c1850s Antique J. HENRY & Son BOULTON GUN WORKS PENNSYLVANIA LONG RIFLE ANTEBELLUM WAR PIONEER SETTLER

Product Description

c1850s Antique J. HENRY & Son BOULTON GUN WORKS PENNSYLVANIA LONG RIFLE

ANTEBELLUM WAR PIONEER SETTLER

Here we present an antique J. Henry & Son Percussion Native American Trade Rifle. This rifle was manufactured around 1850-1860 and matches others by J. Henry & Son (James and Granville Henry) manufactured at the Boulton Gun Works near Nazareth, Pennsylvania. They made rifles for the people living on the frontier but they also had contracts with the U.S. government to provide rifles for annuity and treaty payments to Native Americans in the Antebellum Era.

John Joseph Henry started his business in Philadelphia in 1807 and closed it in 1822, merging his operations with his brother William’s business going by the name of Boulton Gun Works in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. After this time his guns were marked “JJ HENRY, BOULTON”. John’s son Joseph joined the firm in 1831, and after he passed away, his son James took over the business. After James’ son, Granville, became a partner in the firm in 1859, the guns were marked “J. HENRY & SONS”, as is this one.

John Henry was also a well known maker of Civil War muskets. With the coming of the American Civil War, and the calling for 100,000 volunteers to suppress the rebellion, not to mention the calling out of Pennsylvania militia units for the defense of the state, John Henry looked to produce military arms to cash in on the need for guns. He produced two patterns of military style rifles and a cadet musket. The rifles were offered with either a socket or a saber bayonet, and were known respectively in the Henry company records as “Mini” Rifles” or “Saber Rifles”. Henry produced some 952 “Saber Rifles” during the summer of 1861, most of which (876) were also sold to P.S. Justice, with deliveries starting in September of that year. 70 were sold by Henry to the Catasanga Home Guard in October and November, and another 6 were used as sample rifles in an attempt to obtain other military contracts.

This rifle has double set triggers, a relatively long and slender octagonal barrel in .31 caliber, iron butt plate, brass trigger guard, and German silver fore end cap. This rifle would perhaps have been a great companion to any one of the .31 caliber “pocket” revolvers of the day such as Samuel Colt’s Model 1849!

The overall condition is fine. Original finish and patina. The top of the barrel is stamped “J. HENRY & SON” and then it seems to have been hand-signed around or over top of that mark, but that inscription is faint. The action is excellent. The bore is bright with sharp rifling. Very nice, solid stock with cheek piece. A fantastic mid-19^th Century longarm for people living on the American Frontier!

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 38 inches.

Caliber: .31 Percussion

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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$2200
#247623