April 24-25, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/24/2019
Special order deluxe engraved rifle octagon barrel, full magazine, German silver "Rocky Mountain" front sight and musket style ladder rear sight with exposed tension spring. Mounted with "XX" highly figured uncheckered, slab sawed American walnut with straight stock that has crescent brass buttplate with trap. Buttstock and forend cap have factory sling swivels. Top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate have last four digits of matching serial number. Receiver is beautifully engraved, and signed by John Ulrich with the vignette of a standing bull elk on the left side surrounded by foliate arabesque patterns with pearled background. Right side is engraved to match with a large sweeping pattern terminating in a seven petal flower blossom. Front side panels are identically engraved with matching patterns. Engraving extends over the top of the receiver, top tang, sides of the forend cap and buttplate tang. This rifle is one of the rare ’66s that will letter from the Cody Firearms Museum. Records show that it is a rifle, engraved with silver Gilded (GOLD). Received in the warehouse January 15th, 1875 and was shipped January 16th, 1875 to Order No. 62654. This was a period when the West was still wild and the Indian Wars were continuing. (Remember George Armstrong Custer?) Even though centerfire rifles and handguns had been in use three or more years, any repeating arm was in great demand, especially after the Custer fiasco, and these rimfire rifles were still being put to use throughout the American Frontier. Later, after the center fire arms had taken over, these rimfire arms were sold into Mexico and South America where the cartridge was still popular. They are rarely found today with any original finish. This rifle is further documented with a three page letter from noted Winchester expert and historian George Madis. CONDITION: Very good as partially restored, all matching. Barrel and magazine retain over 95% of a contemporary plummy patina finish. Two line Winchester address is re-rolled. Receiver retains virtually all of the gold gilt. Forend cap and buttplate have the same amount of gilt and are matching patina. Stocks are very fine and are possibly lightly re-oiled. A wonderful well documented Winchester 1866 rifle. TDW