GUN SPRING 2018
The live portion of this session begins on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
EXTRAORDINARY MARLIN ENGRAVED 1893 TAKEDOWN LEVER ACTION RIFLE WITH GOLD & PLATINUM INLAID DESIGN PRESENTED BY MARLIN TO ANNIE OAKLEY.MARLIN189341911938-50MODERNCal. 38-55. This spectacular gun with irrefutable history is a takedown rifle and has a 24" oct to rnd bbl with half mag was built by Marlin in 1917 for presentation to the world's most famous marksman, Annie Oakley. It has a Rocky Mtn front sight and V-notch sporting rear sight. The receiver has special deluxe engraving with gold & platinum embellishments. The left side being the majestic "Monarch of the Dell", stag typical of Marlin's best work. The right side is that of a great bear poised over its kill. The remainder of the action is engraved in flowing foliate arabesque scroll with punch dot background. There is gold wire border engraving on receiver, lever, takedown ring & bottom of receiver. The hammer has platinum embellishments. A gold & platinum line surrounds the chamber area of the bbl and is encased with delicate scroll work. This great work is most likely that, of the renown Conrad Ulrich. Mounted with very highly figured American walnut with fine C-style checkering and pistol grip to a Marlin hard rubber buttplate. This fine firearm has a very interesting history and is chronicled in the book, Marlin Firearms; William S. Brophy, and is pictured on pgs 200, 547, and 548. Also printed in this book is a letter dated June 7, 1921, from Marlin Rockwell Corp. to Mr. L.J. Huber which follows:
"New Haven, Conn.
June 7, 1921
Dear Sir:-
We have your favor of June 6th giving us the number of the special model 1893 38-55 caliber Marlin rifle which you purchased in Philadelphia a short time ago.
This is a rifle which we presented to Annie Oakley back in 1917, and we are somewhat disappointed that it has been now offered on the market for sale. Miss Oakley expressed a desire to have one of our 38-55 caliber rifles and we went to considerable extra bother in getting out a special fancy gun that we considered she would be proud to own and shoot.
The value at the time that it was made up was in the neighborhood of $150.00 but considering the advance that has been made in the market price of firearms during the past two or three years the present value would be somewhat in excess of that figure. You can consider that you have obtained a very beautiful rifle and an exceptionally good shooter.
Under the present conditions we would not be in a position to furnish an extra 32-40 barrel part for the rifle engraving or forearm to match the buttstock. The only thing that we could supply would be the plain forearm without checkering and no engraving on the barrel, and our charge for a barrel part of this description would be $17.50.
There is a possibility that we will again take up the manufacture of the Marlin line in the near future and that guns will be on the market within the next four or five months. However, we do not think that we would be in a position to get out any special work for quite some time, although there is no doubt but what later on we could furnish a barrel part with the engraving and the checking to match the buttstock which you now have."
Mr. Huber's dismay is obviously very understandable. Marlin, like other firearm companies, wished to honor Oakley's accomplishments, but of course, also wished to take advantage of her extraordinary popularity. Producing a firearm that was truly a work of art and presenting it to one of the most public marksmen in the world would likely result in much public use & exposure of their firearms. It was a very insightful & smart marketing ploy which had early on been much used by the famous and successful Samuel Colt. Unfortunately for Marlin, Oakley was not a vain, showy or boastful person. Her modesty and more importantly, her patriotic fervor, obviously far outweighed her attachment to such a beautiful gift. Not only did Oakley donate this and other fine firearms to the war effort, but she also relinquished most of her trophies for the cause of generating money to support the war effort and the purchase of War Bonds. Further proof of her patriotic feelings was exemplified by her attempt in both the Spanish American War & the First World War to establish a regiment of female soldiers to fight on behalf of the nation. In addition, she also offered to donate her services to teach marksmanship to the troops. At some point, Marlin purchased back this rifle (perhaps from Mr. Huber) and for years has been in the Marlin archives. PROVENANCE: The esteemed collection of Rafael Cruz; The Cody Firearms Museum (2007-2017), on loan from consignor for one of their prominent displays. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl retains about 95% of its orig blue with only sharp edge wear on the oct part of the bbl. It has the usual slight muzzle wear and typical nicks and dings. The mag tube retains most of its orig blue. The takedown ring and forward portion of receiver have faint case colors and mostly that of a silver hardening finish. The rear portion of the receiver the lever and hammer retain good strong visible colors. The stock is sound with a very professionally and expertly repaired hairline crack in the wrist. It has the usual minor nicks and dings and retains most of its fine factory finish. Mechanics are crisp, bore is shiny with some light scattered pitting. 53073-3 BT142 (200,000-250,000)