GUN FALL 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/4/2016
RARE AND EXTREMELY FINE SPECIAL ORDER DELUXE JOHN ULRICH ENGRAVED WINCHESTER MODEL 1894 TAKEDOWN LEVER ACTION RIFLE INSCRIBED FOR "JACOB LOWMAN GREATSINGER", NEW YORK RAILROAD MAGNATE. WINCHESTER 1894 27275 38-55 Cal. 38-55. Beautiful deluxe '94 with 26" oct bbl, full magazine, takedown, with Lyman bead front sight, semi-buckhorn rear sight and a Lyman combination tang sight with large disc. Left top flat of bbl, below rear sight is engraved in period script "J.L. Greatsinger". The frame and bbl are both stamped with the "WP" proof indicating returned to the factory after about 1905. Mounted with very highly figured, 3X, center crotch, flame grain American walnut with "H" style checkered forearm and capped pistol grip stock and crescent steel buttplate. Left side of lower tang is stamped with assembly number "4599" and "XXX". Left side of top tang is stamped "55" and "J.P.P". It is unknown the meaning or association of the top tang stamping. Assembly number "10680" is on rear face of buttstock, under the buttplate, which number is also inside toe of buttplate. Rear face of buttstock also has the notation in pencil "repair gun". Given that this rifle was returned for repair in 1913, that is likely when the replacement stock was installed. Rifle is engraved by John Ulrich though unsigned in No. 6 style with the large vignette of a standing Big Horn Ram in a mountain scene on left side and a standing whitetail buck in a field scene on right side surrounded by ribbon and foliate arabesque patterns and wavelet borders. Top and bottom of receiver, top tang & forend cap are engraved to match with matching engraving patterns on takedown ring and exposed flats of bbl over chamber area. Accompanied by a Winchester factory letter identifying this rifle in cal. 38-55, takedown, with oct bbl, plain trigger, checkered stock with pistol grip, Lyman rear with cup disc and Lyman front sight, engraved $10.00 and also with the notation engraved in script, "J.B. Greatsinger" (Factory letter incorrectly states "J.B.", this is not so. In the actual record it states "J.L." and the transcriptionist couldn't easily read the middle initial and guessed. This is why she references "Unreadable".) received in the warehouse Oct. 21, 1897 and shipped next day to Order #17477. The buttplate and buttstock are factory replacements from factory, May 27, 1913, when returned and repaired (Order # 48755). This special presentation gun engraved to "J. L. Greatsinger" while he was President of a Duluth, MN railroad and repaired when President of the NYRR. Jacob Lowman Greatsinger (1849-1918) was born to poverty on a farm in Elmira, NY and became a railroad magnate and and a very wealthy businessman. In a short biography cited when he took the position of President of the Brooklyn, NY Rapid Transit Railway in 1901. "Mr. Greatsinger began work on the Erie Railroad as fireman in 1869. Since that time he has been machinist, engineer, trainmaster, roadmaster, station agent, master mechanic, superintendent and then president. There is no element of good luck in his success in life. He is a man of strong personality and worked his way upwards through force of merit". PROVENANCE: Jacob Lowman Greatsinger, 1897; Ex-Clyde Stewart Collection; Ex-Wes Adams Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbl and magazine tube retain about 98% strong orig blue with only light sharp edge wear; takedown ring retains about all of its orig blue, slightly dulled with thinning on bottom; forend cap retains about 75% orig blue; receiver retains about 95% strong orig blue with thinning over top edges and sharp edge wear; hammer retains strong, bright case colors, turned dark on top edge; lever retains bright case colors, brilliant on right side, faded on outer faces; buttplate retains smoky case colors; wood is sound with a few minor scratches and retains about all of its fine piano varnish finish. Lyman patented front sight is missing its bead (easily replaced). Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore; shows very little, if any, use. 50412-7 JR444 (40,000-80,000)