GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
RARE DELUXE ENGRAVED SPECIAL ORDER MARLIN MODEL 1893 LEVER ACTION RIFLE. MARLIN 1893 294795 32-40 MODERN; C&R Cal. 32-40. Beautiful Marlin with special order 24" oct to rnd bbl, half magazine, takedown, gold bead front sight & flat top rear sight. Mounted with very nicely figured, center crotch, E-style checkered American walnut that has serpentine pistol grip & Marlin hard rubber buttplate. Left side of upper tang is marked with matching SN & buttstock is also matching numbered in the top tang channel. Receiver is spectacularly engraved by Conrad Ulrich in a modified 5-4 pattern. Engraving consists of the very large oval vignette of "the Monarch of the Dell", a standing bull elk in a very detailed forest scene with fine stippled background and the equally iconic small vignette of a grizzly bear standing over a steer he has just killed, also in a detailed forest scene with fine stippled background on the right side. Both vignettes have beautiful foliate arabesque patterns surrounding. Matching engraving patterns extend over the lever boss, over the top & bottom of receiver, takedown ring, forend cap & sides of the lever & hammer. All 5 exposed flats of the bbl, just in front of receiver are also engraved in light, matching patterns. Although the Model 1893 was produced in large quantities, 1893-1935, very few were special ordered and extremely few are known with this level of engraving & stock work. These rifles were produced at a time when firearms were a way of life in America and generally saw hard use and are rarely fined with high orig finish today. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. Bbl & magazine tube retain 97-98% strong orig blue with only very faint sharp edge wear. Receiver, lever, hammer & forend cap have faded to silver patina, possibly having been exposed to a chemical or gas which eliminated case colors. Screws retain most of their orig blue. Bottom of front receiver has a series of small nicks which have partially damaged the SN, showing moderate wear in that area. Wood is sound showing light diamond-point wear and retains most of a lightly cleaned orig finish. Mechanics are crisp. Bright shiny bore. 49144-2 JR (14,000-18,000)