RARE 1ST MODEL 1ST TYPE WINCHESTER 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.

SN 1612. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Standard grade rifle with 24-1/4″ oct bbl, full magazine, half nickel front sight and short, semi-buckhorn rear sight with checkered edges. Receiver is 1st type with mortised 1st type, raised thumbprint dust cover and has a single set trigger. Mounted with nicely figured, uncheckered American walnut with straight stock and crescent buttplate with trap that contains an orig brass and iron four piece cleaning rod. Left side of lower tang is marked with the assembly number “108”, which number is also found in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which identifies this rifle with 24″ oct bbl and set trigger, received in warehouse July 30, 1874 and shipped Aug. 3, 1874. 1st model 1st type ’73 rifles are in and of themselves very rare and those with high orig finish are exceedingly rare. They were the first successful center fire repeating rifles, produced in the era of the Great American Westward Expansion when any repeating firearm was in great demand. They were the successor to the rimfire Henry & Model 1866 Winchesters and were substantially more efficient with re-loadable cartridges cases. They usually saw continuous service under extreme conditions usually with little or no maintenance and are almost never found today with high orig finish. PROVENANCE: Tommy Rholes Estate Collection CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl retains 92-94% strong orig blue with sharp edge wear and some scattered fine surface etching; there are also a series of four small circles etched in the finish toward the muzzle along with a couple of other wear spots, all of which show medium patina; magazine tube retains about 95% orig blue turning plum; receiver and side plates retain 80-85% orig blue, strong in sheltered areas with fine spots of surface rust and a cleaned area on the left front side flat; lever & hammer retain faded case colors. Wood is sound with light nicks & scratches on the buttstock and a series of long scratches on the forearm; buttstock retains 70-80% orig finish showing heavy heat crazing; forearm is a hand worn patina. Hammer is not solid in safety notch, otherwise mechanics are fine. Brilliant shiny bore. 4-50767 JR27 (17,500-27,500) – Lot 1019

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1019	$20,125.00	RARE 1ST MODEL 1ST TYPE WINCHESTER 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 1612. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Standard grade rifle with 24-1/4″ oct bbl, full magazine, half nickel front sight and short, semi-buckhorn rear sight with checkered edges. Receiver is 1st type with mortised 1st type, raised thumbprint dust cover and has a single set trigger. Mounted with nicely figured, uncheckered American walnut with straight stock and crescent buttplate with trap that contains an orig brass and iron four piece cleaning rod. Left side of lower tang is marked with the assembly number “108”, which number is also found in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which identifies this rifle with 24″ oct bbl and set trigger, received in warehouse July 30, 1874 and shipped Aug. 3, 1874. 1st model 1st type ’73 rifles are in and of themselves very rare and those with high orig finish are exceedingly rare. They were the first successful center fire repeating rifles, produced in the era of the Great American Westward Expansion when any repeating firearm was in great demand. They were the successor to the rimfire Henry & Model 1866 Winchesters and were substantially more efficient with re-loadable cartridges cases. They usually saw continuous service under extreme conditions usually with little or no maintenance and are almost never found today with high orig finish. PROVENANCE: Tommy Rholes Estate Collection CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl retains 92-94% strong orig blue with sharp edge wear and some scattered fine surface etching; there are also a series of four small circles etched in the finish toward the muzzle along with a couple of other wear spots, all of which show medium patina; magazine tube retains about 95% orig blue turning plum; receiver and side plates retain 80-85% orig blue, strong in sheltered areas with fine spots of surface rust and a cleaned area on the left front side flat; lever & hammer retain faded case colors. Wood is sound with light nicks & scratches on the buttstock and a series of long scratches on the forearm; buttstock retains 70-80% orig finish showing heavy heat crazing; forearm is a hand worn patina. Hammer is not solid in safety notch, otherwise mechanics are fine. Brilliant shiny bore. 4-50767 JR27 (17,500-27,500) – Lot 1019 Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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RARE 1ST MODEL 1ST TYPE WINCHESTER 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.