GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
BEAUTIFUL SCHOYEN CUSTOM MARLIN BALLARD SINGLE SHOT TARGET RIFLE. MARLIN BALLARD CUSTOM 2095 32-40 Cal. .32-40. Scarce Schoyen rifle with 28-3/8" medium weight Schoyen rnd bbl, windgage globe front sight, no provision for rear seat and thick base Vernier tang sight with 3" staff. Bbl is milled with Rigby flats, top of which is engraved "SCHOYEN" and bore has Schoyen rifling. Receiver is beautifully engraved, probably by Conrad Ullrich with vignette of a running bull elk on left side and a running bird dog on right side, all surrounded by extremely well executed, intertwined foliate arabesque patterns with pearled background. Matching patterns extend over five flats of receiver ring and onto Rigby flats. Corners of receiver ring are filed flat, prior to engraving and have small foliate patterns. Bottom front of receiver is fitted with a take-down screw. Mounted with very nicely figured American walnut, by Schoyen with his typical black insert, schnable tip, checkered forearm and black insert pistol grip stock with high, Monte Carlo-style comb and small nickel-plated brass Swiss buttplate. Bottom rear of receiver has a flat area with corresponding extension from buttstock, a Schoyen adaptation. Schoyen was the first to employ such high-comb stocks which permitted the shooter to stand with his head up in a natural position.
George Schoyen was one of, if not the most famous custom bbl and gun maker. He worked in his Denver gun shop from about 1870 until about 1916 when he suffered a stroke in his shop. Schoyen bbls were considered by most American shooters to be the finest and most accurate of all the fine custom bbl makers of that era, including Harry Pope. Many records were established with Schoyen bbls, some of which stand today. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine. Bbl retains about 99% orig Schoyen blue. Receiver retains about 60-70% faded case colors, strong and bright around tang sight. Lever retains case colors. Wood is sound with a grain check in buttstock and a couple of tiny nicks otherwise wood is sound and overall retains virtually all of its fine custom finish. Mechanics are crisp. Bright shiny bore, probably will shoot as good today as it did when it was built. 49124-6 JR (5,000-8,000)