*RARE WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 SMOOTH BORE RIFLE WITH BUFFALO BILL HISTORY.

*RARE WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 SMOOTH BORE RIFLE WITH BUFFALO BILL HISTORY. Cal. 44WCF (44-40). Standard grade rifle with 24” oct bbl, full magazine, uncheckered wood and straight stock with crescent steel buttplate with trap. Front sight is half nickel with a semi-buckhorn rear sight. This rifle was formerly in the Buffalo Bill Museum, Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, WY for several years. It is accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum yellow sheet identifying this rifle as smooth bore and being shipped 8/30/02. Also accompanied by a letter dated April 22 1939 from Rev. John Raymond Hand of Chicago and Philadelphia to the Chicago Historical Society, Chicago, IL. In the letter he advises them that this rifle had been inherited from his father who had received it from “Col. WM. F. Cody”. He states that his father was a designer for the Hotchkiss Blue Car Co. who had built several cars (presumably railroad cars) for Col. Cody’s show including the Col.’s private car. Also included is a letter in response to Rev. Hand from the Historical Society soliciting a five-year loan of the rifle to the Historical Society. Additionally, there is a five-year loan document dated May 8, 39 which has a pencil notation at the top that the rifle “Automatically became a gift in 1944”. One other document accompanies which is the actual museum listing sheet. Consignor states that he purchased this rifle directly from the Historical Society somewhere in the 1950’s or 60’s in association with Arnold Marcus Chernoff, a famous and well-known firearms dealer in the Chicago area. The Historical Society, at that time, was disposing of their entire firearms collection and Mr. Chernoff apparently had direct access and since consignor and Chernoff were friends, Mr. Chernoff advised him to buy this rifle. Several years ago, the consignor loaned this rifle to the Buffalo Bill Museum where it has resided until consigned to this auction. SN 558001. CONDITION: Good to very good. Bbl retains 60-70% original finish turning plum. Magazine tube retains 85-90% strong original blue turning brown at the muzzle end. Receiver retains 60-70% thin original finish, silver on top turning brown on the left sideplate, cleaned bright on the right side. Wood is sound with numerous nicks, dings and scratches and a large incised X on each side of the buttstock. Bore is bright and shiny with some scattered pitting. Mechanics are fine. 4-48824 JR587 (10,000-20,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2003

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
	893	$3,450.00	RARE WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 SMOOTH BORE RIFLE WITH BUFFALO BILL HISTORY. Cal. 44WCF (44-40). Standard grade rifle with 24” oct bbl, full magazine, uncheckered wood and straight stock with crescent steel buttplate with trap. Front sight is half nickel with a semi-buckhorn rear sight. This rifle was formerly in the Buffalo Bill Museum, Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, WY for several years. It is accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum yellow sheet identifying this rifle as smooth bore and being shipped 8/30/02. Also accompanied by a letter dated April 22 1939 from Rev. John Raymond Hand of Chicago and Philadelphia to the Chicago Historical Society, Chicago, IL. In the letter he advises them that this rifle had been inherited from his father who had received it from “Col. WM. F. Cody”. He states that his father was a designer for the Hotchkiss Blue Car Co. who had built several cars (presumably railroad cars) for Col. Cody’s show including the Col.’s private car. Also included is a letter in response to Rev. Hand from the Historical Society soliciting a five-year loan of the rifle to the Historical Society. Additionally, there is a five-year loan document dated May 8, 39 which has a pencil notation at the top that the rifle “Automatically became a gift in 1944”. One other document accompanies which is the actual museum listing sheet. Consignor states that he purchased this rifle directly from the Historical Society somewhere in the 1950’s or 60’s in association with Arnold Marcus Chernoff, a famous and well-known firearms dealer in the Chicago area. The Historical Society, at that time, was disposing of their entire firearms collection and Mr. Chernoff apparently had direct access and since consignor and Chernoff were friends, Mr. Chernoff advised him to buy this rifle. Several years ago, the consignor loaned this rifle to the Buffalo Bill Museum where it has resided until consigned to this auction. SN 558001. CONDITION: Good to very good. Bbl retains 60-70% original finish turning plum. Magazine tube retains 85-90% strong original blue turning brown at the muzzle end. Receiver retains 60-70% thin original finish, silver on top turning brown on the left sideplate, cleaned bright on the right side. Wood is sound with numerous nicks, dings and scratches and a large incised X on each side of the buttstock. Bore is bright and shiny with some scattered pitting. Mechanics are fine. 4-48824 JR587 (10,000-20,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2003 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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