EXTRAORDINARILY RARE & EXCEPTIONAL WINCHESTER 1ST MODEL 1873 “ONE OF ONE HUNDRED” LEVER ACTION RIFLE, THE FINEST OF ITS TYPE IN THE WORLD.

Revised: 10/2/2010

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The lower left side of the receiver has an additional third screw that has been countersunk. This screw is not normally seen on guns in this serial range. However, this was a standard production feature on Third Model 1873s. The original screw on the left side of the forend cap is also slightly countersunk. As previously noted in the description, this rifle is in extraordinary condition and represents what is probably the finest condition 1873 1 of 100 or 1 of 1000 in existence.

EXTRAORDINARILY RARE & EXCEPTIONAL WINCHESTER 1ST MODEL 1873 “ONE OF ONE HUNDRED” LEVER ACTION RIFLE, THE FINEST OF ITS TYPE IN THE WORLD. SN 19675. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Fantastic Winchester rifle with 24-1/4″ oct bbl, full magazine with threaded plug, half nickel front sight, semi-buckhorn rear sight and early style thick base tang sight with spiral knurled bbl and duplex aperture. Receiver is 1st Model 2nd Type with mortised thumb print dust cover and single set trigger. The lever latch is 1866 style that screws into the lower tang. Mounted with exceptional burl and flame grain, center crotch American walnut with early style checkered forend and straight stock with case hardened crescent buttplate with trap containing an orig brass & steel 4-pc cleaning rod. Left side of lower tang, under the wood, is marked “XXX” and the assembly number “3”, which number is also found in the top tang channel of buttstock and inside the toe of the buttplate. Chamber area of the bbl, behind the rear sight is engraved exactly like a “1 of 1,000” with identical foliate arabesque scrolls over the top side flats and lightly on the side flats. The top flat is engraved in script “One of One Hundred” with a fine chip & dot border and a fleur-de-lis at the front end. There is a dbl line border at the receiver. The muzzle end of the bbl is engraved with foliate arabesque pattern completely around the muzzle, also with a dbl line border. Records at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody Firearms Museum, Cody, WY, show that there were only eight of these rare rifles ever produced. According to the book Winchester The Golden Age of American Gunmaking and the Winchester 1 of 1000, Wilson, he also states that only eight of these rare rifles were ever produced. Of the eight produced only three had 24″ oct bbls, three were 3-X checkered, all eight had set triggers and only one was blued. This rifle is not pictured in the book simply because it was unknown at the time of the writing. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter identifying this rifle with oct bbl, set trigger, “XXX” checkered, blued finish, received in warehouse “8-9” (1876) and shipped “8-10” (1876) to order #6647. Under the remarks section is listed “1 of 100”. This rare rifle was purchased by the late Owen W. “Bill” Nelson in about 1949, just about the time he graduated from high school. He purchased it from an old family friend named Judge McEwen for $100.00. Being an old family friend Bill’s father was highly incensed that the judge charged young Bill for the rifle rather than simply giving it to him. The rifle remained in the Nelson family home until about 1957 or thereabouts when Bill wrote a request for information about the rifle to Winchester. He received a reply from Tom Hall and learned that his rifle was extremely rare so it was relegated to a bank vault in DeKalb, Illinois, where it remained until 1996 when it was placed on loan to the Cody Firearms Museum. This rifle was prominently displayed in Cody until August 2010 when it was removed from exhibit and consigned to this auction. That this rare rifle has remained in the same family for over 60 years is in and of itself a true miracle. Then to have additional ownership provenance pre-dating the current ownership is also a rare and desirable feature. PROVENANCE: Judge McEwen, DeKalb, IL; Owen W. “Bill” Nelson Family. CONDITION: Extraordinarily fine, all matching. Bbl & magazine tube retain about 97-98% strong orig factory blue with light sharp edge wear and some minor thinning on top flat forward of rear sight. Receiver retains 96-98% glossy orig factory blue with light edge wear around bottom front edge and sharp edge wear with a couple of very minor, light scratches. Loading gate retains 96-98% bright fire blue. Screws have a couple of minor slipped slots with a scrape around the rear lower tang screw and another around the left timing screw and a chip out of the right timing screw. Tang sight retains about 95% glossy orig blue and the trigger about 99% orig blue. Bottom tang retains virtually all of its glossy orig factory blue forward of the lever latch and is a gray patina back of the lever latch. Lever, hammer & buttplate retain most of their orig case colors, strong & bright in sheltered areas of the lever, faded but visible elsewhere. Hammer has crisp bright case colors and the buttplate fully visible but faded case colors. Stock has a couple of tiny chips at the toe, otherwise wood is sound, checkering is crisp with very minor, very scattered faint mars in the finish and overall retains virtually all of its orig oil finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Bolt & bolt face retain about all of their orig factory blue. Crisp mechanism, brilliant, shiny bore. This is an exceptionally rare rifle in exceptionally high condition. 4-40939 JR346 (225,000-325,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2010

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
	2004	$373,750.00	Revised: 10/2/2010 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The lower left side of the receiver has an additional third screw that has been countersunk. This screw is not normally seen on guns in this serial range. However, this was a standard production feature on Third Model 1873s. The original screw on the left side of the forend cap is also slightly countersunk. As previously noted in the description, this rifle is in extraordinary condition and represents what is probably the finest condition 1873 1 of 100 or 1 of 1000 in existence. EXTRAORDINARILY RARE & EXCEPTIONAL WINCHESTER 1ST MODEL 1873 “ONE OF ONE HUNDRED” LEVER ACTION RIFLE, THE FINEST OF ITS TYPE IN THE WORLD. SN 19675. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Fantastic Winchester rifle with 24-1/4″ oct bbl, full magazine with threaded plug, half nickel front sight, semi-buckhorn rear sight and early style thick base tang sight with spiral knurled bbl and duplex aperture. Receiver is 1st Model 2nd Type with mortised thumb print dust cover and single set trigger. The lever latch is 1866 style that screws into the lower tang. Mounted with exceptional burl and flame grain, center crotch American walnut with early style checkered forend and straight stock with case hardened crescent buttplate with trap containing an orig brass & steel 4-pc cleaning rod. Left side of lower tang, under the wood, is marked “XXX” and the assembly number “3”, which number is also found in the top tang channel of buttstock and inside the toe of the buttplate. Chamber area of the bbl, behind the rear sight is engraved exactly like a “1 of 1,000” with identical foliate arabesque scrolls over the top side flats and lightly on the side flats. The top flat is engraved in script “One of One Hundred” with a fine chip & dot border and a fleur-de-lis at the front end. There is a dbl line border at the receiver. The muzzle end of the bbl is engraved with foliate arabesque pattern completely around the muzzle, also with a dbl line border. Records at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody Firearms Museum, Cody, WY, show that there were only eight of these rare rifles ever produced. According to the book Winchester The Golden Age of American Gunmaking and the Winchester 1 of 1000, Wilson, he also states that only eight of these rare rifles were ever produced. Of the eight produced only three had 24″ oct bbls, three were 3-X checkered, all eight had set triggers and only one was blued. This rifle is not pictured in the book simply because it was unknown at the time of the writing. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter identifying this rifle with oct bbl, set trigger, “XXX” checkered, blued finish, received in warehouse “8-9” (1876) and shipped “8-10” (1876) to order #6647. Under the remarks section is listed “1 of 100”. This rare rifle was purchased by the late Owen W. “Bill” Nelson in about 1949, just about the time he graduated from high school. He purchased it from an old family friend named Judge McEwen for $100.00. Being an old family friend Bill’s father was highly incensed that the judge charged young Bill for the rifle rather than simply giving it to him. The rifle remained in the Nelson family home until about 1957 or thereabouts when Bill wrote a request for information about the rifle to Winchester. He received a reply from Tom Hall and learned that his rifle was extremely rare so it was relegated to a bank vault in DeKalb, Illinois, where it remained until 1996 when it was placed on loan to the Cody Firearms Museum. This rifle was prominently displayed in Cody until August 2010 when it was removed from exhibit and consigned to this auction. That this rare rifle has remained in the same family for over 60 years is in and of itself a true miracle. Then to have additional ownership provenance pre-dating the current ownership is also a rare and desirable feature. PROVENANCE: Judge McEwen, DeKalb, IL; Owen W. “Bill” Nelson Family. CONDITION: Extraordinarily fine, all matching. Bbl & magazine tube retain about 97-98% strong orig factory blue with light sharp edge wear and some minor thinning on top flat forward of rear sight. Receiver retains 96-98% glossy orig factory blue with light edge wear around bottom front edge and sharp edge wear with a couple of very minor, light scratches. Loading gate retains 96-98% bright fire blue. Screws have a couple of minor slipped slots with a scrape around the rear lower tang screw and another around the left timing screw and a chip out of the right timing screw. Tang sight retains about 95% glossy orig blue and the trigger about 99% orig blue. Bottom tang retains virtually all of its glossy orig factory blue forward of the lever latch and is a gray patina back of the lever latch. Lever, hammer & buttplate retain most of their orig case colors, strong & bright in sheltered areas of the lever, faded but visible elsewhere. Hammer has crisp bright case colors and the buttplate fully visible but faded case colors. Stock has a couple of tiny chips at the toe, otherwise wood is sound, checkering is crisp with very minor, very scattered faint mars in the finish and overall retains virtually all of its orig oil finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Bolt & bolt face retain about all of their orig factory blue. Crisp mechanism, brilliant, shiny bore. This is an exceptionally rare rifle in exceptionally high condition. 4-40939 JR346 (225,000-325,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2010 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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