GUN FALL 2017
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/31/2017
RARE FACTORY ENGRAVED AND NICKEL PLATED WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE WITH FACTORY LETTER.WINCHESTER187320244044WCFCal. 44 WCF (44-40). Unusual 1873 rifle with 24-1/4" oct bbl, full magazine, combination front sight and semi-buckhorn rear sight. Mounted with very nicely figured, uncheckered American walnut with straight stock and crescent buttplate with trap. Receiver is third type with integral dust cover rail and third type dust cover. Left side of lower tang, under the wood, is without assembly number, top tang channel of buttstock is not numbered and inside toe of buttplate has the number "00". Inside edges of buttplate have the name "BOB D." in electric pencil. Receiver is engraved by L.D. Nimschke in what is probably no. 10 pattern which consists of the small round vignette of a standing bull elk surrounded by foliate arabesque patterns, one scroll of which terminates in Mr. Nimschke's trademark flower blossom. Balance of the receiver has light scrolls with line borders. Right side is engraved in matching foliate arabesque patterns also including a large flower blossom. Engraving extends over top of receiver and dust cover, both sides of forend cap and buttplate tang. Bottom of receiver and carrier are engraved in mirror image arabesque patterns with the carrier also engraved "44 CAL". These engraving patterns are identical to those pictured on pgs. 143 & 147 of the 1985 edition of The Winchester Book, Madis. All the metal surfaces were originally nickel finish. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which identifies this rifle with oct bbl, plain trigger, $2 engraving, nickel finish and received in the warehouse March 13, 1886 and shipped March 17, 1886. Of the many Model 1873 rifles & carbines produced very few were engraved and extremely few had special plating. Ordinarily, when a Winchester arm was special ordered engraved it was also fitted with deluxe checkered wood. Likelihood is this rifle probably was ordered and used by a trick shot artist or as a special presentation. CONDITION: Very good. Bbl and magazine tube retain 95-96% orig nickel with some very fine pinprick spots on top flats of bbl. Receiver and sideplates retain traces of orig nickel, being mostly a gray patina. Hammer retains most of its orig nickel, and lever traces of nickel. Buttplate is a cleaned gray metal patina with scattered surface rust. Forearm has a tiny hairline in the top front edge and the buttstock a gouge on the bottom right edge, otherwise wood is sound and retains most of a fine restored varnish finish. Mechanics are fine. Strong bore with good shine, pitted in the grooves. 52246-1 JRL (12,000-15,000)