GUN SPRING 2018
The live portion of this session begins on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
EXTRAORDINARY DELUXE JOHN ULRICH ENGRAVED WINCHESTER MODEL 1876 LEVER ACTION RIFLE, IDENTIFIED TO FAMED SPORTSMAN COL. ARCHIBALD ROGERS WITH FACTORY LETTER.WINCHESTER18761441645-75Cal. 45-75. Companion piece to a wonderful Deluxe-engraved Model 1873, being sold following this lot in this auction. This spectacular rifle has a special order 26" octagon to round bbl with full magazine, blued Rocky Mountain front sight and original, early, short, semi-buckhorn rear sight with checkered edges. Left side of the lower tang under the wood is marked with the assembly no. "134" and the letter "S" which signifies shotgun butt and "XXX". The assembly no. was observed in the top tang channel of the buttstock while the buttplate appears to be un-numbered, there is no doubt that this is the rifle's original buttplate. It is mounted with spectacular, center-crotch, flame-grain American walnut with H-style checkered forearm and pistol grip buttstock with serpentine grip that has a fleur-de-lis inlay and with a smooth steel shotgun buttplate. Rifle is spectacularly engraved by master engraver John Ulrich and signed "J.Ulrich" on the lower tang behind the trigger. Left sideplate is masterfully and unusually (for a '76) engraved in Style 4 with a very large oval vignette depicting a hunter in a very detailed forest scene aiming his rifle with two bull elk in the foreground, one laying on the ground, having been shot, and the other rearing, also having been shot. In the far background is a running cow elk. The entire scene is encompassed in a scroll-type border. Bottom right side of the sideplate has an unusual small vignette of a running rabbit in a field scene. Right sideplate has a large round vignette of a grizzly bear standing over his buffalo kill, in a very detailed mountain scene. Bottom left corner of the sideplate has the unusual small vignette of a running wolf in a mountain scene. Right front side of the receiver has the large vignette of a running bull moose in a forest and field scene. Left front side of receiver has the large round vignette containing the flat gold intertwined initials "AR" which are identical to those found on the Model 1873 previously mentioned. Bottom of receiver is engraved with mirror image patterns on the frame and carrier with chip and dot border on the carrier. Bottom front of the frame is engraved with a small shell pattern with a scallop pattern border around the front and rear edges of the receiver and rear edge of the forend cap. All the engraving is surrounded by extremely fine and wonderfully executed foliate arabesque patterns with chipped borders identical to that found on the Model 1873. Both sides and back edge of the hammer, top of the receiver, dust cover and dust cover rail, both sides and bottom of the lever, forend cap and buttplate around the screw holes are engraved to match and screw heads are engraved. Receiver is second-type with screwed-on dust cover rail. Dust cover is engraved in the center "WINCHESTER EXPRESS / .50 CAL. 95GRS". Buttstock and forend cap have factory sling swivels. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter identifying this rifle as "50 Express Caliber" with round bbl, plain trigger, checkered stock with pistol grip, half magazine, shotgun butt, case hardened, sling and swivels, and "See Letter". It was received into and shipped out of the warehouse on July 16, 1881 to Order No. 25568. It was returned with reasons not indicated on February 3, 1887, order no. 15092; April 28, 1887, order no. 17837 and May 16, 1889 order no. 21217. Without the shadow of a doubt, it was during one of these returns that this rifle was converted to its present caliber with a new bbl and full magazine, but since the dust cover was engraved to match, it was not changed, although the carrier is stamped "45-75" and is engraved to match its surroundings. PROVENANCE: Herbert G. Wellington Jr. Estate. The spectacular collections of Ray Bentley featuring the finest and rarest deluxe antique Winchesters in the world. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl retains 92-93% orig factory blue, strong in sheltered areas, thinning over the top. Magazine tube retains about 95% strong orig blue, slightly thinned on the bottom with several tiny nicks and a few small scratches. Receiver and sideplates retain virtually all of their case colors, strong and bright in sheltered areas, fading on the sideplates and open front areas. Dust cover retains about 96-98% glossy orig blue. Lever also retains about all of its orig case colors, strong and bright on the sides, fading on the outer edge. Hammer retains about all of its lightly faded case colors. Forend cap retains very strong bright case colors. Buttplate retains 60-70% thinning blue turning gray toward the heel. Wood is sound with light handling and use marks and retains most of its orig finish, slightly dulled. Mechanics are crisp with brilliant shiny bore. 53091-149 JR288 (200,000-250,000)