RARE DELUXE ENGRAVED THIN FRAME MARLIN MODEL 1881 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.

RARE DELUXE ENGRAVED THIN FRAME MARLIN MODEL 1881 LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 22583. Cal. 38-55. Beautiful Marlin with 28″ tapered oct bbl, full magazine, ivory bead front sight, semi-buckhorn rear sight and a Lyman loop tang sight that appears to have been altered from a longer base to fit this tang. Mounted with very nicely figured French or Italian walnut with checkered forearm and serpentine pistol grip stock with smooth steel semi-crescent buttplate. Receiver is very nicely factory engraved, probably by Conrad Ulrich with the vignette of a standing buck deer on left side and a reclining doe deer on right side, surrounded by very well executed foliate arabesque patterns. Top of receiver & bolt have small patterns to match and top tang has light border patterns with a small arabesque pattern. Serial number was observed in the usual location on bottom front of receiver surrounded by an engraved panel with light arabesque patterns. The number was also observed on left sides of top & bottom tangs under the wood, on the right front edge of buttstock under the metal and inside the toe of the buttplate. No further disassembly was attempted to check for other numbers. Accompanied by the book Lever Action Magazine Rifles, Maxwell, which shows this exact rifle, pictured on pp. 269 & 270. Page 235 of this book is a serial number table which indicates that only about 16,385 of these rifles were produced in period 1883-1903 with the vast majority being produced before 1892. The serial numbers of the model 1881’s would indicate that there were actually many more produced but this results from the fact that succeeding models of Marlin’s lever action rifles were serial numbered consecutively in the same series completely throughout production. Marlin began the Model 1881 production with serial number “1” and that is the only serial number “1” lever action rifle ever produced at Marlin. All other models had their serial numbers intermingled and run consecutively. Consignor states that there are only two engraved Model 1881 thinside rifles know and this is the only one that is case colored. He also states that this is the only Ulrich engraved 1881 with an antlerless deer. CONDITION: Fine plus. Bbl retains 85-90% strong orig blue with only edge wear and some thinning about mid-point. Magazine tube is mostly a plum/blue/brown patina. Receiver & lever retain about 75% faded orig case colors. Wood is sound with minor nicks & scratches and a small gouge in buttstock and retains most of its strong orig factory varnish. Mechanics are crisp, strong bore with light to moderate pitting. 4-31799 JR190 (90,000-110,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2008

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
	1144	$0.00	RARE DELUXE ENGRAVED THIN FRAME MARLIN MODEL 1881 LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 22583. Cal. 38-55. Beautiful Marlin with 28″ tapered oct bbl, full magazine, ivory bead front sight, semi-buckhorn rear sight and a Lyman loop tang sight that appears to have been altered from a longer base to fit this tang. Mounted with very nicely figured French or Italian walnut with checkered forearm and serpentine pistol grip stock with smooth steel semi-crescent buttplate. Receiver is very nicely factory engraved, probably by Conrad Ulrich with the vignette of a standing buck deer on left side and a reclining doe deer on right side, surrounded by very well executed foliate arabesque patterns. Top of receiver & bolt have small patterns to match and top tang has light border patterns with a small arabesque pattern. Serial number was observed in the usual location on bottom front of receiver surrounded by an engraved panel with light arabesque patterns. The number was also observed on left sides of top & bottom tangs under the wood, on the right front edge of buttstock under the metal and inside the toe of the buttplate. No further disassembly was attempted to check for other numbers. Accompanied by the book Lever Action Magazine Rifles, Maxwell, which shows this exact rifle, pictured on pp. 269 & 270. Page 235 of this book is a serial number table which indicates that only about 16,385 of these rifles were produced in period 1883-1903 with the vast majority being produced before 1892. The serial numbers of the model 1881’s would indicate that there were actually many more produced but this results from the fact that succeeding models of Marlin’s lever action rifles were serial numbered consecutively in the same series completely throughout production. Marlin began the Model 1881 production with serial number “1” and that is the only serial number “1” lever action rifle ever produced at Marlin. All other models had their serial numbers intermingled and run consecutively. Consignor states that there are only two engraved Model 1881 thinside rifles know and this is the only one that is case colored. He also states that this is the only Ulrich engraved 1881 with an antlerless deer. CONDITION: Fine plus. Bbl retains 85-90% strong orig blue with only edge wear and some thinning about mid-point. Magazine tube is mostly a plum/blue/brown patina. Receiver & lever retain about 75% faded orig case colors. Wood is sound with minor nicks & scratches and a small gouge in buttstock and retains most of its strong orig factory varnish. Mechanics are crisp, strong bore with light to moderate pitting. 4-31799 JR190 (90,000-110,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2008 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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