Premier Firearms Auction #4092

August 23, 2024 to August 25, 2024

This auction has ended.

Premier Firearms Auction #4092

August 23, 2024 to August 25, 2024

This auction has ended.

Page 1 of 36

Showing 1-50 of 1,754 results

Lot 1

Winchester First Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle

Manufactured in 1876 as a first model with integral dust cover grooves on either side of the ejection port and dust cover with checkered "thumbprint" grip area. Only around 31,000 of these First Models were manufactured. Very few have survived in very good or better condition. This well above average condition example comes with a factory letter stating the rifle was received in the warehouse on January 31, 1876, and shipped on October 12 with an octagon barrel and plain trigger. This early production example correctly lacks caliber markings, as .44-40 W.C.F. was the only caliber offered until 1879. The top barrel flat is marked with the two-line Winchester address and King's patent marking. The model designation is marked on the upper tang, and the serial number is on the lower tang. It is fitted with a dovetail blade front sight and an elevation adjustable rear sight. It is mounted with nicely figured walnut forearm and straight grip stock. The buttstock is fitted with a trapdoor buttplate (cleaning rod not included). Known simply as “The Gun that Won the West,” the Winchester Model 1873 Rifle stands as an icon of American firepower on the open frontier that still resonates with modern collectors, especially those in high condition like this example. This first model Winchester Model 1873 will be a worthy addition to any lever action or Western collection. It is certainly a must have for the serious Winchester collector. Provenance: The Collection of David L. DeLullo

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44-40 WCF

Price Realized:

Early Production Winchester Model 1866 Lever Action Saddle Ring Carbine with Desirable Henry's Patent Barrel Address

Lot 2

Early Production Winchester Model 1866 Lever Action Carbine

Manufactured in 1868. These Model 1866 carbines were highly valued in the American West, both for their durability and their mobile firepower. Their rate of fire was nearly unmatched when compared to other long guns of the period. The 1866 is often cited as one of the "guns that won the west" and was carried throughout the Western Frontier by settlers, Native Americans, outlaws, lawmen, cowboys, and ranchers. Many of the Model 1866s were later converted to centerfire to utilize more advanced cartridges; however, this example remains in its original rimfire configuration. This example has the desirable, early production, two-line Henry and King's patent barrel address. There is an "A" marked on the lower tang. The matching serial number "18261" is marked on the left of the lower tang, in the stock inlet, and inside the buttplate ("8261"). It is fitted with a blade front sight, integral to the front barrel band, a two-leaf rear sight, and a saddle ring mounted on the left of the receiver. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a trapdoor crescent buttplate.

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44 Henry RF

Price Realized:

Scarce Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1895 Lever Action Rifle

Lot 3

Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1895 Rifle

Manufactured in 1903. The special order rapid taper barrel is marked with the two-line nickel steel marking on the upper left and "35 W.C.F." on top at the breech. The receiver has the two-line Winchester address/patent marking on the left, a matted section on top of the receiver ring, the two-line trademark and model marking on the upper tang, and serial number on the lower tang. The lower tang under the stock, stock mortise, and buttplate are unmarked. Fitted with a raised dovetailed German silver blade front sight, elevation adjustable semi-buckhorn rear sight, and receiver mounted Lyman peep sight. Mounted with a very finely figured checkered Schnabel tip forearm with ebony insert and an equally well-figured straight grip stock with checkered wrist and a hard rubber Winchester shotgun buttplate.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 35 WCF

Price Realized:

Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1886 Lightweight Lever Action Rifle

Lot 4

Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1886 Lightweight Rifle

This desirable example of a Winchester Model 1886 special order lightweight rifle was manufactured in 1905. The special order features include a pistol grip stock, extra fancy deluxe walnut stock and forearm, stock and forearm checkering, and half length magazine. The left side of the barrel has the two line address/patent dates marking, the two line smokeless powder marking and "33 W.C.F." The Winchester factory oval proof is stamped on top of the barrel and receiver at the breech. The lower tang is roll-stamped with the 1884 and 1885 patent dates behind the trigger and the serial number behind the rear tang screws. Fitted with a Marble 31W front sight, folding two leaf rear sight and folding tang peep sight. The stock has a hard rubber factory grip cap, sling swivels and checkered steel flat buttplate. The included Cody Firearms Records Office serial number verification states that no configuration information on this rifle is available. Provenance: The Collection of David L. DeLullo

Documentation

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 33 WCF

Price Realized:

Lot 5

Antique Winchester Second Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle

Manufactured in 1880, this exceptionally fine rifle has the second model receiver, with dust cover guide retained with two screws and dust cover with gripping serrations at the rear. The Model 1873 is often cited as one of the "guns that won the West", and thus many of these earlier production standard configuration, "working" guns saw hard use on the unforgiving Western Frontier, making high condition examples such as this one rare. The included factory letter lists the rifle with a round barrel and plain trigger when received at the warehouse on 16 December 1880 and shipped on 12 February 1881 in order number 24248. The top of the barrel has the standard Winchester address and King's patent marking. The rifle correctly lacks caliber markings as the Model 1873 was initially only offered in .44 W.C.F. and it was considered standard. The model designation is marked on the upper tang, and the serial number is on the lower tang. It is fitted with a set of "sporting" sights including a German silver blade front and buckhorn rear, as well as a peep sight mounted on the upper tang. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a trapdoor crescent buttplate containing an included four-piece cleaning rod. Provenance: The Andrew Singer Collection

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44-40 WCF

Price Realized:

Lot 6

Winchester Model 1892 Lever Action Rifle

Manufactured in 1920 with standard markings including Winchester factory oval proofs on the barrel and receiver at the breach. Fitted with dovetailed blade front and elevation adjustable notch rear sights. Mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a crescent buttplate.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 38 WCF

Price Realized:

Highly Desirable Framed Winchester Repeating Arms Co. Henry R. Poore "Bear Dogs" Advertising Print

Lot 7

Framed Winchester Henry R. Poore "Bear Dogs" Advertising Print

These Winchester advertisements were an excellent eye-catching piece in the early 20th century that were perfect for pulling potential customers into shops to buy Winchester firearms and ammunition. Used in a number of Winchester advertisements, the print depicts a barn setting with white "bear dogs" in the foreground and two large brown dogs that may be bloodhounds in the background. These dogs were reportedly part of the Winchester family hunting pack. The lower left corner is signed by the artist "H. R. Poore/Philadelphia". A printed wood grain border surrounds the art, with red Winchester "W" logos in each corner, 3 shot shells on each side, "WINCHESTER" in gold paint at the top and "RIFLES, SHOTGUNS", "FOR SALE HERE" and "and AMMUNITION" at the bottom. The walnut frame measures approximately 50 inches wide and 40 1/2 inches tall, with the observable area of the print measuring approximately 41 1/2 inches wide and 32 inches tall.

Price Realized:

Lot 8

Winchester Model 1887 Deluxe Lever Action Shotgun

Manufactured in 1897, this is a very finely finished example of a special order Winchester "semi-deluxe" Model 1887 shotgun which was shipped to and displayed at one of the 19th century's premier exhibitions. The included factory letter lists the shotgun in 12 gauge, with a 30 inch barrel, "good Damascus", and an oil finished, fancy, checkered stock with a rubber buttplate when originally received at the warehouse on 4 March 1897, with the additional notation "To Russ". The letter goes on to state that the shotgun was again received at the warehouse on 19 July with the notations "made fancy" and "NY Ex '97". The final notations on the letter are that it was again received at the warehouse 7 July 1899 and a return and repair date of 5 August 1899 as part of order number 33075. The writer has concluded that "NY Ex ’97" notation references the American Institute Fair, which was held annually in New York City from 1829 to 1897 and has been considered the first world’s fair in the U.S. A period publication referred to the American Institute Fair as an "important gathering of the inventors and manufacturers of America." In the late nineteenth century, Winchester certainly met the criteria to be among America’s top innovators displaying to the public "the finest products of agriculture and manufacturing." For 40 days in 1897, the American Institute Fair was held at Madison Square Garden. The shotgun has a single bead sight on the barrel with a 2 5/8 inch chamber and choke marked "FULL". It is marked with the standard "WRACO" monogram on the left side of the casehardened receiver along with double line border engraving. The left side of the lower tang is marked "320 XXX", with "320" repeated in the stock inlet. It is mounted with a double-diamond checkered, two-piece slab forend and very finely figured, checkered, pistol grip stock with checkered hard rubber buttplate and 13 inch length of pull. Provenance: The James Windy Collection

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 12

Price Realized:

Lot 9

Winchester Model 1886 Lever Action Rifle

Manufactured in 1890. The John Moses Browning designed Model 1886 was the first Winchester repeater capable of chambering the .45-70 and had one of the strongest lever actions ever used in a Winchester rifle. It was developed as a replacement for the weaker toggle link action Model 1876, but their production was fairly limited at around 160,000 between 1886 and 1935. The powerful Winchester Model 1886 remains one of the most iconic lever action rifles of all time. This classic Winchester Model 1886 rifle is chambered in the popular cartridge: .45-70 Government. The factory letter indicates the serial number was applied on November 21, 1890, and confirms the rifle in .45-70 with round barrel and plain trigger when it was received in the warehouse on January 7, 1891 and shipped on January 14, 1891 to order number 24365. It is a high condition example that will make a great addition to any Winchester or lever action collection. The rifle is fitted with a dovetail blade front sight and a folding ladder rear sight marked "1886." The top of the barrel is marked with the two-line Winchester legend ahead of the rear sight and the caliber designation "45-70" at the breech. The upper tang is marked "-MODEL 1886-", and the lower tang has the serial number and two-line patent dates. The receiver has the desirable casehardened finish. Mounted with plain walnut forearm and straight grip stock. The buttstock is fitted with a crescent buttplate. Provenance: The Collection of David L. DeLullo

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 45-70

Price Realized:

Lot 10

Glass Winchester Store Display Gun Cabinet

This factory store display cabinet was manufactured in the early 1900s to aid Winchester dealers in displaying their Winchester long guns. There is a brass Walrus Mfg. Co. Decatur, Illinois rectangular manufacturer plaque attached to the bottom. It is constructed of dark varnished oak, with full length glass panels and a cathedral top with glass panels. The top of door is stamped with the serial number for the cabinet "616". It stands approximately 73 inches in height on four legs with the typical brass feet sheathes present, and each side is approximately 18 inches wide. The inside display height is approximately 45 inches. On the inside is a four sided rack that will hold 20 long guns. All four sides are 5/8 inch thick and are marked "WINCHESTER" in white and black bordered red letters with black lettered "PATENT APPLIED FOR" on a white background below. The bottom of the case and the inner edge of the rack is lined with original green felt.

Price Realized:

Lot 11

Smith & Wesson No. 1 Small Frame, Lever Action Repeating Pistol

Manufactured by Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson in Norwich, Connecticut, c. 1854-55. Total production of the No.1 lever action repeating pistol was approximately 1,200 pistols. This pistol has the distinctive part-round/part-octagon barrel with integral six-shot magazine, toggle lever with finger hole and two-piece bag-shaped grips. The pistol has the early flat muzzle and wide muzzle collar with later rounded T-bar spring and "clam-shell" magazine follower. The loading lever has the spur found only on the first 100 No.1 pistols. The barrel has a brass front sight with flattened blade. A fixed rear sight is mounted on the receiver. The receiver, side plates, back strap and back of the hammer are decorated with the open scroll and leaf pattern engraving which was standard on most S&W No.1 pistols. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped: "SMITH & WESSON/NORWICH CT." The right barrel flat is stamped: "CAST-STEEL" reading toward the receiver. The left flat is roll-stamped: "PATENT/FEB. 14. 1854." The serial number is stamped on the left side of the grip strap beneath the grip. "72" is stamped on the bottom of the lever and on the inside of each grip. The barrel/magazine and receiver are blued, and the hammer and lever are casehardened. The bag shaped rosewood grips have a varnish finish. The S&W lever action repeating pistols are rare and historically significant. The toggle lever action, spring-loaded magazine and self-contained, primed cartridge were important developments in the evolution of repeating firearms. The Smith & Wesson Lever Action Repeating Pistols were pioneer arms for both Smith & Wesson and Winchester and are rare and very desirable pistols.

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 31 Volcanic

Price Realized:

Highly Desirable Winchester Repeating Arms Co. "Double W" 1897 Pattern Cartridge Board

Lot 12

Winchester "Double W" 1897 Pattern Cartridge Board

This is a very desirable 1897 pattern Winchester bullet board showing the iconic "Double W" pattern of cartridges. A gold painted border is mounted around the green board and a wood frame outside that. The board displays a dark green background, red and white lettering and vignettes of a duck, bear hunting scene, and a moose bust (see photograph). The display consists of various cartridges and shotgun shells and nine containers of primers, each described below in white lettering. All of the cartridges appear to be present and attached, with a few having the bullets absent from the casings. A very similar pattern board was made in 1902 with the mallard slightly shifted so that it wasn't partially blocked by cartridges, as it is on this pattern. The back of the board has the paper label stamped with the compliments of the factory and hanging instructions. Also stamped on the back is "No 1982". Including the original frame it measures approximately 39 5/8 x 57 1/4 inches.

Price Realized:

The Marshfield Find: Extraordinary, Newly Discovered, Documented Mint Winchester Model 1886 Lever Action .45-90 WCF Rifle Time Capsule with Original Shipping Crate Containing Scabbard and Five Boxes of Ammunition, and Factory Letter

Lot 13

The Marshfield Find: Winchester Model 1886 Rifle

Rock Island Auction is proud and privileged to unveil a new discovery in the field of fine and historic Winchester collecting: The Marshfield Find. This nearly perfectly preserved Model 1886 rifle is truly an “out of the crate” discovery that will be celebrated for years to come and immortalized in future publications. It is a story that celebrates the Winchester legacy and one family’s nearly 140 year curatorship. Named after the salt marshes that border the early Pilgrim town, Marshfield, Massachusetts, sits where Cape Cod Bay meets Massachusetts Bay and is where our story begins. Up on “Big Hill” sat a colonial era home built circa 1660 by John Rogers who received a land grant from the King of England. In the “History of Marshfield” the home was described as a “’block house,’ built in Pilgrim days with a view to protect themselves from the Indians. A portion of the top of the house projected over the main body, and had port holes in it, so that they could fire down upon the Indians if attacked.” Over the years additions were added to the home, and the old walls from the days of King Philip’s War were incorporated into the first floor parlor. In 1872, the home and the surrounding 200 acre farm was purchased by Henry W. Nelson. The Nelson farm was a large establishment. There were horses, Holstein cattle, pigs, and chickens. An apple orchard overlooked the North River. Large greenhouses facilitated the growth of a wide variety of cash crops such as the Marshall strawberry known for its delicious taste. An irrigation system was installed that pumped water from a brook. A labor force of fifty full time employees was employed. The Nelson farm marked a turning point in American agriculture. In 1800, the average American farm was about 10 acres and produced enough food for one family. By the turn of the century the average American farm covered 150 acres and raised large quantities of crops and livestock sold for cash. The Nelson farm was at the dawning of an agricultural revolution that gave way to the agribusiness of today. Upon his death in 1897, Henry Nelson passed the farm to his son, Episcopal Reverend Henry W. Nelson, Jr. Rev. Nelson was a Doctor of Divinity and by 1876 had become the rector of Trinity Church, Geneva, New York, where he remained until 1901 when blindness due to cataracts forced him to retire. He wore cobalt lenses in his glasses in an effort to help his vision. In retirement he gained an interest in the financial markets. He passed away in 1928 as a wealthy man. According to family accounts Rev. Nelson was a “character.” His blindness had caused him to use a wicker wheelchair for assistance, but not one to let his disability bring him down, the reverend preferred to cause a little mischief. One of his go to pranks was to roll down “Big Hill” in the wheelchair yelling out to his wife as if he had lost control. Family stories portrayed Rev. Nelson as a man with little to no interest in firearms, but nevertheless, have him as the purchaser of the rifle. He was not a trophy hunter, recalled the family. There were no animal heads on the wall. No taxidermy sitting in the corner. So when Rev. Nelson’s Winchester Model 1886 in .45-90 WCF was discovered in the attic of the family home up on “Big Hill” in the 1970s, it was a big shock to his descendants. “He must have gotten a quirk and got it,” became the only logical answer. In ordering a rifle in .45-90 WCF the reverend was certainly not looking to shoot tin cans off a split rail fence. The .45-90 WCF cartridge meant business and was more than capable of stopping even the most dangerous North American game. In Massachusetts wolves and mountain lions had mostly been eliminated in the state by the mid-1800s and populations of coyotes, black bears, and bobcats roamed the landscape as they continue to do today. When this rifle was manufactured during the model’s debut year of 1886 the Nelson family was well settled on the farm. Given the rifle’s unbelievable condition its likely the crate was never opened by its original owner, and was persevered in its original crate with its original accessories and packing paper and tucked away in the attic of the Nelson home to be completely forgotten for nearly 90 years. The farm passed to two of the reverend’s daughters, Margaret and Dorothea. The two siblings donated 133 acres of the farm to the New England Forestry Foundation and today those acres make up the Nelson Memorial Forest where hikers find adventure on 3 miles of trails and can even discover the remnants of the water pump system that irrigated the Nelson farm. The house and the remaining acres continued to be owned by Nelson family descendants until 1977. Margaret and Dorothea never married. For a time Margaret lived in Boston where she was the caregiver to her cousin Annie Nelson who lost her mother at birth and her father six years later. After Annie married in 1913, Margaret returned to Marshfield to live with her parents until their deaths and her sister Dorothea. She remained at the family home until her death in 1945. Dorothea returned to the family estate after her father retired from Trinity Church. Each summer during the post-war years Dorothea hosted the families of her sister Mary and cousin Annie including their grandchildren at the old home. One of those children was Margaret, daughter to Mary and Edward Pierce. In time, Margaret and her husband Frederic Milholland inherited the home on “Big Hill.” The couple had a daughter, Jean, who never forgot the cows on the farm. Jean went on to marry and have a family of her own, and in 1963 went westward as countless Northeasterners had done over a century ago to find fame and fortune. Living in California, the east coast family that had moved west always found the time to travel back to the old Nelson farm each summer to reunite with family. On one of those summer trips, around 1974, Jean’s two sons found something wondrous hiding in the attic. For young boys nothing could have been better than treasure hunting in Grandma and Grandpa Milholland’s attic. It was a spacious attic with lots of headroom and crammed with curiosities like beaver skin top hats and fur muffs that made up their grandfather’s antique business. One of the brothers spied a rather unassuming crate. “What’s in the box?” he asked his grandparents. They did’t know. The crate was marked with the name H.W. Nelson, an unmistakable sign that it was family property. The crate was sealed. To see what was in the crate the boys’ grandfather removed the nails one by one that secured the lid. Heart rates quickened in anticipation with each pull of the nail. They were on the verge of a sensational discovery. Pulling back the lid exposed an untouched time capsule from 1886. For gun collectors this was one of those Howard Carter moments. Asked if he could see anything as he peered for the first time through a small hole in the door to King Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of Kings, British Egyptologist Howard Cater responded with his famous words, “Yes, wonderful things!” Carter had unearthed the best preserved Egyptian pharaoh tomb to date. In a home in Marshfield two boys and their grandparents had their own moment of discovering “wonderful things.” For nearly 90 years Henry Nelson’s crate sat undisturbed and forgotten in an attic of a home that dated back some 30 years prior to the Salem witch trials. During those decades the world around it continued on. The house welcomed and passed through several generations of Nelsons. Sixteen U.S. Presidents came and went. Stock markets rose and crashed. Two world wars exploded and a cold war simmered. Through all of this and more, Nelson’s crate did nothing more than sit quietly in the safety of the old Nelson home, waiting for a time to be reintroduced to the world, which came in the summer of 1974. When the lid was finally removed, 87 years after being delivered new from the factory, the crate exposed a Winchester Model 1886 rifle in a lightly tooled leather scabbard, so its true beauty remained hidden a few moments longer until it was unholstered. No longer in the darkness, the rifle displayed all of its glory, perfectly preserved. This is how it left the factory: neatly packed in the wooden crate with its scabbard and boxes of ammunition! The Winchester .45-90 WCF boxes of ammunition feature a green label marked “Cartridges for Model 1886” along with an illustration of a bullet. As for the crate, the lid is boldly marked with the name “H.W. Nelson” along with "BOSTON/MASS/C/O Meredith K Nelson/4 Exchange Place" and has an Adams Express Company paper label. A few of the original nails removed by Frederic Milholland remain. The crate continues to carry the original packing material: a combination of standard period packing sheets of paper and wadded up section from the want ads from a period newspaper. So, what does a family do after they come across a find of the century? In this case, the young boys immediately paraded the rifle around the house and took their photos with it. The rifle and its contents were taken to a local appraiser who proved he knew what he was looking at. It appraised at $20,000 and based on inflation is around $135,000 in today’s money. The family remembers the appraiser having the rifle for a long time and having to ask for it to be returned. The appraiser removed the black powder from the cartridges out of caution. In 1977, the house on the “Big Hill” was sold. The rifle and its crate traveled with Margaret and her husband Frederic Milholland to Princeton, New Jersey and then later to California. As a model of rifle intended for frontier use, this rifle had finally made it out West. Better late than never! In time, the rifle was passed on to their daughter Jean where it once again took safe residency in an attic. After Jean’s death ownership fell to her children. For nearly 140 years, the rifle was cared for by the descendants of the original owner Rev. Henry Nelson, and now, in 2024, it is presented to the world for the first time so that a new family can carry on its legacy. A notarized letter of provenance from one of Jean’s sons is included along with two digital images of the Nelson family. The powerful Winchester Model 1886 is by far one of the most iconic lever action rifles of all time and remains popular with collectors, shooters, and hunters to this day as one of the strongest lever action designs ever developed. This rugged and dependable rifle was invented by prolific firearms inventor John Moses Browning and was his first repeating rifle design to enter production but was far from his last. Browning's design was tweaked for production by none other than William Mason of Colt Single Action Army fame. The Model 1886 kept Winchester at the top of the lever action market. While a shorter action than the Model 1876, the Model 1886 was able to chamber longer cartridges, including the .45-70 Government, and its stronger locking block design was able to handle higher pressures even as Winchester made the jump to smokeless powders. The locking bolts on the '86 pass vertically through the bolt securing it firmly in place, and the design was also sleeker by abandoning dust covers and switching to an internal cartridge elevator. A powerful, dependable rifle was highly valued in the American West in the late 19th century, and remained desirable for hunters through the 20th century and on to today. Among its fans in the period was Theodore Roosevelt, who used this model extensively, including testing samples for the famous Smithsonian–Roosevelt African Expedition, and the legendary Rough Rider leader also presented Model 1886s to his friends. The Model 1886 was manufactured from 1886 to 1935, and the production total reached just under 160,000, but surviving examples in exceptionally high condition are rarely encountered. The '86 was a "working man's gun" and thus surviving examples typically display all the character of hard use. Roosevelt used one of his rifles so much that it was sent back to the factory multiple times for repairs. This rifle is in truly extraordinary, nearly unbelievable near new condition and has all the fantastic appearance of just coming off the production line, and has the desirable and stunning vivid color casehardened frame and furniture. It provides a very rare glimpse at what a Model 1886 would have looked like fresh from the factory. It is certainly worthy of the finest public or private collection. Its condition is made even more extraordinary when you consider that the rifle was manufactured in 1886, the model’s introductory year. The accompanying factory letter indicates that the serial number was applied on November 30, 1886 and the rifle was received in the warehouse on December 6, 1886 and shipped on March 4, 1887. The factory letter also confirms the octagon barrel in .45-90 caliber and plain trigger. The rifle is fitted with a dovetail blade front sight and an elevation adjustable rear sight. The top barrel flat is stamped with the two-line Winchester New Haven address ahead of the rear sight and “45-90 W.C.F.” at the breech. The upper tang is stamped “-MODEL 1886-.” The lower tang has the two-line patent dates marking and the first year serial number. The forearm and straight grip stock are plain varnished walnut, and the stock is fitted with a crescent buttplate. Provenance: Reverend Henry W. Nelson, Jr. and his descendants

Documentation

Has Box

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 45-90 WCF

Price Realized:

Very Scarce Documented Factory Engraved Robbins & Lawrence Jennings Breech Loading Rifle with Automatic Pill Primer Formerly in the William M. Locke Collection

Lot 14

Factory Engraved Robbins & Lawrence Jennings Rifle

The Jennings rifles were designed by Lewis Jennings and are considered to be an improvement of the Hunt Repeating Rifle and forefathers of the famous Winchester rifles. The sliding internal bolt, the tubular magazine (on the repeaters), the automatic pill primer, and the "Rocket Ball" cartridges are all related to the Hunt design. They were manufactured by Robbins & Lawrence of Windsor, Vermont, in 1848-1851, and production is believed to have been limited to less then 1,000, which includes both the repeaters, single shot breech loaders, and single shot muzzle loaders. Benjamin Tyler Henry was the foreman at Robbins & Lawrence, and Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson were also involved. Smith's later revision of the design, the Smith-Jennings, was also manufactured by Robbins & Lawrence for a brief period around 1851 and are the predecessors of the Smith & Wesson lever action pistols which in turn evolved to become the Volcanic pistols and carbines, then Henry rifle, and finally the Winchester Model 1866. Given this line, the Jennings firearms are considered forbearers of the beloved Winchester rifles. The connection with both Winchester and Smith & Wesson has long made these rifles very desirable. This variation loads from the breech using a folding door, has an automatic pill primer operated by the ring trigger which connects to a rack and pinion mechanism, and has a long ramrod/cleaning rod tube in place of the magazine tube that was used on the repeaters under the barrel. The barrel has a blade front sight and a notch rear sight and engraved floral scrollwork at the muzzle and breech. Additional scrollwork is featured on the receiver, hammer, trigger guard, upper receiver tang and buttplate tang. The left side of the receiver has the Robbins & Lawrence and Dixon agent markings in two blocks. The stock has a scroll engraved silver oval on the left side. This rifle is illustrated and discussed on page 494 of "The William M. Locke Collection" by Frank Sellers. Provenance: The William M. Locke Collection; The Dr. Gerald Klaz Collection; Property of a Gentleman

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 54

Price Realized:

Rare, Documented, Special Order Silver Plated Antique Winchester Deluxe First Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle with Factory Letter

Lot 15

Silver Plated Winchester Deluxe First Model 1873 Rifle

Manufactured in 1876, this is a scarce special order example of a silver "trimmed", deluxe Winchester first Model 1873 Rifle. The first model receiver has the integral dust cover guides on either side of the ejection port and the dust cover with the flush, checkered "thumbprint" grip area. According to James D. Gordon's survey of first Model 1873s on p. 349 of "Winchester's New Model of 1873 A Tribute Vol. II", around 5% of first model production received a plated finish. On p. 201 of "Vol. I" of the previously mentioned books by Gordon, he notes that of the Model 1873s with plated finishes, "... the large majority were nickeled. Silver and gold plating were very uncommon." The included factory letter lists this rifle with a round barrel, set trigger, "XXX stock, checkered", and silver when received at the warehouse on 21 April 1876 and shipped from the warehouse on 29 June 1876 in order number 6325. The barrel is octagon and appears to have been paired with the rifle originally; the factory ledger notation quite possibly is an error. The set trigger components are now absent. The top flat of the barrel is marked with the two-line address and King's patent marking and correctly lacks caliber markings as .44-40 W.C.F. was initially the only caliber offered. The upper tang is marked with the model designation and the early serial number is on the lower tang. The left side of the lower tang is marked "XXX 4739", with "4739" repeated in the stock inlet and inside the buttplate. It is fitted with a set of "sporting" sights including a German silver blade front and elevation adjustable buckhorn rear. It is mounted with a dark, nicely figured, checkered forearm and straight grip stock with a trapdoor crescent buttplate containing a three-piece cleaning rod.

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44-40 WCF

Price Realized:

Lot 16

Winchester Model 1873 .22 Rimfire Lever Action Rifle

Manufactured in 1887, this is an exceptional original example of a Winchester Model 1873 .22 rimfire rifle that is chambered for .22 Long cartridge. This rifle is accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter that describes this Model 1873 as: "Type: Rifle, Caliber: 22 L, Barrel Type: Octagon" and "Trigger: Plain". The letter states that this rifle was shipped from Winchester on September 1, 1887. The rifle has a blued barrel, magazine, forearm cap and receiver. The hammer, trigger lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened. The stock and forearm are straight grain American walnut with a varnish finish. The early style magazine tube has the heavy steel ring and separate stop ring. The octagon barrel has a sporting style front sight with nickel-silver blade and buckhorn rear sight. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend "WINCHESTER'S REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A./- KING'S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29, 1866. OCTOBER 16, 1860-" ahead of the rear sight. The top line of the legend uses serif letters, and the bottom line is stamped in block letters. The caliber "22 LONG" is stamped in block letters on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver. "22 CAL/LONG" is stamped in script letters across the bottom of the cartridge elevator. The upper tang is roll-stamped "- MODEL. 1873. - " in fancy letters with foliate devices at either end. The serial number is stamped in script numerals on the lower tang behind the lever latch. Introduced in 1884, the Winchester Model 1873 was the first Winchester .22 caliber rifle and the first .22 caliber repeating rifle made in the United States.

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 22 long

Price Realized:

Extraordinary Documented Factory Engraved New Haven Arms Co. Volcanic No.1 4 Inch Pocket Pistol with Presentation Inscription from the First Baptist Choir in New Haven to Theodore Rockwood, Extremely Rare Box with "Plated & Engraved" Label, and Ammunition Tin

Lot 17

Presentation New Haven Arms Co. Volcanic Lever Acton Pistol

This incredibly high condition and historic "Volcanic" No.1 Pocket pistol was manufactured after Oliver Winchester gained control of the insolvent Volcanic Repeating Arms Company and reformed it as the New Haven Arms Company on May 1, 1857. "Plated and Engraved" No. 1 4-Inch Pocket Pistols cost $13.50 and could carry 6 rounds of ammunition per the company price list on May 1, 1859. The brilliantly high polish blued barrel is marked "NEW HAVEN CONN." and "PATENT FEB. 14 1854" on top. A "pinched" blade front sight is fitted at the muzzle, and a notch rear sight is fitted to the dovetail at the back of the frame. Many of the other smaller components are also brilliantly blued. The hammer is casehardened and knurled, and the frame and sideplate are plated in silver and feature classic factory scroll and border engraving. The serial number is marked on the left side of the butt under the left grip. The grips are piano-varnished walnut and are numbered to the pistol. The butt is crisply engraved with the historic inscription: "Theodore H. Rockford/from the/First Baptist Choir,/New Haven." in three different beautifully cut scripts. The pistol comes in an extraordinarily rare green pasteboard box with a "PLATED & ENGRAVED" label on one end flap and an empty lacquered tin container for ammunition with a New Haven Arms Company label inside. As an extremely high condition "plated and engraved" Volcanic, this pistol would already rank as one of the most desirable examples. Very, very few of these pistols retain significant finish, and only a select few boxes are known. Once this pistol's historic inscription is taken into account, it becomes truly one of the most desirable and valuable of all Volcanic firearms extant today. Naturally, the set has received previous attention. The pistol and box are featured and discussed on pages 108 and 109 of "Volcanic Firearms: Predecessor to the Winchester Rifle" by Lewis & Rutter who note: "Boxed pistols of this quality are extremely rare." That is certainly an understatement! Considering the high condition, the extremely rare box with the "PLATED & ENGRAVED" end label still complete, and the historic inscription, this pistol is truly elite. The book also shows the "Regimental Descriptive Book (List of Commissioned Officers) of the 19th U.S.C.T." entry for Major Theodore H. Rockwood showing him as appointed major on Nov. 28, 1863, and as mustered in by Colonel Binney on December 21, 1863 and "Killed in front of Petersburg, Va. Jul. 30, 64", indicating he was killed in the famous Battle of the Crater. The authors write: "Theodore H. Rockwood was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1836 and as a young adult received, from the Choir of the First Baptist Church, a presentation pistol made by the New Haven Arms Company. Just why he received this gift is unknown. Perhaps it was because he mustered into the service of the United States in Company E of the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery on May 21, 1861, during the Civil War. He was given the rank of First Lieutenant and served in that unit before he transferred to become Major of the Infantry in December of 1863. He joined the 19th Regiment of U.S. Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) as a staff officer and trained with the troops at Camp Stanton in Benedict, Maryland. The unit was attached to the Fourth Division of the Army of the Potomac from April until July of 1864, when it found itself in front of the Confederate defenders around Petersburg, Virginia. The rebels were deeply entrenched and, in an attempt to break the stalemate, the Union forces devised a plan to detonate 8,000 pounds of gunpowder under the Confederate breastworks. The explosion killed many defenders and created a huge crater. The Confederate defenders recovered, and the 'Battle of the Crater' followed with the Union soldiers attacking across the canister swept 'No Man's Land.' Colonel Henry G. Thomas tried to rally his men after getting pinned down on the western edge of the crater. Thomas saw officer after officer fall dead and said one officer, Major Theodore H. Rockwood of the 19th U.S.C.T., that he 'mounted the crest of a trench and fell back dead with a smile on his lips.' Had Major Rockwood stayed with the Heavy Artillery and not transferred to the Infantry to get a promotion, he may have survived the Civil War." The pistol's exact provenance is not recorded, but researching the inscription proved enlightening. Major Theodore Hubert Rockwood (1835-1864) was the son of Josiah Rockwood (1802-1859), a deacon in the First Baptist Church, and Emily Phelps Rockwood (1809-1900). Reverend Sylvanus Dryden Phelps was his uncle and first took the pulpit at First Baptist in 1845 and remained its leader until 1882. Clearly, the family formed a very important part of the congregation which a church history published in the early 20th century noted was "strongly pro-Union" during the Civil War and had one hundred of their men in the Union Army. It seems likely that Rockwood was a member of the choir, and the pistol may have been presented when he intended to enlist to fight for the Union early in the Civil War. It was common for influential men to be presented sidearms by members of their community or their comrades in arms as they headed off to war. The lack of a rank suggests it was presented before Rockwood enlisted as First Lieutenant in Company E of the 4th Connecticut Regiment (subsequently re-designated the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery) in May 1861. It is also possible it was presented prior to the war. Rockwood became a captain on December 17 and mustered out in December 1863 to take the promotion to major in the 19th Infantry, U.S. Colored Troops. The 19th was organized on December 25, 1863, at Camp Stanton in Benedict, Maryland, and was under the command of Colonel Henry Goddard Thomas and formed part of the 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, IX Corps, Army of the Potomac. The regiment fought in the Army of the Potomac during the Overland Campaign, including in combat at the Battle of the Wilderness. At the Siege of Petersburg, a division of the U.S. Colored Troops were specially trained under General Ambrose Burnside's orders in preparation for the Battle of the Crater. The plan was for one brigade to head around the left side of the crater formed by the explosion and the other to the right. Instead, Burnside was ordered to use white troops out of fear that should the black troops suffer heavy losses, it would be said their superiors had not valued their lives. The troops substituted were not specially trained for the mission nor given proper instructions. After the explosion, the troops stalled before advanced into the crater instead of around it, took up firing positions instead of advancing rapidly, and then became pinned down after the Confederates reformed their line and began taking heavy losses. The 19th was sent into the crater to provide support and attempt a break through, but they also suffered heavy losses. According to Colonel Thomas, Rockwood was killed leading his men into the action. He remarked, "I would also speak of the gallant and genial Maj. Theodore H. Rockwood, Nineteenth U.S. Colored Troops, who, when the regiment was ordered forward, sprang upon the parapet, the first man, fell cheering his regiment on. Such men cannot be easily replaced, nor the void they leave in our hearts readily filled." The Union troops in the crater ultimately attempted to retreat or surrender given their heavy losses. Many of Rockwood's men were summarily executed by the Confederates when they attempted to surrender. In a letter to his chief of staff, General Ulysses S. Grant wrote that the Battle of the Crater "was the saddest affair I have witnessed in this war." Unlike Rockwood, the pistol was saved from the ravages of the Civil War. The pistol likely remained in the family for many years as a memento of a fallen son and brother. It may have been passed on to Major Rockwood's older brother, Captain Newell Phelps Rockwood (1831-1916) of Company K, 14th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. Regardless of its subsequent ownership, it was clearly very carefully looked after for a great many years and remains in extremely high condition to this day and remains an extraordinary historical artifact connected to a brave Union officer killed in the ill-fated "Battle of the Crater." Provenance: Major Thomas H. Rockwood; The Alden S. Bradstock III Collection; Property of a Gentleman

Has Box

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 31 Volcanic

Lot 18

Special Order Winchester Model 1873 Rifle with 32 Inch Barrel

Manufactured in 1890 as a third model with integral dust cover guide and dust cover with serrations at the rear. This Model 1873 has the very rare and desirable special order feature of an extra length 32 inch barrel. It is easy to imagine this rifle in the hands of a skilled marksman or hunter on the western frontier, the rifle likely as much of a legend as the man himself. The top of the barrel is marked with the standard two-line address and King's patent marking as well as the caliber marking at the breech. The upper tang is marked with the model designation, and the serial number is on the lower tang. It is fitted with a blade front sight and an elevation adjustable buckhorn rear sight. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with the crescent buttplate. The included factory letter states the rifle was received in the warehouse on January 24, 1891, and shipped on August 8 with a 32 inch octagon barrel in 32 caliber and plain trigger.

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 32 WCF

Price Realized:

Lot 19

Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle in .22 Long Caliber

Manufactured in 1889. These small caliber Model 1873 rifles would have been valued in the American West for small game hunting and practice. This rifle is a third model with integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrations at the rear and is chambered in .22 Long. Winchester only manufactured approximately 19,552 Model 1873s in .22 short or .22 long between 1884 and 1904. The barrel has the two-line address/King's patent marking and caliber marking at the breech and on the bottom of the cartridge elevator. The upper tang is marked with the model designation, and the serial number is on the lower tang. Fitted with a dovetail blade front sight, a filler block in the rear sight dovetail, and folding peep sight. Mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a crescent buttplate. Provenance: The Collection of David L. DeLullo

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 22 Long

Price Realized:

Lot 20

Winchester Model 1892 Lever Action Saddle Ring Trapper's Carbine

Manufactured in 1907, this is a very scarce Winchester Model 1892 Trapper's Carbine with a highly desirable 16 inch barrel (no ATF exemption required). These shorter than standard carbines were highly prized in the American West for their firepower in a small and mobile package. The top of the barrel is marked with the standard two-line Winchester legend ahead of the rear barrel band, Winchester oval proof ahead of the rear sight, and "44 WCF" at the breech. A second Winchester factory oval proof appears on top of the receiver at the breech. The upper tang has the standard thee-line model and trademark information, while the serial number is on the bottom of the receiver. It is fitted with a pinned German silver blade front sight, ladder rear sight, and a saddle ring on the left of the receiver. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a carbine buttplate. Provenance: The Collection of David L. DeLullo

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 44-40 WCF

Price Realized:

Fine Colt Small Frame Lightning Slide Action Rifle

Lot 21

Colt Lightning Small Frame Slide Action Rifle

Manufactured in 1899, a rifle such as this would have been highly valued in the American West for small game hunting and varmint control. The standard two-line address and patent dates is marked on top of the barrel, and the caliber marking is offset on the left at the breech. There is an import mark on the lower right flat of the barrel. The Rampant Colt is marked on the left side of the frame, and the serial number is on the lower tang. It is fitted with a blade front sight and fixed notch rear sight. It is mounted with a mostly smooth forearm, having simple border carving, and a straight grip stock with a hard rubber shotgun buttplate.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 22 RF

Price Realized:

Lot 22

Early Production Winchester Model 1866 Lever Action Carbine

This Winchester Model 1866 carbine was manufactured in 1868. The carbine has the Second Model features which include receiver with flare at the junction with the forearm and graceful curve in the hammer area, single upper tang screw, concealed serial number on the lower left side of the tang and Henry and King's patent barrel legend. The carbine has a distinctive brass receiver and crescent buttplate with blue barrel, 13-shot magazine and barrel bands. The hammer, trigger and lever are casehardened. The oil finished stock and forearm are straight grain American walnut. The front sight blade is an integral part of the upper barrel band. The barrel has a dovetail mounted two leaf fixed rear sight with "1, 3," and 5" elevation marks. The magazine has the early threaded cap. A staple mounted saddle ring is located on the left side of the receiver. The hammer has coarse knurling on the spur. The crescent buttplate has a sharply pointed heel and hinged butt trapdoor. The top of the barrel is roll stamped with the early pattern, two-line marking "HENRY'S PATENT-OCT. 16. 1860/ KING'S PATENT-MARCH 29. 1866." located between the lower barrel band and the rear sight. The serial number is stamped on the left side of the lower tang, in the upper stock inlet and on the inside of the buttplate. All of the visible serial numbers match. Provenance: The Joe Marlin Hilliard Collection

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44 RF

Price Realized:

Lot 23

Winchester Model 1866 Lever Action Rifle

This is an attractive Winchester Model 1866 lever action rifle that was manufactured in 1877. The rifle has a blued, full octagon barrel and magazine, casehardened hammer and loading lever and brass forearm cap, receiver and crescent buttplate. The walnut stock and forearm have a varnished finish. The barrel has a dove-tail mounted front sight with nickel-silver blade and a sporting style rear sight. The brass forearm tip is factory drilled for a sling swivel but none has been fitted. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped for a tang sight. The buttplate is fitted with a hinged brass trap. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the two-line legend: "WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING"S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29.1866. OCTOBER 16.1860." ahead of the rear sight. The serial number is stamped in block letters on the lower tang behind the trigger.

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44 rimfire

Price Realized:

Very Fine and Desirable Winchester 50 Count Box of 44 Flat Ammunition, Label Marked for Model 1866 Rifle

Lot 24

Winchester 50 Count Box of 44 Flat Ammunition for Model 1866

Constructed from brown cardboard, with a black-on-green lid label and a black-on-green seal. The lid label bears a picture of the 44 Flat Rimfire cartridge, and is marked for 50 rounds, with the New Haven address below. The seal reads, ".44 FLAT R.F." on three sides with the Winchester guarantee on the fourth. Though the factory seal is broken, the box contains a full compliment of cartridges, which all appear "H" headstamped. Provenance: The Greg Lampe Collection

Price Realized:

Documented Special Order Winchester First Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle with Factory Letter

Lot 25

Special Order Winchester First Model 1873 Rifle

Manufactured in 1876, this is a desirable first model variation of the Model 1873 featuring a dust cover held in place with grooved guides and cover with checked oval grip. The accompanying factory letter lists this rifle with a round barrel and special order set trigger when received in the warehouse on May 24, 1876, and shipped nearly a year later on April 19, 1877. Dovetail blade front and elevation adjustable rear sights, standard Winchester markings (correctly lacks caliber markings), and straight grip stock with trapdoor buttplate (cleaning rod not included).

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44 WCF

Price Realized:

Lot 26

Winchester Model 1876 Lever Action Rifle

Manufactured in 1884 when the West remained very much untamed. The Model 1876 was the first Winchester lever action rifle offered in calibers truly suitable for hunting large and dangerous game. The larger caliber Model 1876 was popular among those in the West who believed .44-40 wasn't quite enough stopping power for whatever they might encounter. With only 63,871 rifles and carbines manufactured between 1876 and 1897, surviving examples of the Model 1876 rifle are scarce. Generally being viewed as a working gun, these rifles saw hard use and thus these lever actions are rarely encountered in high condition such as this example. The rifle is fitted with a Lyman beaded blade front sight, an "1876" marked folding ladder rear sight, and a tang peep sight. The top barrel flat is stamped with the two-line Winchester address/King's patent marking ahead of the rear sight and "CAL. 40-60" at the breech .The caliber marking is again marked on the bottom of the brass cartridge elevator. The third model receiver features an integral dust cover rail and a dust cover with grip serrations at the rear. The serial number is marked on the lower tang. The buttstock is fitted with a trap door crescent buttplate (cleaning rod not included). The plain forearm and straight grip stock are walnut.

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 40-60 WCF

Price Realized:

Lot 27

Outstanding Winchester 1873 Lever Action Musket

This is an exceptional example of a Winchester Model 1873 musket manufactured in 1903. The included factory letter confirms this musket's configuration and lists it as being received in the warehouse on August 15, 1903, and shipped from the warehouse on August 17, 1903, on order number 14281. The musket has the standard features which include 30 inch round barrel, full-length magazine, three barrel bands with sling swivel on the middle band, block mounted iron front sight that also serves as a lug for a socket bayonet, military style folding leaf rear sight rear sight with 900 yard center notch, stock sling swivel and carbine style steel buttplate with sliding brass trap. The butt trap contains a five-piece jointed steel cleaning rod. The upper tang is factory drilled and tapped for a sight. The Third Model receiver has an integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated edges. The rifle has a blue barrel, magazine, barrel bands and receiver with niter blue loading gate and casehardened hammer, lever and buttplate. The stock and forearm are straight grain walnut with a varnish finish. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped "WINCHESTER'S REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING'S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860." ahead of the rear sight. "44 W.C.F." is stamped on the top of the barrel at the breech. "44 CAL" is stamped in script letters on the bottom of the cartridge elevator. The upper receiver tang is roll stamped "-MODEL. 1873.-" in script letters with foliate devices at either end of the marking. The lower tang is stamped with the serial number between the lever latch and the tang screw. This musket appears to be part of a group of 700 muskets in the 569,000-571,000 serial number range that were shipped to Central America in September 1903. These muskets were apparently never issued and were re-imported to the United States in the late 1950s in new un-fired condition. Provenance: The Collection of David L. DeLullo

Documentation

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 44 WCF

Price Realized:

Exceptional and Documented Winchester Deluxe Model 1876 Lever Action "Tiger" Short Rifle in Desirable .50 Express with Factory Letter

Lot 28

Winchester Deluxe Model 1876 Tiger Short Rifle in .50 Express

Manufactured in 1882, this .50-95 Express Short Rifle Model 1876 is configured similarly to the Model 1886 Lightweight in that it has a short 22 inch barrel (although not tapered), rifle style forearm, and shotgun butt. In "The Winchester Model 1876 Centennial Rifle," author Herbert Houze details around 2,500 short rifle and 2,500 carbines, all with 22 inch barrels. Approximately 65,000 Model 1876s were manufactured, however, only 3,310 were chambered in .50-95 Express. Based on Houze's research, around 30 of the 3,310 were in deluxe configuration. The .50-95 Winchester Express was the largest caliber available for the Model 1876 and proved popular with big and dangerous game hunters. Many Model 1876 rifles chambered for this powerful cartridge were shipped to England and then found their way to Africa and India where they were often employed against big cats. This example has British proofs stamped on the barrel and receiver at the breech. Theodore Roosevelt loved his .45-75 '76, but he and other Americans scorned the .50 Express, and thus, the Model 1876 was only produced in limited numbers chambered for that cartridge compared to the smaller calibers. The accompanying factory letter states the rifle was received in the warehouse on July 10, 1882 and shipped on July 12 to order number 32944 with a 22 inch round barrel in .50-95 caliber, plain trigger, checkered pistol grip stock, half magazine, shotgun butt, casehardened frame, and “inside finish.” The letter notes the rifle was delivered with "inside finish." Per Winchester expert and author Herbert Houze, only 175 Model 1876s had "inside finishing." This is certainly one of the rare features on this rifle and indicated that the inside of the action was polished for smoother operation. The rifle is fitted with a dovetail blade front sight and an elevation adjustable rear sight. The top of the barrel is stamped with the two-line Winchester legend ahead of the rear sight and “50-CAL” at the breech. The casehardened second model receiver features a dust cover stamped “WINCHESTER EXPRESS/.50 CAL. 95 GRS.” The cartridge elevator is marked "50-95." The upper tang is marked "MODEL 1876." The lower tang has the serial number under the lever latch. The forearm and pistol grip stock are select XXX walnut and feature factory "H" pattern checkering. The stock has a steel shotgun buttplate, and the pistol grip has an inlay. The left side of the lower tang is marked “XXX 332 S.” The assembly number “332” is repeated on the stock inlet along with the letter “P.” Provenance: The Collection of David L. DeLullo

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 50-95 Express

Price Realized:

Exceptionally Rare Union Metallic Cartridge Company Glass Topped Cartridge Display Board

Lot 29

Union Metallic Cartridge Co. Cartridge Display Board

Manufactured in the late 1800s to very early 1900s, cartridge boards such as this were a common advertising piece displayed in gun shops, hardware stores, and sporting goods stores around the country. This example is an exceptionally rare early variation compared to other designs by U.M.C., with very few examples left known to exist, one being in the Smithsonian and one at the Springfield Armory Museum. At Rock Island Auction Company, we have only cataloged one other example of this specific variation. As far as the writer is aware, the example offered here is one of two that we know have survived available on the collector's market. Some of these other examples show different color backgrounds, making these navy blue backed examples even more scarce. The interior frame measures 20 13/16 wide by 32 3/8 tall inches with the exterior measuring 25 3/8 wide by 37 1/8 inches tall and the display is approximately 4 1/4 inches deep. This impressive board includes an assortment of rimfire cartridges, centerfire cartridges, and shotgun shells ranging from the tiny BB cap up to the massive 1 inch Berdan Gatling cartridge. All of the cartridges are neatly arranged in rows and labeled in gold on a dark navy blue background. "AMMUNITION/MANUFACTURED BY THE/UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE COMPANY,/BRIDGEPORT, CONN., U.S.A." is arranged in four lines at the top with a U.M.C. monogram logo to either side, also in gold. The frame has two black accents that run around the perimeter and a pane of glass protecting the entire display. Provenance: The Gateway Collection

Price Realized:

Untitled Early 20th Century Hand Colored Mining Themed Print by L.A. Huffman

Lot 30

Early 20th Century Hand Colored Mining Print by L.A. Huffman

L.A. Huffman (1835-1931), an immensely influential and historically important frontier photographer of the American West, documented Montana's cowboys, ranchers, landscapes and native populations in their natural states. The previously unknown image shows a group of men who may be in the business of mining. The group stands in front of a pair of small shacks and a Model T dating the image to between 1908 and Huffman's death in 1931. Mining became a booming industry in Montana following the discovery of gold in 1864. The competition for control of the mines was won when Marcus Daly created the Amalgamated Copper Mining Company with William Rockefeller, Henry H. Rogers, and Thomas W. Lawson. Huffman has the uncanny knack of photographing subjects that define a time and place, and this hand colored image is just such an image. Measuring 6 1/2 inches by 9 1/2 inches, the print is lightly hand colored and is unmarked besides "c L.A. Huffman" in the lower left corner. Provenance: The John Fox Collection

Lot 31

Winchester Model 1866 Lever Action Saddle Ring Carbine

Many legendary firearms are often cited as the "Guns that Won the West", however, there are perhaps no long guns more iconic than the Winchester Model 1866 carbine. These carbines simply have "the look" of having been there when the West was being tamed and were carried for decades on the frontier by lawmen, cowboys, outlaws, Native Americans, gold prospectors, and settlers. This example was manufactured in 1872, when the American West was still very much wild. It is a Third Model, with the serial number marked in block digits behind the trigger on the lower tang. The standard two-line address and King's patent marking is on top of the barrel. It is fitted with a blade front sight, integral to the barrel band, and a folding two-leaf rear sight, as well as a saddle ring on the left of the receiver. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with an iron trapdoor crescent buttplate (cleaning rod not included). Iron buttplates were a late production mounting. The carbine has full nickel finish. Provenance: The Collection of David L. DeLullo

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44 RF

Price Realized:

Attractive Documented Antique Special Order Winchester Second Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle with Scarce Nickel Finish, Fancy Stock, and Factory Letter

Lot 32

Antique Special Order Nickel Finish Winchester Model 1873 Rifle

Manufactured in 1879, this Winchester Model 1873 has the second model receiver with dust cover guide retained with two screws and dust cover with the sunken, checkered "thumbprint" grip area. According to Winchester historian George Madis, only one out of every 600 Model 1873s were special ordered with a plated finish, either full or half like this example. Madis also notes that only one out of every 600 were ordered with special wood like this specific rifle. The included factory letter lists the rifle with an octagon barrel, nickel finish, set trigger, sling and swivels, and fancy stock when received at the warehouse on 9 April 1879 and shipped on 10 April 1879 in order number 15092. All of these special order features would have made the rifle particularly desirable on the Western Frontier, the durable finish, set trigger for accuracy, and sling swivels for portability. The top barrel flat has the standard two-line address/King's patent marking, and it correctly lacks caliber markings as .44-40 W.C.F. was standard. The model designation is marked on the upper tang and the serial number is on the lower tang. The left side of the lower tang is marked "XX 6", with "6" repeated inside the stock inlet and inside the buttplate (one of the buttplate screws is broken, but in place). It is fitted with a blade front sight (blade absent), elevation adjustable semi-buckhorn rear sight, a special order set trigger, and special order sling swivels. It is mounted with a very finely figured, smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a trapdoor crescent buttplate (cleaning rod not included).

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44 WCF

Lot 33

Antique Colt Black Powder Single Action Army Revolver

Manufactured in 1878, this example of the iconic Colt Single Action Army exudes the grim and grit of the revolver that has become synonymous with the American West. These revolvers became a western legends due to their widespread use by people of almost every walk of life on the frontier with this SAA having the appearance of just coming off the frontier after a lifetime of service. The top of the barrel is marked on the one-line Hartford address. The frame has the three-line patent dates marking on the left side. "45 CAL" is marked on the left side of the trigger guard. Matching full or partial serial numbers appear on the frame, trigger guard, back strap, barrel, and cylinder.

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 45 Long Colt

Price Realized:

Desirable Very Early Transitional "Slim Jim"/"Mexican Loop" Pattern Holster and Cartridge Belt Rig for a Single Action Army Revolver

Lot 34

Early Transitional "Slim Jim"/"Mexican Loop" Pattern Holster Rig

Manufactured in the second half of the 19th century, this is a very good example of a transitional type holster between what is popularly known as the "Slim Jim" or "California Pattern" holster and the "Mexican Loop" holster, both of which were mainstays of holster rigs in the American West. This example has no maker's marks, which was not uncommon for these products which, in many cases, were considered secondary to their primary business of making saddles and harnesses. The holster itself shows the thin, form-fit shape and sewn in toe plug of the "Slim Jim" pattern while also having the folded over backing apron and two retention loops of the "Mexican Loop" style, which are riveted straight to the apron. The holster will accommodate a Colt Single Action Army revolver with a 7 1/2 inch barrel. The included cartridge belt is marked "45c" near the buckle and is also of an earlier style, measuring only 1 1/2 inches wide, with a single short row of cartridge loops that appear to be for .44 or .45 caliber cartridges. The loops appear to have been replaced during the period of use. It is fitted with a rectangular buckle that appears to have once been nickeled. It measures approximately 38 inches long including the billet.

Price Realized:

Lot 35

Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle

Manufactured in 1879, the Cody letter describes this Winchester Model 1873 as: "Rifle, Casehardened, Barrel Shape: 1/2 Octagon, Plain trigger, Checkered pistol grip" and "1/2 magazine" and states this rifle was shipped from Winchester on December 2, 1879. The rifle has the Second Model receiver with screw-fastened dust cover guide rail and later pattern dust cover with serrated finger grips on the sides. The 24-inch half-round/half-octagon barrel has a standard, sporting style front sight with nickel-silver blade and buckhorn, sporting style rear sight with knurled edges and solid back. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped. The crescent buttplate has a sliding brass trapdoor, and the butt trap contains a four piece, jointed, steel cleaning rod with brass tip. The forearm and pistol grip stock are deluxe, fancy grade, highly figured American walnut with fine checkering and a high polish piano finish. The Winchester "Style H" checkering is the intermediate pattern which features a large "V" on the stock wrist at the junction with the receiver and runs parallel with the edge of the receiver on the forearm. The stock pistol grip has the early style, fancy, ebony inlay. The barrel and magazine tube have a blue finish. The dust cover is a high polish blue, and the loading gate cover is a fiery niter blue. The magazine tip, forearm cap, receiver, hammer, lever, trigger and crescent buttplate are casehardened with vivid case colors. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend: "WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN . CT./ KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860" ahead of the rear sight. "MODEL. 1873" is roll-stamped in fancy letters on the upper receiver tang. The serial number is stamped in tiny numerals on the lower tang between the lever latch and rear tang screw. The barrel and brass cartridge elevator, correctly, are not marked with the rifle caliber.

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44 WCF

Price Realized:

Exceptional Civil War Production New Haven Arms Company Henry Lever Action Rifle

Lot 36

Civil War Production New Haven Arms Company Henry Rifle

This Henry Lever Action rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co., in July 1864. The rifle has the distinctive Henry brass receiver and brass buttplate with blue octagon barrel and integral 15-shot magazine. The hammer and loading lever have a color casehardened finish. The straight grain black walnut stock has an oil finish. The barrel has the later style square back nickel-silver front sight blade and dovetail mounted folding leaf rear sight. The rear sight has a center notch marked "900" and sight bar retaining screw at the top of the leaf. The magazine has the larger second style brass follower. The receiver is the second pattern which lacks the rear sight dovetail which was eliminated at about serial number 3,100 (September 1863). The rifle has the second style brass buttplate with pointed heel. The buttplate has a hinged brass trap door and the trap contains the correct four piece jointed steel cleaning rod with brass tip and steel eyelet, introduced around serial number 4,000. The left side of the stock and barrel are fitted with a sling swivel and a screw-fastened loop for a sling hook. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the two-line legend "HENRY'S PATENT. OCT.16.1860/MANUFACT'D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS CO. NEWHAVEN.CT.". The legend is the later, larger style with all serif letters in the second line. The rifle serial number is stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver, on the left side of the lower receiver rail, in the upper stock inlet and on the inside of the buttplate below the lower screw. All of the visible serial numbers match. The serial number is correctly not stamped on the late style cap-head buttplate and tang screws. The "H" inspection mark of B. Tyler Henry is stamped on the lower tang behind the lever latch. What appear to be the script initials "C C C" are very lightly scratched in the right side of the stock. Provenance: The Joe Marlin Hilliard Collection

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44 Henry RF

Price Realized:

Desirable Documented Antique Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Saddle Ring Trapper's Carbine with 14 Inch Barrel, Factory Letter, and ATF Exemption Letter

Lot 37

Antique Winchester Model 1873 Saddle Ring Trapper's Carbine

Manufactured in 1898, this intriguing Model 1873 carbine was originally shipped in an interesting special order short rifle configuration. The included factory letter lists it in .44 caliber with a 20 inch octagon barrel, a plain trigger, a carbine butt, and a sling ring when received at the warehouse on 26 August 1898 and shipped the same day. The letter goes on to note that it was returned to the factory on 27 December 1898 and changed to a carbine with a 14 inch barrel in .38 caliber. This modification likely occurred due to the customer deciding that a shorter and lighter carbine would be more useful to them, as many would have found on the Western Frontier. Noted Winchester historian and author George Madis states that only one out of every 1,600 carbines and one out of every 450 rifles had shorter than standard barrels, making this gun a dual threat when it comes to rarity, having been ordered with both. Also included is a 2024 dated ATF letter stating that the carbine was evaluated and removed from the provisions of the NFA. The receiver is a third model with integral dust cover guide, dust cover with grip serrations at the rear, and a saddle ring mounted on the left. The top of the barrel is marked with faint two-line address/King's patent marking, and the caliber marking is at the breech. The bottom of the cartridge elevator correctly lacks a caliber marking as the gun was originally ordered in .44 W.C.F., which was standard. The model designation is on the upper tang, and the serial number is faintly on the lower tang. It is fitted with a block blade front sight with the front barrel band correctly slotted to accommodate it and a folding ladder rear sight. It is mounted with a smooth carbine forearm and straight grip stock with a carbine buttplate. Provenance: The Brandhorst Collection

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 38 WCF

Price Realized:

Lot 38

Winchester Model 1866 Lever Action Saddle Ring Carbine

This example was manufactured in 1870, when the American West was still very much wild. Many legendary firearms are often cited as the "Guns that Won the West", however, there are perhaps no long guns more iconic than the Winchester Model 1866 carbine. These carbines simply have "the look" of having been there when the West was being tamed and were carried for decades on the frontier by lawmen, cowboys, outlaws, Native Americans, gold prospectors, and settlers. This example is a Third Model, with the serial number marked in block digits behind the trigger on the lower tang. The standard two-line address and King's patent marking is on top of the barrel. It is fitted with a blade front sight, integral to the barrel band, and a folding two-leaf rear sight, as well as a saddle ring on the left of the receiver. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a trapdoor crescent buttplate (cleaning rod not included). Provenance: The Collection of David L. DeLullo

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44 RF

Price Realized:

Lot 39

Colt First Generation Single Action Army Revolver

The Colt Single Action Army revolver is one of the most iconic firearms of the American West, and it, alongside the Winchester Model 1873, are often cited as the "Guns that Won the West". The .32 W.C.F. caliber was noted for its accuracy and would have been highly regarded on the frontier by someone concerned with well-placed shots. This example was manufactured in 1912, when much of the West still remained wild. The standard one-line address is on top of the barrel, and the caliber marking is on the left. The two-line patent date marking and circled Rampant Colt are on the left of the frame. Matching serial numbers are on the frame, trigger guard, and back strap. The assembly number "33" is marked inside the loading gate. It has standard features and is fitted with a pair of checkered hard rubber grips with Rampant Colts at the tops. The included factory letter confirms the current configuration as well as shipment to J.B. Varick & Co. of Manchester, New Hampshire, on 6 August 1912 as a single gun shipment.

Documentation

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 32 WCF

Price Realized:

Desirable Early J.F. Foote, Wyoming Territory Cartridge/Money Belt with Tooled Holster for a Colt Single Action Army Revolver

Lot 40

J.F. Foote, Wyoming Territory Cartridge/Money Belt with Holster

Manufactured in the late 1800s, this is a rare and desirable example of a Wyoming Territory made cartridge/money belt from the shop of J.F. Foote, which he had bought from R.B. Knox in Rawlins, Wyoming, in the 1880s. This example is similar in style to other known cartridge/money belts by Foote and has his very faint maker's mark on the "teardrop" portion of the billet. The belt has a single row of loops for .44 or .45 caliber cartridges and a money pocket opening near the rectangular buckle which was once nickeled. The belt is 3 inches wide and measures approximately 43 1/2 inches long including the billet. Included with the belt is an early type "Mexican Loop" holster with light border tooling that has no maker's mark, though it is very much in the style of known Foote examples. It has a single wide retention loop, open toe, recurved throat, and will accommodate a 7 1/2 inch barreled Colt Single Action Army Revolver.

Price Realized:

Lot 41

Framed Collotype Print of L.A. Huffman's "After The Chase"

L.A. Huffman (1835-1931), an immensely influential and historically important frontier photographer of the American West, documented Montana's cowboys, ranchers, landscapes and native populations in their natural states. Huffman photographed some of the last commercial buffalo hunts in the west. "After the Chase," photographed circa 1882, is composed somewhat similarly to George Catlin's painting "After the Buffalo Chase" and depicts two horses, and three downed buffalo along the snowy Montana countryside. The frame measures 14 3/8 inches by 16 3/8 inches with grey and red matting which covers the "L.A. Huffman" in the lower right corner. This documentation is a potent reminder of the near eradication of the American bison. Provenance: The John Fox Collection

Price Realized:

Framed Hand Colorized Signed Print of L.A. Huffman's "Trailing Sheep"

Lot 42

Framed Hand Colorized Print of L.A. Huffman's "Trailing Sheep"

L.A. Huffman (1835-1931), an immensely influential and historically important frontier photographer of the American West, documented Montana's cowboys, ranchers, landscapes and native populations in their natural states. "Trailing Sheep," depicts a flock of sheep grazing on the slim pickings of sage brush and other desert shrubs. This massive herd extends down into the valley below which looks to be nearly picked clean. This remarkable hand-colored print resides in a frame measuring 17 inches by 14 inches with beige and olive matting, it is hand marked at the bottom "#300 Trailing Sheep, Powder River Badlands, neg print and copyright by Huffman/Milestone Mount 1884." Provenance: The John Fox Collection

Price Realized:

Rare Documented New Haven Arms Co. Volcanic Lever Action Carbine with Distinctive "Rack Number" 19 Featured in "Volcanic Firearms" by Lewis and Rutter and Attributed as Used by the New York Police During the Staten Island Yellow Fever War in 1858

Lot 43

Staten Island Yellow Fever War New Haven Arms Volcanic Carbine

This carbine is featured on page 112 of "Volcanic Firearms: Predecessor to the Winchester Rifle" by Lewis and Rutter as part of their discussion of Volcanic carbines used during the Staten Island Yellow Fever War in 1858. One of the captions states, " Identification number '19' stamped on the receiver of a New Haven Arms Company 16-inch carbine, serial number 136...This carbine, and others noted with similar stamped numbers, are thought to be among those stamped with inventory numbers by the New York Metropolitan Police." They also show an example marked with "8" that was previously sold by Rock Island Auction Co., and we have also sold examples marked with "7," "18," and "37" in the same location. They point to Herbert G. Houze's article "The Volcanic in Service During the Staten Island War of 1858" in the September/October 2005 issue of "Man at Arms." Volcanic carbines are well-documented as used by New York City police officers to quell a mob that attacked the hospitals on Staten Island in New York Harbor. The New York City Quarantine Station was situated on 30 acres of land on Staten Island that had been sold by former New York Governor and U.S. Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins. The sale had a provision that the land would revert to Tompkins's heirs if it was no longer used as the quarantine station. Because of the expansion around the area, the land became more valuable, and citizens also grew concerned about the increased proximity of the station and local residents. Ray Tompkins who stood to inherit the land if it was abandoned by the government organized a mob that pulled patients from their beds and burned the Men's Yellow Fever Hospital and the Small Pox Hospital as well as other buildings at night on September 1, 1858. U.S. Marines arrived the next day to defend the government buildings, but government officials sent in an insufficient force thinking the danger had passed, and the mob attacked again that night and burned the Women's Yellow Fever Hospital and the homes of two of the doctors. In response, the city sent in a large force of police officers to secure the area. The New York Times on September 6, 1858, reported that, "The police force at Quarantine consists of 100 men...Each man is armed with a Volcanic repeating rifle, loaded with twenty balls, which can all be fired in less than two minutes. The aggregate is equal to one thousand shots." Their math skills were lacking given that would total 2,000 shots, but the twenty-round capacity points to the "16 inch" variation of the carbines, and the low production of the Volcanic carbines combined with the numbers found on these carbines certainly fits with the idea that these were the New York carbines. Officials quickly setup tents to care for the patients, and Lewis and Rutter indicate that situation soon calmed down. Instead of being imprisoned for his crimes, Tompkins was acquitted. The authors also point out that New Haven Arms Co. agent Joseph Merwin also promoted the Volcanics in advertisements in the New York Times starting on October 12, 1858. Reports indicate that 120 Volcanic carbines saw service with the NYC police during the conflict. The New York Times on May 26, 1859, reported that "The bill of the New Haven Arms Company, amounting to $1,150, for Volcanic arms which the Company let the authorities have during the Quarantine riots, in September last, was received." Houze estimated that around 50 were kept in service while 70 were returned to Merwin and the company. It is further theorized in the book "that rifles were marked in this manner while they were in use by the New York Metropolitan Police." Further investigation into period newspapers found other accounts of the police all being armed with Volcanic carbines, and some reports also indicate they had Volcanic pistols as well. For example, The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser on September 6, 1858, republished a report from the New York Evening Post that stated "The one hundred policemen required to be sent to Quarantine by the Commissioners of Emigration arrived there in the steamboat Dr. Kane...They were all armed with the volcanic repeating rifles and pistols, furnished by the manufacturers, and are under the command of Captain Walling, the same officer who commanded during the Seaguine's Point War. They have a six-pounder, and plenty of ammunition in charge." The report also notes that Tompkins was arrested "quietly" and "After delivering Mr. Ray Tompkins into the care of Captain Williamson, of the 14th precinct, Detectives Stephenson and Wildey returned last night to Quarantine, for further operations. At daybreak this morning they took a force of twelve policemen, armed with the volcanic repeating rifles, and sallied forth" and made additional arrests. The carbine is marked with the rack number "19" on the underside of the frame behind the cartridge elevator. It has a blued octagon barrel, casehardened loading lever and hammer, brass frame and buttplate, and a high gloss varnished walnut stock. A fixed rear sight is mounted in a dovetail on the receiver behind the elevator port. The top of the barrel flat is stamped with the later New Haven Arms Company marking: "NEW HAVEN CONN PATENT FEB 14 1854" adopted after the Volcanic Arms Company was re-organized as the New Haven Arms Company by Oliver Winchester in 1858. The left side of the lower tang has "230" crossed out by five lines and then "136" further towards the rear. The screws, inside of the buttplate at the heel, and heel of the stock under the buttplate are also numbered "136." The Volcanic lever action carbines were not a commercial success, but the design was sound and with the development of reliable rimfire cartridges evolved into the Henry Rifle and paved the way for the highly successful Model 1866 Winchester rifles and carbines. Production of Volcanic Carbines with 16-1/2, 21 and 25 inch barrels totaled fewer than 1,000 pieces, and surviving examples are rare. These "rack numbered" 16 1/2 inch carbines are particularly rare and desirable. The Volcanic lever action carbine is a key piece in the evolution of the Winchester lever action rifle. Provenance: The Stephen Rutter Collection, Property of a Gentleman

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 41 Volcanic

Lot 44

Deluxe Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle

Manufactured in 1884, this is a highly desirable example of a Winchester Model 1873 deluxe lever action rifle. The rifle features a full octagon barrel with special order half-magazine, checkered fancy grain forearm and pistol grip stock and steel shotgun buttplate. The barrel, magazine, dust cover and loading gate are blued. The forearm cap, frame, lever, hammer and shotgun buttplate have a color casehardened finish. The highly figured walnut stock and forearm have Winchester "Style H" checkering and the pistol grip has an ebony inlay. The stock and forearm have a high polish "piano" finish. The barrel has a dovetail mounted sporting style front sight with modified blade and a sporting rear sight with serrated edges. A folding, combination rear sight is mounted on the upper tang. The "Third Style" frame has an integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated edges. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped "WINCHESTER'S -REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29. 1865. OCTOBER 16. 1860." in two lines ahead of the rear sight. The serial number is roll-stamped in script numerals on the lower tang. The included factory letter states the rifle was received in the warehouse on January 29, 1884 and shipped the next day with an octagon barrel, plain trigger, checkered pistol grip stock, half magazine, shotgun butt, and casehardened frame. Provenance: The Gateway Collection

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44 WCF

Incredible Documented John Ulrich Signed Master Factory Panel Scene Engraved Special Order Full Nickel Plated Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Saddle Ring Carbine with Factory Letter

Lot 45

Ulrich Signed Factory Engraved Winchester Model 1873 Carbine

Manufactured in 1882, this is an incredible example of a rare, factory engraved Winchester Model 1873 saddle ring carbine, which is signed by the legendary Winchester Master Engraver John Ulrich. The included factory letter lists the carbine with a full nickel finish, "$7.50 engraved, a ring and staple, sling swivels, and a fancy stock when received at the warehouse on 10 June 1882 and shipped the same day in order number 32919. This carbine has the third model receiver with integral dust cover guide and dust cover with serrations at the rear. The Model 1873 saddle ring carbines were often purchased to be working guns, and thus they are much more rarely seen with embellishment and special order features compared to the rifles. Winchester historian and author George Madis notes in "The Winchester Book" that only around 37% of Model 1873 production were carbines, and that of all Model 1873s only one out of every 600 had a plated finish, one out of every 600 had special wood, and only one out of every 700 was engraved or inscribed. Though there are no exact figures available on the rarity of engraved saddle ring carbines, it is clear that they are much more scarce than engraved Model 1873 rifles. The piece is signed "J.ULRICH" just behind the trigger guard in the typical "backwards slanted" font. The sides of the receiver show extensive floral scroll engraving, with flourishes of scroll on the bottom, top, on the buttplate tang, and on the dust cover. Each of the sideplates have a circular vignette featuring a game scene. The left scene shows a bear standing atop a cliff, one which is shown with the No. 4 style engraving on p. 214 of "The Book of Winchester Engraving" by Wilson. The right side scene shows a bugling bull elk, a scene shown on p. 221 of the same book. Interestingly, these are both scenes that seem to have been more commonly seen on the larger Winchester 1876s, their larger calibers more suited for such big game. An example of one that belonged to Theodore Roosevelt is pictured on p. 158 of the previously mentioned book, showing both the bear and elk scenes, along with a bison and a bighorn sheep. The top of the barrel has the two-line address and King's patent marking, and the carbine correctly lacks caliber markings as .44-40 W.C.F. was initially the only caliber offered and was considered standard. There are British proofs on the left of the barrel at the breech and muzzle, as well as one on the bottom of the receiver. The upper tang is marked with the model designation and the lower tang has the serial number behind the lever latch. The left side of the lower tang is marked "XXX 4338 C", with "4338" repeated in the stock inlet and inside the buttplate. It is fitted with a block blade front sight, folding ladder rear sight, saddle ring on the left of the receiver, and special order sling swivels on the lower barrel band and bottom of the buttstock. It is mounted with a finely figured smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a trapdoor carbine buttplate containing an included three-piece cleaning rod.

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44-40 WCF

Price Realized:

Lot 46

Factory Engraved New Haven Arms Co. Henry Lever Action Rifle

Factory engraved Henry rifles are among the most desirable of all antique firearms thanks to their important place in the development of lever action firearms and the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. as well as their place in the history of the American Civil War, the West, and popular culture. The factory engraved rifles represent only a small percentage of the already scarce original Henry rifles and are highly sought after by collectors. This attractive rifle was manufactured in 1864 featured the classic factory scroll and floral engraving patterns with beaded backgrounds of Samuel J. Hoggson, including a running deer on the left side plate. Both sides of the receiver feature Hoggson’s signature large flower blossom. The engraving also extends to the tang of the buttplate which has the rounded heel and trap (cleaning rod not included). The rifle is pictured and identified in R.L. Wilson's "The Book of Winchester Engraving" on page viii where the embellishment is noted as an example of the "standard engraving style." Additional features include: a late style square back German silver blade front sight, notch and ladder rear sight with the 900 yard top notch, no second rear sight dovetail on the frame, the two-line patent/address legend ahead of the rear sight, and sling mounts on the left side of the barrel and stock. Matching serial number “4522” appears on the barrel, left side of the lower tang, stock inlet, buttplate, and both buttplate screws. The replaced lower tang screw has the number “1947.” The varnished stock has highly attractive figure. Provenance: The Woody Frey Collection; The Ray Bentley Collection; The Collection of David L. DeLullo

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 44 Henry RF

Price Realized:

Rare Documented Antique Factory Engraved and Inscribed Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1894 Lever Action Rifle in Desirable .38-55 W.C.F. with Factory Letter

Lot 47

Antique Engraved Special Order Winchester Model 1894 Rifle

Manufactured in 1895, the second year of production, this is an exceptionally fine, documented example of a special order, factory engraved and inscribed, Winchester deluxe Model 1894 rifle. A John Moses Browning design, the Winchester Model 1894 has become of the truly iconic American firearms, with its lineage firmly rooted in the Western Frontier, its later popularity as a hunting gun, and over 7,500,000 produced, it is impossible the argue its legendary status. The collectability of all Model 1894s continues to rise, making factory embellished deluxe examples like this one a true investment-grade cornerstone in a fine American arms collection. The included factory letter with this rifle lists it in takedown configuration, .38-55 caliber, with an octagon barrel, plain trigger, "$2.50 engraved", "C.S.M. on side", and with a checkered pistol grip stock when received at the warehouse on 14 May 1896 and shipped the same day in order number 10162. According to survey data pulled from the Winchester factory ledgers published in "Armax Vol. V" which covers the first 353,999 ledger entries, we can get an excellent idea of the rarity of this rifle. The data indicates that in this range of Model 1894s, only 366 rifles were engraved and only 530 Model 1894s were inscribed, with this example exhibiting both. Beyond that, it states that one in every 10 was in takedown configuration, only one in every 34 had a checkered stock, and one in every 25 had a pistol grip. These ratios show the scarcity of the features even more when looking at more of the total production of around 7,500,000, as special order features gradually became less common and were eventually dropped as an offering. It is unclear exactly how many Model 1894s were both factory engraved and factory inscribed, but at the time of writing only one other example sold by Rock Island Auction Company was found in our records, showing how truly scarce they are. This example shows a pattern of engraving similar to the Winchester No. 10 style which typically shows a decorative border on the receiver along with flourishes of floral scroll, and a wildlife panel scene on the left side. On this specific rifle, the panel scene has been replaced with the script initials "CSM" as documented in the factory letter, with the remainder of the engraving very close to the No. 10 style. There are also small flourishes of scroll engraving on the forearm cap and buttplate tang. Unfortunately, due to vague Winchester shipping records, the identity of "CSM" may never be known. The top barrel flat has the standard two-line address and the caliber marking at the breech. The upper tang is marked with the three-line model, trademark, and patent information, and the serial number is marked on the bottom of the receiver. The left side of the lower tang is marked "2467 XXX", with "2467" repeated in the stock inlet and on the butt of the stock under the buttplate along with "94". It is fitted with a set of "sporting" sights featuring a German silver blade front and an elevation adjustable buckhorn rear. It is mounted with a very finely figured, "H" pattern checkered forearm and pistol grip stock that has a hard rubber grip cap and a crescent buttplate.

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 38-55 WCF

Price Realized:

Lot 48

Factory Engraved Marlin Deluxe Model 1892 Lever Action Rifle

Offered here is a seldom encountered Marlin factory engraved Model 1892 rifle in .32 RF/CF looking as if it left the factory yesterday. The vibrant casehardened receiver is decorated with Conrad Ulrich's No. 3 engraving pattern featuring wonderful scrollwork, punch dot backgrounds, scroll and heart borders, a large oval vignette of a buck and doe in a woodland scene on the left side, and a large flower blossom medallion in the center of the right side. Additional scrollwork is featured on the exposed barrel flats at the breech, forend cap and buttplate tang. Conrad Ulrich did most of the engraving for Marlin circa 1881 to 1910, and the Marlin engraving patterns are based on Ulrich's designs. The rifle is fitted with a German silver blade front sight and an elevation adjustable semi-buckhorn rear sight. The top barrel flat is stamped with the two-line Marlin address/patent dates legend ahead of the rear sight. The top of the receiver is marked "MARLIN SAFETY." The receiver, hammer, lever, forend cap, and buttplate are casehardened. The barrel and magazine tube are blued. The forearm and pistol grip stock are highly figured deluxe walnut and feature Marlin No. B type checkering. The buttstock is fitted with a crescent buttplate. Matching serial number on the underside of the frame, stock inlet and buttplate. The accompanying photocopy of a factory letter confirms the 24 inch octagon barrel in .32 caliber and pistol grip stock. The factory letter also states the rifle was shipped on February 5, 1897. Although not confirmed by the factory letter, the engraving and deluxe checkered pistol grip stock are most certainly factory. As noted Marlin expert William Brophy explained, "Unfortunately, the few remaining factory records do not, with any regularity, indicate if the gun was factory engraved or not." Provenance: The Milan J. Turk Collection; Property of a Gentleman

Documentation

Antique

Caliber / Gauge: 32

Price Realized:

Outstanding Exhibition Quality Factory Panel Scene Engraved Platinum and Gold Inlaid Marlin Deluxe Model 27S Slide Action Rifle

Lot 49

Factory Engraved/Inlaid Marlin Deluxe Model 27S Rifle

The Model 27 was first advertised in 1909 and replaced with the improved Model 27S only two years later which remained in production until 1932. Very few were engraved or remain in high condition. This stunning example is marked "Marlin/No 27-S" on the upper tang, "25-20 M" on the upper right flat at the breech, and two-line Marlin address/patent date ahead of the rear sight dovetail. It has a beaded blade front sight, filler block in the rear sight dovetail slot, upper tang factory drilled and tapped with a Marble tang sight installed, deluxe "F" pattern checkered stock and forearm, flourishes of scrollwork at the breech along with gold and platinum inlaid bands, and beautiful, finely detailed scroll, and game scene engraving on the sides of the action consisting of a pair of rabbits on the right and a pair of squirrels on the left. Both game scenes are accented by gold inlaid borders. The engraving even extends to the takedown knob and buttplate. The engraving on the receiver is profuse, near full coverage. The engraving was executed by Master Engraver Alden George Ulrich who worked for Marlin from 1905 until 1919 before joining Winchester following in the footsteps of his father, Conrad Friedrich Ulrich Jr. who left Marlin in 1910. The serial number is on the left side of the upper tang and in the upper tang mortise of the stock.

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 25-20 M

Price Realized:

Rare, Documented Factory Panel Scene Engraved and Gold Inlaid, Special Order Winchester Carved Wood Deluxe Model 1903 Semi-Automatic Rifle with Factory Letter as Pictured in "The Book of Winchester Engraving" by Wilson and "The Winchester Book" by Madis

Lot 50

Engraved Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1903 Rifle

This is a very attractive example of a special ordered, factory engraved and gold inlaid, inscribed, Winchester deluxe Model 1903 rifle with many interesting features. The included factory letter lists the serial number application on 26 July 1906 and lists the rifles configuration as a fancy pistol gripped stock with oil finish and F style carving, "$6.00 engraving" with vignette #11 substituted on the left side, gold band and scrolls on the barrel, double gold plate, a nameplate on the left side engraved "J.A. Thacker", and Lyman leaf rear and Kings triple bead front sights when received at the warehouse on 6 September 1906 and shipped two days later in order number 65891. The letter also lists a return and repair date of 1 December 1915 with an order number of 69006. This specific rifle is pictured on p. 265 of "The Book of Winchester Engraving" by R.L. Wilson where the engraving and some of the special order features are described. The rifle is also pictured on p. 552 of "The Winchester Book" by George Madis where it is similarly described. The rifle has the standard Winchester factory oval proofs on the barrel and receiver on top at the breech. The upper left of the barrel has the two-line address and patent dates as well as the three-line model, caliber, and trademark information at the breech. There are gold bands inlaid on the barrel at the muzzle and breech accompanied by light engraving. The receiver features Winchester's No. 8 style engraving including decorative borders and floral scroll surrounding a vignette of three rabbits in a woodland scene on the right and the No. 11 scene of two pointers on the left. Madis notes in "The Winchester Book" that the scrollwork is of Angelo Stokes' pattern while the borders are the type usually found on Ulrich's work, indicating that this piece may have been a collaborative effort. There is a gold plaque inlaid in the left side of the stock which has light border engraving and is inscribed "J.A. Thacker". There are a few possibilities for the identity of Thacker in period newspapers; however, the most likely appears to be a man from Virginia listed as a merchant and farmer. The rifle is fitted with a rare and desirable, rotating King's triple bead front sight. The rear sight is an elevation adjustable notch rear sight which appears to have replaced the Lyman rear leaf, and a Lyman peep sight is fitted on the upper tang. It is mounted with a very finely figured, checkered, F style carved forearm and pistol grip stock with a hard rubber grip cap and steel crescent buttplate which shows flourishes of scroll engraving. Provenance: The Henry R. Vogel Collection; Property of a Distinguished Southern Clergyman

Documentation

Curio and Relic

Caliber / Gauge: 22 Win automatic

Price Realized:

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