GUN FALL 2015
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2015
VERY RARE RELIC WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 SPECIAL ORDER LEVER ACTION RIFLE.WINCHESTER18737083138 WCF (38-40)Cal. 38 WCF (38-40). Standard grade rifle with rare 32" oct to rnd bbl, full magazine with two magazine bands, Rocky Mountain front sight with semi-buckhorn rear sight & a brass slot blank in an additional seat near the front end of top flat. Receiver is 2nd Type with attached dust cover rail and 3rd Type dust cover. Dust cover stop button and screw are missing. Receiver has single set trigger. Mounted with uncheckered, straight grain American walnut with straight stock and crescent buttplate with trap. Buttstock has applied brass and steel tacks on the left side with evidence of 6 others having been removed. Right side of buttstock has had 16 tacks removed. The tacks were probably applied to make it appear to have been an Indian used gun. This rifle needed no additional enhancement to further its historic appeal.
According to a signed letter dated 16 April 1974 over the signature of Captain (O6) John H. Brandt of Albuquerque, NM. Wherein Capt. Brandt states "The rifle was found protruding from the ground in the Dry Lakes Area SW of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument in Alamosa County, Colorado in 1952 by some arrow head collectors. The barrel jutted from the ground and at first appearance was thought to be a section marker. Pulling on the "pipe" bent the magazine tube into a 90 degree angle which was later repaired by a local gunsmith in Monte Vista, Colorado. The rifle was badly rusted and pitted. A human skull was found in the sand with the rifle. The cranium had part of the occiput damaged but the mandibular area was intact. Other bones and items of clothing were not evident or specially looked for. The skull was traded to the Fur Trade Museum in the late 1950ss. The rifle was in my possession, given to me by the late Will Wallrich, and original settler of Alamosa, Colorado, who was among the group which found the rifle. I passed the rifle on to the BUFFALO HUNTER in Santa Fe in November 1973". Also accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum which identifies this rifle in 38 Cal. with 32" half oct bbl, set trigger, rifle butt and graduated peep & Winchester combination sights, received in the warehouse June 8, 1881 and shipped June 14, 1881, order number not indicated. Returned and repaired June 29 1881. The peep sight is no longer with this rifle. This rifle is pictured in the book Winchester''s New Model of 1873, Gordon and is mentioned by SN on pgs. 173, 236-37, 240, 245, 265, 284 and 586. The fact of the relic condition of this rifle and its documented discovery along with a human skull leads to flights of imagination with about any scenario one can dream up as being plausible. CONDITION: Fair to good. No orig finish remains being an overall very dark brown patina on all the metal surfaces except magazine tube. The receiver is moderately pitted on the left side with fine frosty pitting over most of the other metal surfaces. Magazine tube shows the aforementioned repair with an artificially aged patina. Stock has a short crack in the wrist with some gouges in the forearm, some splintering along left bbl channel and missing some slivers and overall retains a dark weathered patina. Mechanics are functional with the dust cover requiring hand operation to open the lever. Dark worn bore. 49123-1 JR (5,000-10,000)