RARE ENGRAVED DELUXE SPENCER PUMP ACTION SHOTGUN.

SN 368. Cal. 12 ga. Very rare shotgun with 29″ unmarked Damascus bbl that has sgl silver bead. It has half magazine of Damascus twist construction and relief cut double slide bars. Mounted with very highly figured European walnut with checkered rnd grip buttstock and checkered hard rubber buttplate. Forearm is the Model 1896, 4-7/8″ long, made of gutta percha with checkered sides vs. the usual small rnd wooden forearm, although there were seven different forearm variations offered for the Spencer shotgun over its production life, which ended in about 1902. Receiver, upper & lower tangs are spectacularly engraved with very fine full coverage, intertwined foliate arabesque patterns that has fine pearled background. Trigger guard is engraved to match. Sides of the slide bars are also engraved to match with fine chip & dot borders around the slots in the forward areas. Screwheads are also engraved to match. This shotgun was produced by the Francis Bannerman Company after having acquired the Spencer Sporting Arms Co. in January 1890. Bannerman moved the entire Spencer Shotgun manufacturing operation to Brooklyn and commenced production in the last quarter of 1890. The Spencer pump action shotgun is the first successful shotgun of its type to reach production. The hard rubber forearms are rarely ever found today having been so fragile that Bannerman refused to guarantee them. Apparently Bannerman did sell replacement forearms in both hard rubber & wood. According to a renowned authority on Spencer shotguns who examined this shotgun, the engraving is after market but of the period. Given that the engraving is New York style, possibly from the L.D. Nimschke shop and that the Bannerman Co. was located in New York, it also is a possibility that it could have been a special order. Spencer shotguns are in and of themselves quite rare and when encountered usually exhibit very hard use and almost never with any orig finish. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl & magazine tube retain 93-95% orig Damascus pattern, a little thinner on the magazine tube; receiver & trigger guard retain about 92-94% strong bright blue showing only sharp edge wear and some slight thinning over the top edges; slide bars are mostly a gray patina. Buttstock is sound with light nicks & scratches with some minor oil stain around receiver area and retains most of its orig varnish; forearm is sound showing light to moderate wear, turning chocolate. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with good shine and light to moderate pitting. 4-55331 (5,000-10,000) – Lot 1467

Auction: Firearms - March 2015

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
	1467	$20,125.00	RARE ENGRAVED DELUXE SPENCER PUMP ACTION SHOTGUN. SN 368. Cal. 12 ga. Very rare shotgun with 29″ unmarked Damascus bbl that has sgl silver bead. It has half magazine of Damascus twist construction and relief cut double slide bars. Mounted with very highly figured European walnut with checkered rnd grip buttstock and checkered hard rubber buttplate. Forearm is the Model 1896, 4-7/8″ long, made of gutta percha with checkered sides vs. the usual small rnd wooden forearm, although there were seven different forearm variations offered for the Spencer shotgun over its production life, which ended in about 1902. Receiver, upper & lower tangs are spectacularly engraved with very fine full coverage, intertwined foliate arabesque patterns that has fine pearled background. Trigger guard is engraved to match. Sides of the slide bars are also engraved to match with fine chip & dot borders around the slots in the forward areas. Screwheads are also engraved to match. This shotgun was produced by the Francis Bannerman Company after having acquired the Spencer Sporting Arms Co. in January 1890. Bannerman moved the entire Spencer Shotgun manufacturing operation to Brooklyn and commenced production in the last quarter of 1890. The Spencer pump action shotgun is the first successful shotgun of its type to reach production. The hard rubber forearms are rarely ever found today having been so fragile that Bannerman refused to guarantee them. Apparently Bannerman did sell replacement forearms in both hard rubber & wood. According to a renowned authority on Spencer shotguns who examined this shotgun, the engraving is after market but of the period. Given that the engraving is New York style, possibly from the L.D. Nimschke shop and that the Bannerman Co. was located in New York, it also is a possibility that it could have been a special order. Spencer shotguns are in and of themselves quite rare and when encountered usually exhibit very hard use and almost never with any orig finish. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl & magazine tube retain 93-95% orig Damascus pattern, a little thinner on the magazine tube; receiver & trigger guard retain about 92-94% strong bright blue showing only sharp edge wear and some slight thinning over the top edges; slide bars are mostly a gray patina. Buttstock is sound with light nicks & scratches with some minor oil stain around receiver area and retains most of its orig varnish; forearm is sound showing light to moderate wear, turning chocolate. Mechanics are fine, strong bore with good shine and light to moderate pitting. 4-55331 (5,000-10,000) – Lot 1467 Auction: Firearms - March 2015 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 ENGRAVED DELUXE SPENCER PUMP ACTION SHOTGUN.