GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
RARE MARLIN 1ST MODEL 1891 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.MARLIN18915007022Cal. 22. Standard grade rifle with 24” oct bbl orig fixed sights and 2/3rd magazine. Receiver is first type with rare loading gate. Mounted with uncheckered straight grain American walnut with straight stock and crescent buttplate. Buttstock and buttplate are numbered 50177. Given the fit and finish of this buttstock it seems likely that it may have been an assembler’s mistake at the factory as the numbers are only 107 apart. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which identifies this rifle in Cal. 22 with 24” bbl shipped April 28, 1891. These early small bore rifles are extremely rare to find with any orig finish. They were generally considered to be boys or ladies rifles and usually saw very hard service with little or no maintenance. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine. Bbl and magazine tube retain about 98% strong orig blue and the forend cap about 99% glossy orig blue. Receiver retains 92-93% glossy orig blue with the majority of losses from flaking on the left side and some light scratches on right side. Bolt is a blue/grey patina. Lever and hammer retain strong case colors, turned silver on outer faces of lever. Buttplate retains about 75% faded case colors. Wood is sound with a few very light scratches in the finish and overall retains virtually all of its orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp. Bright shiny bore. 49121-20 JR (6,000-8,000)