GUN SPRING 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/14/2016
EXTREMELY RARE GOLD & NICKEL ELABORATELY ENGRAVED WINCHESTER MODEL 1866 SADDLE RING CARBINE. WINCHESTER 1866 100360 44 RF HENRY Call 44 RF Henry. Extremely rare carbine with 20" bbl, full magazine, integral front band/front sight and 2-position flip rear site graduated to 500 yds. Mounted with 2-3X uncheckered, shell grain American walnut with carbine forearm and straight stock that has rifle buttplate with trap. Receiver, forearm band and front band are gold washed while the remainder of the rifle including bbl, magazine tube, rear sight, lever, hammer, trigger, buttplate, staple & ring, loading gate and screws are nickle finish. Left side of lower tang, under the wood, is marked with an "X" and a "V". Top tang channel of buttstock shows last 3-digits of matching SN with matching SN inside toe of buttplate. Receiver is elaborately engraved, probably by master engrave Conrad Ulrich, with full coverage on sides and side plates. Left side plate has the large vignette depicting a running hound, a hare and a duck in a field scene with shrubbery and trees. Left front flat has the very detailed vignette of a standing bull elk also in a field scene. Right side plate has the round vignette of a running bull buffalo and right front flat depicts a skulking mountain lion with both vignettes set in field scenes. All the vignettes are surrounded by sweeping foliate and floral arabesque patterns with extremely fine pearled background and a variety of border patterns. The left side patterns incorporate 4 very detailed flower blossoms and the right side a larger flower blossom, with a dog or fox head in one scroll and an eagle's head in another. Engraving patterns extend over top of receiver, top and bottom tangs and bottom of receiver with the buttplate tang engraved to match. This was most likely an exhibition piece used by Winchester for advertising purposes, possibly in the 1876 World Expo. Engraved specimens such as this are extremely rare and seldom encountered, usually only once in a lifetime. PROVENANCE: Paul Tudor Jones II Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl and magazine tube retain about 80% strong original nickle with most of the losses on the left side where it appears to have lain in a cloth case in a damp climate which caused rust and pitting with nickle losses. Bbl bands retain about 50% gold wash on the front and about 10-15% on the forearm band. Receiver and side plates retain strong areas of gold wash being mostly a crisp, light mustard patina. Lever, hammer and loading gate retain most of their original nickle. Butt plate retains 20-25% original nickle. Wood is sound with nicks and scratches with buttstock retaining about 75% bright, original piano varnish finish and forearm about 60-65% showing wear over the carry point. Mechanics are crisp. Strong bore with good shine and scattered light pitting. 49941-34 JR71 (100,000-150,000)