*EXCEPTIONALLY RARE & UNIQUE ENGRAVED & GOLD-PLATED MARLIN MODEL 97 LEVER ACTION RIFLE THAT WAS PRESENTED BY THE MARLIN FIREARMS CO. TO ANNIE OAKLEY.

Revised: 10/19/2007

(Additional Information) The catalog description refers to a copy of a thank you note written by Annie Oakley. Since the catalog description was prepared we have acquired the exact, original, handwritten thank you note and envelope that Miss Oakley had sent to the Marlin Firearms Company and this original thank you note will be included as part of this lot.

CORRECT DESCRIPTION SHOULD READ:

*EXCEPTIONALLY RARE & UNIQUE ENGRAVED & GOLD-PLATED MARLIN MODEL 97 LEVER ACTION RIFLE THAT WAS PRESENTED BY THE MARLIN FIREARMS CO. TO ANNIE OAKLEY. SN 342637. Cal. 22. This spectacular Annie Oakley rifle was made for & presented to her in 1906. By that time, Miss Oakley was extremely famous as one of the greatest marksman in history. It has a 24″ oct to rnd bbl, std front sight and semi-buckhorn rear sight. Receiver is very beautifully engraved, probably by Conrad Ulrich, with large vignette of a whitetail buck deer being chased by a wolf on left side and a standing whitetail buck in a forest scene on right side. Surrounded by very tasteful foliate arabesque patterns with tiny wavelet & zig-zag borders. Top edges of receiver have a wave & dot pattern with fine patterns over chamber area of bbl. Top tang has a fine line engraved border and bottom of receiver has matching arabesque patterns. All metal is gold plated over silver over copper. Mounted with very highly figured shell & feather grain American walnut with “F” style checkering consisting of extensive patterns covering over half the forearm with a smaller diamond in bottom center with much more fine checkering in its center. Wrist, with serpentine grip cap, is checkered to match with extensive patterns over wrist & grip with a smaller diamond in center with more fine checkering. It has a Marlin logo hard rubber buttplate. On p. 546 of Marlin Firearms, Brophy, it states “In 1906 Marlin presented to Annie Oakley a gold plated and engraved Model 1897 rifle. It is serial number 342,637”. On p. 547 of same publication there is a copy of the orig hand-written letter written by Miss Oakley to J.Howard Marlin, thanking him for this beautiful rifle. It specifically states “E. Orange, Nov. 23rd / The Marlin Co. / New Haven, Conn. / Gentlemen / On my return from Chicago I found the beautiful rifle you so kindly sent me. I am indeed pleased and will see that full justice be done The Marlin Company just as soon as I am through with seven more cases similar to the enclosed. With many thanks for your kindness and with every good wish for the future of your company. I am sincerely, Annie Oakley”. This documentation inexorably ties this rifle to Annie Oakley. It is well documented that the patriotic Miss Oakley, in 1917, donated most of her trophies and a number of her guns to raise funds for the WWI effort and it is believed that this beautiful gun was one of those donations which eventually was re-acquired by the Marlin Firearms Company and in part of their archives for many years. This rifle was on loan from The Marlin Firearms Company and was part of the Marlin exhibit in The Cody Firearms Museum, Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, Wyoming from about 1993-June 2007. A beautiful and historic item with a stellar pedigree. This firearm has been consigned directly to us from the Marlin Firearms Company where it has been approaching a hundred years. Accompanying this outstanding Marlin will be the orig, penned “thank you” letter & envelope (written & signed by Annie Oakley) to J. Howard Marlin complimenting & thanking them for this “beautiful rifle”. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl, receiver, hammer, top & bottom tangs retain most of their orig gold plating with some minor wear over forearm area around rear sight. Magazine tube retains 60-70% gold-plating with balance silver showing through. Lever retains 40-50% gold plating with balance a dark copper color. Wood is sound with minor handling & use marks and one or two minor scrapes and retains most of its fine orig factory finish. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with moderate to heavy pitting. 4-31615 JR143 (150,000-250,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2007

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
	2315	$184,000.00	Revised: 10/19/2007 (Additional Information) The catalog description refers to a copy of a thank you note written by Annie Oakley. Since the catalog description was prepared we have acquired the exact, original, handwritten thank you note and envelope that Miss Oakley had sent to the Marlin Firearms Company and this original thank you note will be included as part of this lot. CORRECT DESCRIPTION SHOULD READ: EXCEPTIONALLY RARE & UNIQUE ENGRAVED & GOLD-PLATED MARLIN MODEL 97 LEVER ACTION RIFLE THAT WAS PRESENTED BY THE MARLIN FIREARMS CO. TO ANNIE OAKLEY. SN 342637. Cal. 22. This spectacular Annie Oakley rifle was made for & presented to her in 1906. By that time, Miss Oakley was extremely famous as one of the greatest marksman in history. It has a 24″ oct to rnd bbl, std front sight and semi-buckhorn rear sight. Receiver is very beautifully engraved, probably by Conrad Ulrich, with large vignette of a whitetail buck deer being chased by a wolf on left side and a standing whitetail buck in a forest scene on right side. Surrounded by very tasteful foliate arabesque patterns with tiny wavelet & zig-zag borders. Top edges of receiver have a wave & dot pattern with fine patterns over chamber area of bbl. Top tang has a fine line engraved border and bottom of receiver has matching arabesque patterns. All metal is gold plated over silver over copper. Mounted with very highly figured shell & feather grain American walnut with “F” style checkering consisting of extensive patterns covering over half the forearm with a smaller diamond in bottom center with much more fine checkering in its center. Wrist, with serpentine grip cap, is checkered to match with extensive patterns over wrist & grip with a smaller diamond in center with more fine checkering. It has a Marlin logo hard rubber buttplate. On p. 546 of Marlin Firearms, Brophy, it states “In 1906 Marlin presented to Annie Oakley a gold plated and engraved Model 1897 rifle. It is serial number 342,637”. On p. 547 of same publication there is a copy of the orig hand-written letter written by Miss Oakley to J.Howard Marlin, thanking him for this beautiful rifle. It specifically states “E. Orange, Nov. 23rd / The Marlin Co. / New Haven, Conn. / Gentlemen / On my return from Chicago I found the beautiful rifle you so kindly sent me. I am indeed pleased and will see that full justice be done The Marlin Company just as soon as I am through with seven more cases similar to the enclosed. With many thanks for your kindness and with every good wish for the future of your company. I am sincerely, Annie Oakley”. This documentation inexorably ties this rifle to Annie Oakley. It is well documented that the patriotic Miss Oakley, in 1917, donated most of her trophies and a number of her guns to raise funds for the WWI effort and it is believed that this beautiful gun was one of those donations which eventually was re-acquired by the Marlin Firearms Company and in part of their archives for many years. This rifle was on loan from The Marlin Firearms Company and was part of the Marlin exhibit in The Cody Firearms Museum, Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, Wyoming from about 1993-June 2007. A beautiful and historic item with a stellar pedigree. This firearm has been consigned directly to us from the Marlin Firearms Company where it has been approaching a hundred years. Accompanying this outstanding Marlin will be the orig, penned “thank you” letter & envelope (written & signed by Annie Oakley) to J. Howard Marlin complimenting & thanking them for this “beautiful rifle”. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl, receiver, hammer, top & bottom tangs retain most of their orig gold plating with some minor wear over forearm area around rear sight. Magazine tube retains 60-70% gold-plating with balance silver showing through. Lever retains 40-50% gold plating with balance a dark copper color. Wood is sound with minor handling & use marks and one or two minor scrapes and retains most of its fine orig factory finish. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with moderate to heavy pitting. 4-31615 JR143 (150,000-250,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2007 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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