Lot 72

Outstanding Civil War New Haven Arms Company Henry Lever Action

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Outstanding Civil War New Haven Arms Company Henry Lever Action

Estimate: $85,000 - $150,000

Starting Bid: $75,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
June 27, 2026 5:00 PM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Outstanding Civil War Production New Haven Arms Company Henry Lever Action Rifle The Henry lever action rifle was the most advanced firearm of the Civil War and quickly became a favored rifle of both soldiers during the war and settlers and scouts in the American West. Experts believe that most of the 9,000 Henry rifled manufactured between the beginning of production in April 1862 and the end of the Civil War in April 1865 were privately purchased by individual Union soldiers who appreciated the revolutionary firepower offered by the Henry repeating rifle. Several Midwestern regiments were primarily armed with privately purchased Henry rifles, and nearly all of the Civil War production Henry rifles show moderate to heavy service use. They paved the way for the iconic Winchester lever action rifles that followed and saw extensive use throughout the United States for generations thereafter. With such extensive period use, a Henry rifle with even traces of the blue finish on the barrel/magazine is scarce, and excellent Henry rifles like this one with large amounts of the original finish are extremely rare and among the most desired of all classic American firearms. This exceptional Henry rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company c. September 1864 and has the distinctive 24-inch blued octagon barrel with integral 15-shot magazine and brass receiver. The barrel has the later style, square back, nickel-silver front sight and folding leaf rear sight with 900 yard center notch and elevation bar stop screw. The magazine has the large diameter brass follower. The second style receiver lacks the rear sight dovetail found on most Henry rifles manufactured in 1862 and 1863. The bottom of the receiver has a beveled follower cut. The hammer spur has coarse hand-cut knurling. The second style brass buttplate has a sharply pointed heel and hinged butt trapdoor. The compartment correctly contains the four-piece jointed, steel cleaning rod with brass tip furnished with Henry rifles in this serial number range. The left side of the stock has a sling swivel, and the left side of the has a screw-fastened ring for a sling hook. The sling swivel and ring were standard features on Henry rifles by 1864. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the second style, two-line legend: "HENRY'S PATENT OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT'D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS CO. NEWHAVEN CT." ahead of the rear sight. The second style legend is slightly larger than the legend used through about serial number 3600 and has all serif letters. The serial number is roll-stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver and is visible on the left side of the lower tang beneath the stock, in the stock upper tang inlet and on the inside of the buttplate. All of the visible serial numbers match. The later style buttplate and receiver screws correctly lack the serial numbers on the shank found on the hand-fitted screws of earlier production Henry rifles. The barrel/magazine has a blue finish. The rear sight, bolt, trigger, loading lever, sling swivel, and ring all have a fiery, nitre blue finish (this is one of the very few Henry rifle with sufficient finish remaining on the lever, trigger and sling swivel to show these components originally had a nitre blue rather than casehardened finish). The receiver and crescent buttplate have a natural brass finish. The hammer is casehardened with muted case colors. The straight grain, American walnut stock is oil-finished.

Manufacturer: New Haven Arms Co.

Model: Henry Rifle

BBL: 24 inch

Stock: walnut

Gauge: 44 Henry RF

Finish: blue/casehardened

Serial Number6543

Class: Antique

  • Provenance: The Joe Marlin Hilliard Collection; A Private Collection
  • Condition: Excellent. This exceptional rifle retains 90% plus of the original blue finish on the barrel. The rear sight, bolt, loading lever, trigger, sling swivel, and screws all have significant amounts of the original nitre blue finish present in protected areas. The hammer retains 90% plus of the strong and vibrant original casehardened finish. The distinctive brass receiver and crescent buttplate are in excellent, untouched condition and exhibit a beautiful mellow patina that develops only with great age and proper storage. The receiver side plate joints are perfect. The barrel legend and serial numbers are crisp. The stock has nearly all of the original oil finish and also remains in excellent condition with a few scattered and insignificant storage marks. Mechanically excellent. This is one of the very few standard grade Civil War production Henry rifles in excellent, nearly un-fired condition with most of the original finish. This exceptional and well-cared for rifle would be a centerpiece of the most advanced Winchester or Civil War collection.

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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