EXTREMELY RARE UNDOCUMENTED WINCHESTER LEE NAVY STRAIGHT PULL RIFLE FROM THE U.S.S. MAINE.

EXTREMELY RARE UNDOCUMENTED WINCHESTER LEE NAVY STRAIGHT PULL RIFLE FROM THE U.S.S. MAINE. SN 8911. Cal. 6 mm Lee Navy. Standard Lee Navy with 28” tapered rnd bbl, square base front sight with two bbl bands, the front of which has a bayonet lug & stacking swivel. It has a short handguard with a sling loop on bbl band and has a 2,000 yard ladder rear sight. There is a sling loop in the butt. Left side of buttstock is very beautifully & tastefully carved “U.S.S. MAINE” and right side of stock by receiver and up forestock is carved & filled with red paint “From U.S.S. MAINE, Feb, 17 1898.” This rifle was salvaged from the Maine and brought aboard one of the ships on which Chief Petty Officer Thomas A. M. Chambers was serving. He apparently took the rifle for a personal possession and brought it home. Chief Chambers had enlisted in the Navy in 1886 and later deserted from his ship and subsequently re-enlised under the name of Alexander Thomas Meade and served through July, 1899 when he was medically discharged for disability. On March 29, 1899 he was given an unconditional pardon by President William McKinley, the original of which accompanied this lot. Also accompanying this lot are numerous other papers, three albums of family photographs including many Civil War & Indian Wars officers’ CDV’s in uniform, several Navy & Marine Corps badges & mementoes and buckles including an Indian Wars gold washed officer’s buckle and a sterling silver bosun’s pipe. Most convincing of the accompanying material is a large sepia tone photograph, 14” x 10-1/2” vertical image, of two young women seated in front of a fireplace. Behind them, hanging below mantle, is this very rifle which can be readily identified by the carving visible on left side of butt. Also visible is a twisted wire which is attached to bolt knob and is used as a hanger. Wrapped around the entire action is a silk cloth of some sort, the remnants of which still remain with rifle. Also included with this lot is Chief Chambers citizenship papers dated 17 October 1898 granting him citizenship and states that he was 36 years old and a native of Montserrat, West Indies. Also included is his retirement pension authorization from the Post Office where he was apparently employed. And finally accompanying is a 5’ x 8’ 45-star American fla CONDITION: Rifle is fine with receiver & magazine box a cleaned metal color with fine pitting. Bbl, bolt & buttplate are a dark smoked patina. Wood is sound, nice & light colored where the cloth covered it while hanging over fireplace. Fore & aft of the receiver are dark & smoked. Flag has a few moth holes. Photograph is somewhat yellowed & soiled with a couple of tears not affecting image. Albums & photographs are worn with loose covers. 4-32614 JR624 (5,000-8,000)

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
	3344	$12,075.00	EXTREMELY RARE UNDOCUMENTED WINCHESTER LEE NAVY STRAIGHT PULL RIFLE FROM THE U.S.S. MAINE. SN 8911. Cal. 6 mm Lee Navy. Standard Lee Navy with 28” tapered rnd bbl, square base front sight with two bbl bands, the front of which has a bayonet lug & stacking swivel. It has a short handguard with a sling loop on bbl band and has a 2,000 yard ladder rear sight. There is a sling loop in the butt. Left side of buttstock is very beautifully & tastefully carved “U.S.S. MAINE” and right side of stock by receiver and up forestock is carved & filled with red paint “From U.S.S. MAINE, Feb, 17 1898.” This rifle was salvaged from the Maine and brought aboard one of the ships on which Chief Petty Officer Thomas A. M. Chambers was serving. He apparently took the rifle for a personal possession and brought it home. Chief Chambers had enlisted in the Navy in 1886 and later deserted from his ship and subsequently re-enlised under the name of Alexander Thomas Meade and served through July, 1899 when he was medically discharged for disability. On March 29, 1899 he was given an unconditional pardon by President William McKinley, the original of which accompanied this lot. Also accompanying this lot are numerous other papers, three albums of family photographs including many Civil War & Indian Wars officers’ CDV’s in uniform, several Navy & Marine Corps badges & mementoes and buckles including an Indian Wars gold washed officer’s buckle and a sterling silver bosun’s pipe. Most convincing of the accompanying material is a large sepia tone photograph, 14” x 10-1/2” vertical image, of two young women seated in front of a fireplace. Behind them, hanging below mantle, is this very rifle which can be readily identified by the carving visible on left side of butt. Also visible is a twisted wire which is attached to bolt knob and is used as a hanger. Wrapped around the entire action is a silk cloth of some sort, the remnants of which still remain with rifle. Also included with this lot is Chief Chambers citizenship papers dated 17 October 1898 granting him citizenship and states that he was 36 years old and a native of Montserrat, West Indies. Also included is his retirement pension authorization from the Post Office where he was apparently employed. And finally accompanying is a 5’ x 8’ 45-star American fla CONDITION: Rifle is fine with receiver & magazine box a cleaned metal color with fine pitting. Bbl, bolt & buttplate are a dark smoked patina. Wood is sound, nice & light colored where the cloth covered it while hanging over fireplace. Fore & aft of the receiver are dark & smoked. Flag has a few moth holes. Photograph is somewhat yellowed & soiled with a couple of tears not affecting image. Albums & photographs are worn with loose covers. 4-32614 JR624 (5,000-8,000) 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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