EXTREMELY RARE DELUXE ENGRAVED MARLIN MODEL 1889 LEVER ACTION “WORLD’S FAIR” LEVER ACTION RIFLE.

EXTREMELY RARE DELUXE ENGRAVED MARLIN MODEL 1889 LEVER ACTION “WORLD’S FAIR” LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 87993. Cal. 38 WCF (38-40). Outstanding Model ’89 Marlin with special order 26″ oct bbl, full magazine, Lyman front sight and semi-buckhorn rear sight. Mounted with spectacular center crotch, flame grain American walnut with B-style checkered forearm and serpentine pistol grip buttstock with “MFA CO” embossed hard rubber buttplate. SN is found in usual place on bottom of receiver, on left side of top tang under the wood and inside top tang channel of the buttstock. Receiver is beautifully engraved in about #2 style by Conrad Ulrich with the large vignette of a standing whitetail buck in a very detailed forest scene on the left side. Right side has the small vignette of a whitetail buck feeding on a tree branch standing in a very detailed forest scene, all surrounded by foliate arabesque patterns with multiple borders. Engraving extends over top & bottom of receiver and top tang with small panels on the sides of the lever boss. Receiver, lever & forend cap are gold plated, probably over silver. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter identifying this rifle in caliber 38, shipped Aug. 17, 1894 and marked “WORLDS FAIR”. Also accompanied by a listing of research information from the Marlin Factory serial number records (currently available at the Cody Firearms Museum) which states that there are only four rifles noted in the official records as being marked for “World’s Fair”. This rifle is the first listed, by SN. The other three rifles, so noted in the records, are also Models 1889 in 32 caliber, two of which were manufactured in Dec. 1894 and the other in May 1895, leading one to speculate that these rifles were for the 1895 Atlanta World’s Fair. According to Marlin Firearms, Brophy, there were a total of 55,119 Model 1889 rifles & carbines manufactured in the period 1889 to 1903. Of that total only 3,729 had 26″ bbls and only 2,296 had pistol grips. There is no indication of the number of engraved rifles, however the likelihood is that there were very few engraved and of those extraordinarily few had special finishes. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. Bbl retains 95-96% strong orig finish turning a little plum; magazine tube retains strong blue in sheltered areas with the outer radius turning plum; forend cap retains small traces of gold finish being mostly a plummy brown patina; receiver retains 40-50% thin gold wash with silver showing through elsewhere, showing wear on front edges, top & bottom which is now light brown patina; bottom tang retains strong gold wash; lever retains traces of gold wash & silver plating being mostly a dark patina. Wood is sound with a few light nicks & scratches showing moderate to heavy wear and retains about 90% strong orig varnish showing hand wear at rear end of forearm. Mechanics are crisp, very bright shiny bore. This is a truly rare rifle and probably one of a kind. 4-36691 JR278 (15,000-20,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012

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
	1207	$18,400.00	EXTREMELY RARE DELUXE ENGRAVED MARLIN MODEL 1889 LEVER ACTION “WORLD’S FAIR” LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 87993. Cal. 38 WCF (38-40). Outstanding Model ’89 Marlin with special order 26″ oct bbl, full magazine, Lyman front sight and semi-buckhorn rear sight. Mounted with spectacular center crotch, flame grain American walnut with B-style checkered forearm and serpentine pistol grip buttstock with “MFA CO” embossed hard rubber buttplate. SN is found in usual place on bottom of receiver, on left side of top tang under the wood and inside top tang channel of the buttstock. Receiver is beautifully engraved in about #2 style by Conrad Ulrich with the large vignette of a standing whitetail buck in a very detailed forest scene on the left side. Right side has the small vignette of a whitetail buck feeding on a tree branch standing in a very detailed forest scene, all surrounded by foliate arabesque patterns with multiple borders. Engraving extends over top & bottom of receiver and top tang with small panels on the sides of the lever boss. Receiver, lever & forend cap are gold plated, probably over silver. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter identifying this rifle in caliber 38, shipped Aug. 17, 1894 and marked “WORLDS FAIR”. Also accompanied by a listing of research information from the Marlin Factory serial number records (currently available at the Cody Firearms Museum) which states that there are only four rifles noted in the official records as being marked for “World’s Fair”. This rifle is the first listed, by SN. The other three rifles, so noted in the records, are also Models 1889 in 32 caliber, two of which were manufactured in Dec. 1894 and the other in May 1895, leading one to speculate that these rifles were for the 1895 Atlanta World’s Fair. According to Marlin Firearms, Brophy, there were a total of 55,119 Model 1889 rifles & carbines manufactured in the period 1889 to 1903. Of that total only 3,729 had 26″ bbls and only 2,296 had pistol grips. There is no indication of the number of engraved rifles, however the likelihood is that there were very few engraved and of those extraordinarily few had special finishes. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. Bbl retains 95-96% strong orig finish turning a little plum; magazine tube retains strong blue in sheltered areas with the outer radius turning plum; forend cap retains small traces of gold finish being mostly a plummy brown patina; receiver retains 40-50% thin gold wash with silver showing through elsewhere, showing wear on front edges, top & bottom which is now light brown patina; bottom tang retains strong gold wash; lever retains traces of gold wash & silver plating being mostly a dark patina. Wood is sound with a few light nicks & scratches showing moderate to heavy wear and retains about 90% strong orig varnish showing hand wear at rear end of forearm. Mechanics are crisp, very bright shiny bore. This is a truly rare rifle and probably one of a kind. 4-36691 JR278 (15,000-20,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012 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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