Revised: 9/28/2014

Please note: The consignor bought the rifle from Dick Patterson, not Lt. Col. Brophy. Patterson was Brophy’s best friend.

EXTREMELY RARE, ONE OF A KIND, PROTOTYPE/EXPERIMENTAL MARLIN SINGLE SHOT RIFLE INTENDED TO REPLACE THE OLD BALLARD RIFLES.

SN None. Cal. 40-90 Ballard 2-15/16″. This rifle was found in a crate in the walk-in safe at the old Marlin Plant when they were moving to their new factory in about 1969. There were several other rifles in the crate, which are not known today. Lt. Col. William S. Brophy was the Marlin historian at that time and apparently purchased this rifle from the company. Consignor purchased it directly from Mr. Brophy. This is a standard grade rifle with 30″ about #3 weight oct bbl, nickel silver Rocky Mountain front sight and Marlin semi-buckhorn rear sight. Receiver resembles a Winchester High Wall with readily apparent differences, including a faceted receiver ring, grooved top bolt, sloping rear section, curled hammer and Ballard-style serpentine lever. Receiver, lever, hammer and buttplate are color case hardened. Top tang has no provision for a tang sight. Mounted with uncheckered, straight grain American walnut with Ballard-style tapered rnd forearm that has slight schnable tip and straight stock with crescent buttplate. Rifle is completely unmarked but is extremely well made in the manner of Marlin’s genius inventor L.L. Hepburn’s work. This rifle is pictured on pg. 137 with a brief write up on pg. 144 of Marlin Firearms, Brophy, with both side views and a disassembled view, which illustrates both similarities and differences between this rifle and the Winchester High Wall. Brophy refers to this rifle as “single-shot rifle believed to be a Marlin prototype to replace the Ballard”. A gentleman by the name of E. Hough, in a report he did about the Marlin exhibit at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, waxed eloquently about the many fine Marlin rifles and mentioned “the Marlins show a single-shot which they think will be better than the old Ballard”. It is believed that this is the rifle to which he referred. This rifle is of Falling Block design and, unusually, cocks on opening versus the cocks on closing of the Winchester. The action is very smooth. Bore is typical Marlin rifling with 6 grooves. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbl retains 98-99% crisp orig blue with a ding on the top sharp edge just forward of the rear sight. Bbl has a heavy coating of old dried oil. Receiver retains strong, bright case colors, also under a heavy coating of old dried oil. Lever & hammer retain slightly faded case colors and buttplate about 60% strong case colors. Wood has a few minor handling & storage nicks & scratches and retains about 98% strong orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp. Brilliant shiny bore. 4-54282 JR269 (12,500-22,500) – Lot 2147

Auction: Firearms - Fall 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
	2147	$12,650.00	Revised: 9/28/2014 Please note: The consignor bought the rifle from Dick Patterson, not Lt. Col. Brophy. Patterson was Brophy’s best friend. EXTREMELY RARE, ONE OF A KIND, PROTOTYPE/EXPERIMENTAL MARLIN SINGLE SHOT RIFLE INTENDED TO REPLACE THE OLD BALLARD RIFLES. SN None. Cal. 40-90 Ballard 2-15/16″. This rifle was found in a crate in the walk-in safe at the old Marlin Plant when they were moving to their new factory in about 1969. There were several other rifles in the crate, which are not known today. Lt. Col. William S. Brophy was the Marlin historian at that time and apparently purchased this rifle from the company. Consignor purchased it directly from Mr. Brophy. This is a standard grade rifle with 30″ about #3 weight oct bbl, nickel silver Rocky Mountain front sight and Marlin semi-buckhorn rear sight. Receiver resembles a Winchester High Wall with readily apparent differences, including a faceted receiver ring, grooved top bolt, sloping rear section, curled hammer and Ballard-style serpentine lever. Receiver, lever, hammer and buttplate are color case hardened. Top tang has no provision for a tang sight. Mounted with uncheckered, straight grain American walnut with Ballard-style tapered rnd forearm that has slight schnable tip and straight stock with crescent buttplate. Rifle is completely unmarked but is extremely well made in the manner of Marlin’s genius inventor L.L. Hepburn’s work. This rifle is pictured on pg. 137 with a brief write up on pg. 144 of Marlin Firearms, Brophy, with both side views and a disassembled view, which illustrates both similarities and differences between this rifle and the Winchester High Wall. Brophy refers to this rifle as “single-shot rifle believed to be a Marlin prototype to replace the Ballard”. A gentleman by the name of E. Hough, in a report he did about the Marlin exhibit at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, waxed eloquently about the many fine Marlin rifles and mentioned “the Marlins show a single-shot which they think will be better than the old Ballard”. It is believed that this is the rifle to which he referred. This rifle is of Falling Block design and, unusually, cocks on opening versus the cocks on closing of the Winchester. The action is very smooth. Bore is typical Marlin rifling with 6 grooves. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbl retains 98-99% crisp orig blue with a ding on the top sharp edge just forward of the rear sight. Bbl has a heavy coating of old dried oil. Receiver retains strong, bright case colors, also under a heavy coating of old dried oil. Lever & hammer retain slightly faded case colors and buttplate about 60% strong case colors. Wood has a few minor handling & storage nicks & scratches and retains about 98% strong orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp. Brilliant shiny bore. 4-54282 JR269 (12,500-22,500) – Lot 2147 Auction: Firearms - Fall 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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EXTREMELY RARE, ONE OF A KIND, PROTOTYPE/EXPERIMENTAL MARLIN SINGLE SHOT RIFLE INTENDED TO REPLACE THE OLD BALLARD RIFLES.