GUN FALL 2017
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/31/2017
SCARCE MARLIN MODEL 1893 DELUXE SPECIAL ORDER LEVER ACTION RIFLE.MARLIN18939891838-55Cal. 38-55. Beautiful deluxe Marlin with oct bbl, full magazine ivory bead combination front sight and semi-buckhorn rear sight. Top tang is mounted with a Marbles spring-loaded sight with large disc aperture. Mounted with very highly figured, streaky, flame grain American walnut with G-checkered forearm and serpentine grip buttstock that has crescent buttplate. Left side of top tang, under the wood is marked with matching SN which is also found in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Receiver is color case hardened and beautifully engraved by Conrad Ulrich in no. 5 pattern which consist of the large oval vignette of a whitetail buck and doe in a detailed forest scene surrounded by foliate arabesque patterns that have fine pearled background. Both sides of receiver are outlined in latch hook and scallop border patterns. Right side and flat side of bolt are engraved in matching foliate arabesque patterns with a foliate spray back of loading gate opening. Each side of the lever boss is engraved to match. Bottom of receiver is engraved with a foliate spray around the floor plate screw with matching arabesque patterns. Matching border patterns and engraving extend over top of receiver, top tang, each side of forend cap and about 3-1/4" of the exposed five flats of the bbl over the chamber area. While the model 1893 was produced in fairly large numbers, extremely few were ordered deluxe and of those exceedingly few were engraved. Color case hardened receivers rarely survive with any colors due to the fact that exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet rays rapidly fades the colors to gray. Consequently finding one with high orig finish is a great rarity. PROVENANCE: Estate collection of Russell Grinnell. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl retains 96-97% strong orig blue with some scattered spots of fine surface etching. Magazine tube retains about 98% strong orig blue, also with very few small spots of surface etching. Receiver & bolt retain about all of their orig case colors, bright in sheltered areas, lightly to moderately faded elsewhere. Top and bottom tangs retain brilliant case colors as does the hammer. Lever retains strong case colors on the sides, moderately faded and turning dark in out faces with some fine surface rust. Buttplate retains about all of its orig case colors, moderately faded. Wood is sound with a few light nicks and scratches and retains most of a lightly applied extra finish over what appears to be orig finish without sanding or cleaning. Mechanics are crisp. Very bright shiny bore with slight roughness in the grooves. 52204-3 JRL (12,500-17,500)