GUN FALL 2015
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2015
EXTREMELY RARE DELUXE ENGRAVED GOLD-WASHED MARLIN THIRD MODEL 1891 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.MARLIN189111652322Cal. 22. Extremely rare Marlin with 24” oct bbl, full magazine, orig fixed sights & locking Lyman tang sight. Mounted with nicely figured, matching numbered American walnut, checkered in B-style with straight grip and Marlin hard rubber buttplate. Receiver, forend cap and top tang are beautifully engraved by Conrad Ulrich in #3 style which consists of the rnd vignette of a squirrel in a tree on the left side surrounded by foliate arabesque patterns and two styles of borders. Right side has full coverage, matching foliate arabesque patterns and borders. Top & bottom of receiver, forend cap & top tang are engraved to match. The exposed 5 flats of bbl are also engraved to match about 1-5/8” over the chamber area. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which lists this rifle in Cal. 22 with 24” oct bbl, shipped January 8, 1895. Also accompanying is a copy of pg 250 of the Marlin shipping records. Extremely few Marlin 22’s were engraved and of those incredibly few had special finish. Of those so configured, very few survive today with any orig finish. Pictured on page 534 of Col. Brophy''s book on Marlins. CONDITION: Very fine. The metal overall retains virtually all of a fine, likely Factory restored finish, with some light thinning to the gold-wash on the lever & hammer. Wood is sound with nicks, dings & scratches and shows about 95% orig finish on the buttstock and about 70% on the forearm. Forearm at the receiver and wrist of the buttstock show oil staining. Hammer is not solid in safety notch, otherwise mechanics are fine, strong bore dark in the grooves. The only known gold-plated Third Model 1891. 49121-19 JR (15,000-25,000)