30480-SPECTACULAR NEW HAVEN ARMS COMPANY HENRY’S PATENT FIRST MODEL BRASS FRAME .44 HENRY RIM FIRE CALIBER RIFLE SERIAL # 1609 WITH PARTIAL BOX OF BLACK LABEL HENRY AMMUNITION AND WITH FAMILY PROVENANCE FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. 24” octagon barrel with correct sling swivel stirrup mounted on the left side and stamped on the top flat “HENRY’S PATENT OCT. 16, 1860/MANUFACT’D BY THE NEW HAVEN ARMS. CO. NEW HAVEN, CT.” Serial numbered at the top of the breech “1609”. Proper sight base mortise at the top breech of the barrel with no sight. Correct, original to the rifle, folding ladder rear sight mounted on the frame. Original highly polished factory blue-black barrel finish with some fine patination. Most of this finish remains. Brass frame with very deep umber colored, unpolished frame. Varnished walnut stock with distinctive early style “perch belly” curvature from the lower tang to the toe of the butt plate. Nearly all of this original varnish remains and shows almost no sign of wear and has only a few minor storage nicks. Sling swivel mounted on the left side of the stock retains most of the niter blue finish on the base as well as the swivel itself. Original four piece wood cleaning rod in the butt plate trap. Working order with a brilliant, near mint bore. Even the screws on this rifle are in untouched condition and give no evidence of having been turned. It is our opinion that it has never been disassembled in any way. Nearly all the screws retain most of the original blue including the frame screws. A remarkable Henry rifle that remained in the same family to the present generation which has certainly helped in preserving it thru the years. The serial number of this rifle falls within one of the two serial ranges of Henry rifles known to have been privately purchased by the 66thIllinois Inf. of Birge’s Western Sharpshooters. One of the finest early, un-engraved brass frame Henry rifles known. With rare partial box of early New Haven Arms Co. Black Label 100 count cartridges with 99 remaining. Accompanying it is the history of the original Civil War era owner, George Washington Morrill and it’s 150 plus year history of family descent to the present generation. (Sale Pending)