March 1-2, 2018 Firearms, Militaria & Sporting
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/1/2018
Serial No. 418972 was applied at the factory on October 14th, 1908. This rare musket is part of a group of an entire collection of Winchester muskets dating from 1866 to 1895 that took the consigner nearly 50 years to complete. This musket features three barrel bands, extended magazine, post front sight, military rear sight, blued finish, full length walnut forend, sling swivels, walnut carbine buttstock and carbine buttplate. The condition of this rare trial musket is phenomenal; barrel retains approximately 98% original factory blue, as does tube; 95% blue on front band; 80% blue on the rear two bands starting to patina; 95% bright blue on both sides of frame, patina on bottom; 80% bright blue on loading gate; fire blue on rear sight spring; traces of case colors on lever; 80% original blue on buttplate. Stock is near mint with raised grain. Fine action and near mint bore. Comes with angular bayonet. Impossible Model 1894 Musket and one of two known to have been produced for socket bayonet. According to information found on page 53 of the book “Winchester Model 94 2nd Edition” by Renneberg, there were only “five true musket examples: all were produced experimentally and all were originally in the Winchester Museum Reference Collection.” He states that not all five are thought to have survived. He also states that there were two bayonet designs used, the saber type and the socket type as found on this musket. This musket, along with three other muskets are listed, by serial number, in the “Inventory of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company Firearms Reference Collection”, E. Pugsley, et al. Manufactured in 1908. Two of the other muskets are listed with 26" barrels and the third musket barrel length is not listed and all three are indicated as being fitted for saber bayonets. This musket is one of the two remaining muskets made with “angular” (socket) bayonet. The other socket bayonet rifle sold at Julia’s in 2013, neither had a trapdoor. Accompanied by an original socket bayonet of the Winchester Model 1873 style with 18-1/2" triangular bayonet and standard socket with locking ring. If one was to try and complete a collection of Winchester muskets, this would have to be considered the Holy Grail as it is one of only two examples currently known to the hobby. The other musket that sold in 2013 went for $43,125.00. This musket, along with the others in this collection, is the first time a complete collection of muskets has been offered for sale at one time in one place, and this is obviously the rare key to any musket collection. To say it would be hard to improve upon condition would really make no difference, given there aren’t any others to buy. Possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity.