GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
BEAUTIFUL CRESCENT GRADE FACTORY ENGRAVED SAVAGE MODEL 1899 TAKEDOWN LEVER ACTION RIFLE THAT BELONGED TO DR. O'CONNOR OF WISCONSIN.SAVAGE1899109096303MODERN; C&R; ESACal. 303 Savage. Fine deluxe rifle with 26" tapered rnd bbl, replacement D. W. King Denver, CO 1908 patent ivory, copper and black composite triple bead front sight, Savage flat top sporting rear sight and Lyman folding tang sight. Mounted with very fancy, B-carved and checkered American walnut with schnable tip forearm and serpentine grip buttstock with Savage embossed hard rubber butt plate. Receiver is "C" engraved by master engraver Enoch Tue, with the round vignette of a running elk stag leaping a fence on the left side and a drinking elk stag on the right side. Both sides of the receiver have full coverage, foliate arabesque patterns with very fine pearled background. Engraving extends on top left side of receiver and receiver ring with light floral patterns on the bottom. This rifle was the property of Dr. Walter F. O'Connor (1874-1946) of Ladysmith, WI. He purchased it from Von Lengerke & Antoine of Chicago. Dr. O'Connor was the classical small town doctor & surgeon in Northwest Wisconsin at the turn of the century who apparently loved to hunt. Some of his exploits are recorded in the publication The Bucks Camp Log 1916-1928 and also On The Hunt, Willging. When Dr. O'Connor passed away in 1946, this rifle passed to his son, Walter F. O'Connor (1914-2006) who, in turn gave it to his son James C. O'Connor. While Savage Model 99 rifles are fairly common, those with engraving and especially those with carved highly figured wood are very rare. PROVENANCE: O'Connor Family as previously outlined; various books and photographs showing previous owners with this exact gun; Estate collection of Russell Grinnell. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl retains about 96-97% glossy orig blue with light muzzle end wear and a spot of rust about mid-point. Receiver retains about 95-96% glossy orig blue with sharp edge wear and thinning on the belly. Lever retains strong case colors on the sides with some fine freckles of rust, turning silver on the outer faces. Stock has a hairline back of the top tang and several short grain checks in the buttstock and overall retains about 95% orig varnish, heat crazed on the buttstock. Mechanics are fine, forearm shows some looseness and forward movement indicating weakened latch spring. Bore shows lightly worn rifling, having dark frosted appearance. 52204-1 JR506 (7,000-11,500)