GUN SPRING 2018
The live portion of this session begins on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
EXTRAORDINARILY RARE JOHN ULRICH ENGRAVED GOLD INLAID WINCHESTER 2nd MODEL 1873 DELUXE LEVER ACTION RIFLE, IDENTIFIED TO FAMED SPORTSMAN COL. ARCHIBALD ROGERS WITH FACTORY LETTER. WINCHESTER 1873 75788 44 Cal 44 WCF (44-40). Extraordinary deluxe John Ulrich engraved identified '73 with 24 1/4" oct bbl, button magazine, replacement bead front sight and modified early style, short semi-buckhorn rear sight that has been filed flat. Top tang is mounted with a Lyman loop thin-base tang sight with fine spiral-knurled bbl, with target and hunting apertures. Receiver is second type with screwed-on dust cover rail. It is mounted with about 3X, center crotch, flame-grain American walnut with H-style checkered forearm and pistol grip stock with fleur-de-lis inlay in the serpentine gripcap and it has a smooth steel shotgun buttplate. Bottom of stock is hand-carved with 38 notches and three dots in addition to seven additional crossing notches. It is unknown what the scorekeeping was for, but presumably, it was big game animals taken. Left side of lower tang is marked with the assembly no. "697" that is preceded by an "S" which signifies shotgun butt and also with "XXX". The assembly no. was observed in the top tang channel of the buttstock with the buttplate having the number "39" inside the toe, although there is no doubt that this is the original Ulrich engraved buttplate. The receiver is spectacularly engraved by John Ulrich and signed on the bottom tang "J.Ulrich". Left sideplate is engraved with the large vignette of a deep-relief running bull elk leaping over a fallen log in a detailed forest scene. Right sideplate is engraved with a deep-relief running bull buffalo in a very detailed prairie scene. Right front side of the receiver is engraved with a large vignette of a young bull elk feeding on a tree branch in a detailed forest scene. Left front side of receiver has a large vignette containing the inlaid flat gold intertwined initials "AR". All the engraving on the receiver is surrounded by very fine foliate arabesque patterns with chipped borders. Top of the receiver, dust cover rail, dust cover, sides and rear edges of hammer, sides and face of lever, forend cap and around the buttplate screw holes are engraved to match. Bottom of receiver and carrier are engraved in mirror image foliate arabesque patterns with the carrier having a chipped border. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter identifying this rifle with octagon bbl, plain trigger, checkered stock with pistol grip, half magazine, shotgun butt, case hardened and engraved "$27.50, etc.-see order". It was received into and shipped from the warehouse on October 20, 1881 to order no. 28214. Obviously, the "see order" notation would have detailed the number and types of vignettes as well as the gold inlaid initials and possibly the deluxe wood. A companion rifle, a deluxe engraved 1876, also signed "J. Ulrich", is being sold as the lot preceding this rifle. Personal historical information for this rifle is contained in the preceding lot, the Winchester Model 1876 that also belonged to Col. Archibald Rogers. A series of notch marks found on underside of stock that do not take away from the rifle's appearance. 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 about 95% strong orig blue, slightly dulled, over the chamber area and with light sharp edge wear. Receiver retains 65-70% faded original case colors, a little stronger in the sheltered areas, with the balance turned silver. Dust cover retains about 90% orig blue. Lever and hammer retains smoky case colors, stronger on the hammer. Wood is sound with a couple of small grain checks in the buttstock and light handling and use marks and retains about 60% original finish on the forearm with the balance slightly dull. Buttstock retains very little of its original piano varnish finish, slightly dulled. Both forearm and wrist checkering show moderate to heavy wear. Buttplate is a gray patina. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. 53091-44 JR287 (100,000-125,000)