GUN FALL 2015
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2015
EXCEPTIONALLY RARE PROBABLY ONE OF A KIND DELUXE ENGRAVED MARLIN MODEL 1892 LEVER ACTION RIFLE WITH CHEEKPIECE.MARLIN189214049122IVORYCal. 22. Spectacular rifle with 26" special order oct to rnd bbl, full magazine, "certifiable antique ivory" bead front sight and orig fixed rear sight. Mounted with very highly figured burl & shell grain B-style checkered American walnut that has serpentine grip & extraordinarily rare cheekpiece on the left side. It has Marlin hard rubber buttplate and buttstock is matching numbered to the rifle. Receiver is engraved by Conrad Ulrich in #5 pattern which consists of the rnd vignette of a buck & doe deer in a forest scene on the left side surrounded by foliate arabesque patterns and latch-hook borders. Right side has full coverage foliate arabesque patterns with small, center foliate medallion. Top & bottom of receiver, top tang & forend cap are engraved to match. Exposed 5 flats of the bbl are engraved in matching patterns about 2" in front of the receiver. Accompanied by 2 Cody Firearms Museum letters both dated 2007. The April letter identifies the rifle with 28" 1/2 oct bbl with pistol grip stock shipped, Feb 12, 1896. Repaired & returned Feb 3, 1897. The June 2007 letter identifies the rifle with 26" 1/2 oct bbl, pistol grip stock with rubber butt shipped Sept 28, 1896. Additionally accompanying is an enlarged copy of the shipping record for this rifle which duplicates the information in the June 2007 letter. Also accompanying is a Marlin Firearms Co letter dated June 2007 which duplicates the information in the June Cody letter but shows shipping date of Jan 28, 1896, obviously a mis-read by the historian. This rifle is purported to be the only small frame Marlin with a cheekpiece stock. Pictured on pages 186 & 533 of Col. Brophy''s book on Marlins. PROVENANCE: Ex. Paul Vanderlin Coll. CONDITION: Extremely fine, all matching. Bbl & magazine tube retain 97-98% strong orig blue with faint muzzle edge wear and very light sharp edge wear on the front end of the octagon section. Receiver retains about 95% strong orig case colors, moderately faded on top, turning silver/grey on bottom. Hammer retains strong case colors & lever faded case colors. Stock has a couple of small dings with light nicks & scratches. Overall, wood is sound and retains 97-98% strong orig varnish. Mechanics are fine. Strong bore, frosty & dark in the grooves. 49121-7 JR (45,000-65,000)