GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
EXTREMELY RARE INSCRIBED, ENGRAVED DELUXE MARLIN 1ST MODEL 1891 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.MARLIN1891 1st MODEL5570422IVORYCal. 22. Extremely rare and unusual small bore Loading Gate Marlin with 24” oct bbl, 2/3rd magazine, Lyman "certifiable antique ivory" bead front sight, fixed rear sight and Lyman combination tang sight. Mounted with very nicely figured, B-style checkered American walnut that has serpentine grip buttstock and crescent buttplate. Receiver is beautifully engraved by Conrad Ulrich in #3+ style which consists of the large oval vignette of a standing whitetail buck on the left side and the small round vignette of another white tailed buck on the right side. Both vignettes have very detailed forest background scenes and are surrounded by fine foliate arabesque patterns with latch-hook borders. Top of receiver is engraved to match. Matching engraving patterns extend about 1-1/4” up the top 3 flats of the bbl. Top flat of bbl is after-market engraved “W.L. Pierce. N.Y.”. Forend cap, bottom of receiver and top tang are engraved to match. SN was observed on receiver, inside top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which identifies this rifle in Cal. 22 with 24” bbl shipped September 16, 1891. Pictured on page 179 of Col. Brophy''s book on Marlins. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl and magazine tube retain 96-98% strong orig blue with a couple of very minor nicks in the sharp edges. Receiver retains 75-80% faded case colors, mostly turned silver on top and bottom. Lever and hammer retain faded case colors. Buttplate retains faded case colors on the tang and smoky case colors on the face. Loading gate retains about 60% faded fire blue and the takedown screw nearly all of its orig fire blue. All other screws retain strong fire blue. Wood is sound with a few light nicks and scratches and retains most of its orig varnish showing light diamond point wear. Mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore. Only a handful of engraved 1st Model 1891s are known to exist. This is certainly one of the best! 49121-2 JR (20,000-35,000)