Horst Held Antique Handguns
e-mail held@ectisp.net
phone
972-351-8852
541 Lynnie Pennie
Lane 
Midlothian, Texas 76065
Volcanic Repeating Arms
Co.
NEW HAVEN VOLCANIC NO. 1 LEVER ACTION POCKET PISTOL, matching serial #197 on butt strap and grip, caliber .31, 3½ barrel maker's inscription on top. This is a very nice example of these early predecessors of the Henry and Winchester rifles. The barrel and integral magazine retain traces of original blue and are mostly a smooth even brown patina with nice edges and good clear markings. There are a few scattered pits on the barrel primarily on right side and near the muzzle. The brass frame shows a very nice untouched mellow patina with well-defined edges. The two piece walnut grips are numbered to the gun and rate very good plus having. Flayderman's Guide 5K-014: only 850 made. In good working order and fine condition $10.500.
CASED NEW HAVEN VOLCANIC NO. 1 LEVER ACTION POCKET PISTOL
serial # 228 on back strap and grip, caliber 31. 3½" octagonal barrel, pinched post front sight and integral magazine tube. Top barrel flat has the 2-line New Haven address with patent date Feb. 14, 1854 and it has fixed rear sight in the top flat of the receiver. The frame is silver plated and engraved with typical Volcanic patterns consisting of foliate arabesque scrolls on sides and side plates with a scallop border at the transition to the front fluted area. Top side flats of frame and around hammer slot are engraved in feather patterns with foliate patterns on top flat and back strap. Pistol is mounted with nicely smooth American walnut 2-piece grips.
Accompanied by an extremely rare original Volcanic
case, dark blue lined and compartmented for the pistol, a cleaning rod, oil
can, key and one very rare original cartridge.
The lid shows
Baron Thornton de Mouncie, Londres.
In Taylerson's book “The Revolver 1865 –
1888" we find his address Baron A. T. de MOUNCIE of Paris, now Queen Victoria
St., City of London.
De Mouncie received some patents for British handguns.
Flayderman's Guide 5K-014: only 850 of these rare pistols were produced in
the period 1857-1860. Few of those survived and cased models
almost unknown.
The pistol is in good working order, some plating is worn off, over all fine
condition. The very
rare set $20,000.
VOLCANIC CARTRIDGE - Cartridges designed for early Smith and Wesson (later Volcanic Arms) They are deeply concave-based lead cartridges containing powder and primer within their bases. They are an evolution of the Hunt Rocket Ball.
THE VOLCANIC
REPEATING ARMS CO.
PATENT FEB. 14, 1854,
NEW HAVEN, CONN.
inscribed on 6" octagonal barrel with magazine
underneath, caliber .41 rocket ball cartridge (see picture) Matching
serial # 664 on trigger, frame and grips, the frame in smooth brass, the
barrel with magazine, trigger and guard with traces of original blue,
varnished grips, in good working order including the sometimes
broken cartridge elevator and spring in the magazine.
Included is a
super rare self-contained cartridge caliber .41 Volcanic. It was originally
used in a repeating Smith & Wesson pistol made by them in Norwich, CT in the
1850’s. Oliver Winchester bought it away from them and set up shop in New
Haven to build the weapons, which later evolved into the famous Winchester
1866. This specimen is quite clean with slight oxidation. The base is brass
and still retains the cork over the primer. The cork was to keep the nose of
the round behind it from actually touching the primer when they were stacked
in the magazine. A rare piece of history from two early leaders in the
industry.
Fine condition. Flayderman's #
5K-007 "Navy Model"
sold
VENDITTI E CI LANCUSI
Støckel: Pietro Antonio VENDITTI, Napoli + Lancusi, 1877 patented repeating pistol
hammer cocked
action open, showing elevator to carry cartridge from tube to barrel
Rare Italian
Venditti Lever Action Repeating Pistolno visible serial #, 9 mm caliber. 6 15/16" octagonal barrel with front sight, underneath the barrel is a tubular10 shot magazine. The top of the barrel is marked "VENDITTI E CI LANCUSI". This pistol is a copy of the American Volcanic and fires a similar self-contained cartridge. The pistol has a brass frame with steel side plates. The sides of the frame, side plate, back strap and top of the barrel are engraved with floral scrollwork with a stippled background. The walnut grips have a checkered panel on each side with engraved screw escutcheons. The brass frame has a honey brown patina and the other metal parts are a clean steel gray with a little age spotting on the barrel. All of the engraving is in very good condition. The grips show light wear and rate very good.
"Der Neue Støckel", Volume II, page 1324:1828 - 1878. After being released from hard labor, as he had been convicted for murder, he started his own activity in Torre Annunziata; after many patents, he realizes and patents his famous repeating pistol, made for ten and even twenty-six shots.
According to the internet there are less than 100 made, this is the second I own in more than 40 years of collecting sold
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