GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
RARE AND UNUSUAL CASED CUSTOM ENGRAVED CONVERSION HENRY LEVER ACTION RIFLE.HENRYCUSTOM CONVERSION806844 AMERICANCal. .44 American. Wonderful engraved conversion Henry rifle from Peruvian gunsmith Adolfo Birnn of Lima. The conversion consists of shortening the bbl to 19-1/4" which eliminated the loading sleeve & rnd section of the bbl exactly at the junction of the bbl and loading sleeve. The follower slot in the bottom of the integral magazine was cleverly closed with the addition of a 1-pc metal cover and the installation of a magazine plug at the magazine end which is secured with a screw. The muzzle was machined similar to the orig shape of the Henry muzzle and has had the addition of a custom dovetailed, thin blade, blued steel front sight. The carbine ladder rear sight in the orig dovetail appears have originated with an American Civil War era carbine with alterations. Mounted with very nicely figured custom English walnut straight stock that has a deep cheekpiece and an orig brass crescent buttplate with trap containing an orig 3-pc brass & steel cleaning rod. And additional alteration to the Henry receiver is the addition of a Winchester Model 1866-style loading gate in the right sideplate. Receiver is nicely engraved with full coverage foliate arabesque patterns that has pearled background. Left sideplate is engraved with the large oval vignette of two stags in a forest scene, one running and the other apparently wounded. Left front side flat has a large shield engraved with the initials that appear to be "PJR" or a combination thereof, apparently the person for whom this rifle was customized. Top flat of receiver is engraved "ADOLFO BIRNN en LIMA". Matching engraving patterns extend over the top and bottom with diamond & dot borders. Engraving further extends over the top & bottom tangs, on the lever & hammer. Buttplate tang is also engraved to match with a well executed flower blossom on the trap door. Magazine cap is also engraved with a matching flower blossom. Tang & buttplate screw heads are nicely engraved. Receiver & buttplate are very nicely gold-washed. SN is only found on left side of bottom tang, under the wood. Lever latch is a custom replacement with larger head, checkered on both sides.
Accompanied by an incredible custom, form-fitting, angled, blue velvet lined mahogany casing with the same combination of initials "PJR" inlaid in multi-colored wood on the lid with the prefix "de" and suffix "M". Exterior of the case is beautifully finished with multi-colored lamination, a diamond shaped, bone lock escutcheon & swinging latches. Interior is form-fitted for the rifle and has three lidded compartments in the front, one of which contains three loose rnds of 44 Webley and the other two are cartridge blocks with holes for 72 cartridges containing 68 rnds of 44 American cartridges. Lids of all three compartments each have two turned wooden pulls. Inside the lid has an attached black leather label embossed in gold "AMERIA / de la M aestranza Geral. / en LIMA 1886 / Adolfo Birnn". In discussions with other knowledgeable dealers and collectors, this cataloger learned that Mr. Birnn apparently converted only a few of these rifles, possibly only 2 or 3. Once the rim fire cartridge of the orig Henry was supplanted by the advent of the more efficient and re-loadable center fire cartridges there were a few gunsmiths around the world who performed these conversions, although few are known today. It was reported that Mr. Birnn hired European engravers to do the engraving on his conversions. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl & magazine tube retain virtually all of their strong, custom brown finish. Receiver & buttplate retain virtually all of their bright, gold finish. Lever & hammer are dark patina. Stock is sound with a few light handling & storage nicks & scratches and retains most of its fine custom finish. Mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore. Case is also fine with numerous, small handling & storage nicks & scratches and retains most of its orig varnish. Interior is moderately faded on the upper surfaces and inside the lid. Bottom is moderately soiled with some light damage from the sights and hammer. Altogether, a beautiful custom package. 49132-1 JR (40,000-70,000)