GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
EXTREMELY RARE MARLIN BALLARD MODEL 7 A-1 "EXTRA" LONG-RANGE SINGLE SHOT TARGET RIFLE. MARLIN BALLARD 7 A-1 5875 45-100-2-9/16 Cal. .45-100-2-9/16. Rare long range Ballard with 34" rnd bbl, spirit level windgage front sight, no provision for a rear sight and long-range vernier tang sight with 5" staff. Heel of buttstock is mounted with an additional Creedmoor base. Bbl has three Rigby flats. Mounted with very, highly figured French or Circassian walnut with checkered Ballard schnable, horn tipped forearm and horn inlay Serpentine grip buttstock with checkered Ballard hard rubber buttplate. Trigger is checkered. Sides of receiver and Rigby flats are engraved by L. B. Nimschke in flowing foliate arabesque patterns that have fine pearled background. Top three flats of receiver are engraved in very fine chip & dot borders with foliate sprays at each end and has and engraved border around muzzle. Matching SNs are found on bbl, forearm, buttstock, and spindle. This exact rifle is pictured on pgs. 260 & 261 of Ballard: The Great American Single Shot Rifle, Dutcher. This model of Ballard was probably only made-to-order with considerable variation and configuration and embellishments. It apparently was only offered 1879 to 1883 with very few being produced, probably due to extra expense. Of those encountered today, very few remain in completely orig configuration and with orig finish. Serious target shooters of 19th & early 20th Century regularly altered their rifles to suit their individual tastes, frequently changing or adding sights and replacing bbls and wood, also to suit their individual tastes. PROVENANCE: Ed Kennedy Collection; Stephen Gordon Collection; John Dutcher Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl retains most of its orig blue turning to blue-gray patina and slightly plummy. There are light vise marks on each side of bbl about mid-point along with a few light scratches. Receiver retains most of its strong orig case colors, lightly to moderately faded. Breechblock and hammer retain faded case colors. Lever is mostly a blue-gray patina. Wood is sound with nicks and scratches and retains most of a very old restored finish with freshened checkering. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with some minor roughness just in front of chamber. 49124-2 JR (17,500-27,500)