 1879-1886 with a rarely seen presentation case and a full complement of accessories. These well-built repeating magazine rifles were essentially the pinnacle of arms produced by the Whitney company, which boasted a record of American innovation and arms manufacturing that stretched across nearly a century, navigating and impacting some of the most pivotal times of this nation’s history. The Whitney company is essentially the only American arms manufacturer to have remained in operation from the flintlock era into the period of breech loading repeaters, producing a wide range of firearms that left their mark on in the story of this country. Too often overlooked in the modern era of firearms collecting in favor of companies more prominent into the modern era such as Colt, Winchester, and Smith & Wesson, Whitney's influence on the American arms industry is undoubtedly profound. In fact, it is worth noting as some may be unaware that without the Whitneyville factory rescuing a near-destitute Samuel Colt from the ashes and producing his legendary Walker revolver, the only Colt firearms may have been Patersons. To this day, the story of Eli Whitney and his arms company stand as profound examples of American resolve, innovation, and manufacturing might. The story of Whitney firearms begins with Eli Whitney Jr. (1765-1825), the son of Eli Whitney, a farmer from Westborough, Massachusetts, with the junior of these two being known throughout most of his life as Eli Whitney, as his son who was born in 1820 assumed the name "Eli Whitney Jr." The middle Whitney showed glimpses of mechanical prowess as a child and by 1789 had saved enough money to attend Yale, graduating in 1792 with the intention of pursuing a career in law. Being short of funds, however, Whitney traveled south with plans to be a private tutor, connecting with Catherine Littlefield Greene, a relation of General Nathaniel Greene, hero of the American Revolution, as well as her later husband Phineas Miller at her Mulberry Grove plantation. It was here that Whitney first observed the cotton industry, setting in motion a career of invention and innovation, as well as a path of conflict for America over the question of slavery. It was at Mulberry Grove plantation that Whitney observed the need for a more efficient way of separating the fibers of the harvested cotton plant from the seeds. Almost immediately, Whitney abandoned his plans for tutoring and devoted all his energy to developing a device to increase the efficiency of the cotton industry. Before the end of 1792, Whitney had developed his first, imperfect prototype, and by April of 1793 had a functioning machine, which would become known as the cotton gin. The device went on to revolutionize the cotton industry, making it an immensely more profitable business venture. In turn, the demand for slave labor to work the massive cotton fields of the South was drastically increased, building into a conflict over slavery that would eventually erupt into the American Civil War in 1861. Whitney, however, was unable to realize much profit from his invention, as the prototype was almost immediately stolen and copied when he had left to secure a patent in the North. He then spent years fighting lengthy and expensive court battles which left him near ruin but which also ushered him into the firearms industry. Despairing in the lack of realized profit from his first notable invention, Whitney sidestepped to a new industry, thanks in part to his reputation as an inventor, despite his lack of profit up to that point. Utilizing some of this "reputational capital", Whitney was able to secure a contract from the U.S. government to produce 10,000 muskets for the federal army despite having no previous experience in the manufacture of firearms. His proposal for the contract included interesting language indicating that he intended to pursue parts interchangeability with the muskets, one of the first proposals of such in the United States. Whitney secured a tract of land near New Haven and constructed his Whitneyville Armory, incurring large costs to create an efficient factory. Successive government contracts followed, and though he never truly achieved true parts interchangeability in the Model 1798 muskets he produced, Whitney had irreversibly changed American manufacturing, and true interchangeability was achieved not long after with the Model 1819 Hall breechloader. Having risen from the ashes to find success, Whitney died in 1825, when his son, Eli Jr. (III) was just five years old. In 1842, Eli Whitney Jr., at the age of 22 assumed control of the Whitneyville Armory, almost immediately guiding the company into the percussion era, fulfilling contracts for Model 1841 percussion rifles. The outbreak of the Civil War, influenced in part by his father's cotton gin, landed Whitney Jr. further state and U.S. contracts for arms. After the war had ended, Whitney Jr. secured multiple patents for breechloading firearms and tried unsuccessfully to secure military contracts for their sale. By the 1870s, the company had pivoted solidly to the commercial civilian market, introducing various single shot and lever action models, one of which was the Whitney-Kennedy repeater, which was essentially an improvement on a patent secured by American innovator Andrew Burgess. The rifle was well-built and very strong, utilizing fewer complex parts than almost any other repeater available at the time. However, despite being arguably a higher quality design than Winchester's offerings of the time, Whitney was simply out-marketed and out-produced. By 1883, in advanced age and facing diminishing sales, Whitney began the search for a buyer of his company. By 1888, the company folded and a sale to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company was negotiated. Winchester removed all the machinery from the Whitneyville Armory, operated the property under lease, and never again produced any of Whitney's designs, ending nearly a century of Whitney firearms manufacturing in American. Manufactured towards the end of production in 1886, this is an awe-inspiring example of the American craftsmanship the Whitneyville Armory was capable of. It is one of approximately 15,000 total Whitney-Kennedy rifles produced by the company. Deluxe examples are much scarcer, and factory engraved, deluxe examples like this one are extreme rarities of 19th century American arms collecting. Here at Rock Island Auction Company, we have only had the pleasure of offering one other example bearing close to this level of embellishment in May 2014. That particular rifle, serial number K98, showed similar engraving patterns to this one, quite possibly by the same hand, though it lacked the panel scene exhibited on this rifle. The engraving on the rifle was executed by an unknown American engraver of definite talent, showing some similarities to the early style of the Ulrich engravers. The left side of the receiver prominently exhibits a panel scene featuring a mounted hunter firing at a fleeing bison. The scene is surrounded by crisp, clean scrollwork on a beaded background. The right side of the receiver features a blank inscription banner, certainly intended for a presentation that never materialized, which is surrounded by matching scrollwork. The dust cover has a small circular vignette of a running whitetail buck and additional scrollwork. Flourishes of scrollwork continue on the breech of the barrel, the forearm cap, the lever, and the tang of the buttplate. The top of the barrel is marked with the Whitneyville Armory address followed by "KENNEDY", and the caliber marking is at the breech. The serial number is marked on the lower tang. The magazine tube retention band, forearm cap, lever, loading gate, sling swivel, and buttplate are all nickel plated, an extremely rare special order feature for these Whitney-Kennedy rifles. It is fitted with a gold washed Beach combination front sight, elevation adjustable notch rear sight, and a long-range peep sight mounted on the upper tang. It is mounted with a beautifully figured forearm and straight grip stock, both with multi-point checkered grip areas, a sling swivel on the bottom of the buttstock, and a trapdoor crescent buttplate. This is truly a magnificent, special ordered, deluxe grade rifle that was intended as a factory presentation. Further lending evidence to the rifle's intended presentation purpose is the included case and accessories. The case is of very nicely figured hardwood with a blank German silver presentation plaque on the lid and the interior lined with blue velvet and fitted for the rifle and all the accessories. The included accessories are a J. Curley & Brother New York Bowie knife with German silver hilt and a German silver mounted black leather sheath, a Marlin marked reloading tool, a cap/primer tin, a folding screwdriver, key, four-piece metal cleaning rod, and an assortment of .44-40 W.C.F. cartridges.

Manufacturer: Whitney Arms Company

Model: Kennedy-Rifle

BBL: 28 inch round

Stock: walnut

Gauge: 44-40 WCF

Finish: blue/nickel

Serial NumberO559

Class: Antique

Condition: Fine, retains 40% plus of the original high polish blue finish, 50% of the original case colors on the hammer, and 60% of the original nickel plating with the balance mostly a plum brown patina, some light surface freckling, and crisp engraving. The wood is also fine with some scattered minor dings and scratches and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. The case is fine with some mild handling evidence. The knife is fine with mostly grey patina and light spotting on the sharpened blade, bright German silver, and mild wear on the sheath. The remainder of the accessories are very fine with some light wear. This magnificent rifle was produced near the end of nearly a century of American manufacturing innovation driven in part by men bearing the name Whitney. This rifle is truly the magnum opus of the Whitney company, representing the end of an era but also new beginnings with American manufacturing and particularly the firearms industry. This specific Whitney-Kennedy rifle is far more than simply a deluxe rifle: it is a true masterpiece that is deeply rooted within the heritage of American innovation and industry!

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Rock Island Auction will contact you shortly after the auction has completed. We will arrange for shipping and or pickup.

Rock Island Auction Company

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments

From:	To:	Increments:
$0	$199	$10
$200	$499	$25
$500	$999	$50
$1,000	$1,999	$100
$2,000	$4,999	$250
$5,000	$9,999	$500
$10,000	$19,999	$1,000
$20,000	$49,999	$2,500
$50,000	$99,999	$5,000
$100,000	$199,999	$10,000
$200,000 +		$25,000

Lot 22

Factory Panel Scene Engraved Whitney-Kennedy Deluxe Rifle

Factory Panel Scene Engraved Whitney-Kennedy Deluxe Rifle

Starting Bid: $20,000

Additional Details

Payment & Shipping

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Shipping

Conditions of Sale

Rock Island Auction Company