April 24-25, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/24/2019
Fine ’66 rifle with 24-1/4" octagon barrel, full magazine, altered Rocky Mountain front sight with German silver blade and replacement Kentucky rifle style fixed rear sight. Mounted with uncheckered straight grain American walnut with straight stock that has crescent buttplate with trap containing an orig 4-piece brass & iron cleaning rod. Left side of lower tang, under the wood is marked with an “X”, a “P” and an “F”. Last four digits of matching serial number are found in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Bottom of stock and forend cap have factory-style sling swivels that may have been added. Receiver, forend cap, and buttplate tang are beautifully engraved in period New York style, probably from the L. D. Nimschke shop. Engraving consists of nearly full coverage, extremely well executed foliate arabesque patterns with fine pearled background on both sides. Each sideplate exhibits an empty round panel with dash and dot border. The transition on the left side is engraved with diamonds and the right side with diamond and dot patterns. Receiver ring over the top is engraved in a large “X” pattern with diamond and dot background. Diamond patterns are also engraved on top edges of receiver overlapping the sideplates. Foliate arabesque patterns extend over the top of the receiver, by the hammer slot, and onto the top tang. Bottom of carrier is engraved in diamond and dot patterns with matching foliate arabesque patterns between the timing screws. Just below that engraved pattern is a stamped small rectangle which encloses the initials “JPE”, possibly those of the engraver which are unknown to this cataloger. Matching foliate arabesque patterns are engraved on each side of the nosecap and buttplate tang. This rifle was produced in about 1872 at a time when the West was still very wild with marauding Indians and other dangers and any repeating firearm was in great demand. Almost certainly this rifle would have been in the possession of a wealthy individual or as a presentation to an important person. The fact that it shows extensive use attests to the fact that it saw hard frontier service. CONDITION: Fair to good. No original finish remains with all of the steel parts a cleaned grey/brown metal patina. The brass receiver, forend cap, and buttplate retain a medium mustard patina showing moderate to heavy wear on the engraving with worn edges. Left front raised area of the receiver has a series of small dings. Stock has a hairline back of top tang, otherwise wood is sound with an old restored finish. Mechanics are fine. Worn dark bore with sharp rifling.
Caliber/Bore
.44 Henry Rimfire