Antique Factory Engraved Gold Wash 1873 Winchester Lever Action Rifle
Price: 37,500.
BUY / RESERVE THIS ITEMDescription: Serial# 258259, .38WCF (.38-40) caliber, 24″octagon barrel, John Ulrich engraved frame, side plates, shotgun butt plate, dust cover, hammer, trigger, lifter block and fore-end cap. Fancy checkered, pistol grip walnut stock with ebony inlay at pistol grip cap, plain trigger and graduated peep sight with all features verified by factory letter, as shipped from warehouse May 11, 1888 on special order 7068. The letter additionally calls out the engraving as “Engraved $22.00” ($735 in 2023 dollars).
This extraordinary Gilded Age rifle features a Mid-Range High Base Graduated Vernier Peep Sight located on the tang as well as a Gold Beech’s Combination Front Sight making for about the best sights available for this type of rifle in this caliber. Four lovely panel scene engraved frame and side plates feature running moose, hunter taking elk, bear on a precipice and rutting doe, all bordered with classic Ulrich banknote scrolls. Hammer and lever with light scrollwork, fore-end cap, dust cover, cartridge block and butt plate with light scrolls and gold wash. Left side lower stock tang marked with assembly number “3252” which is found throughout the rifle, “XXX” to indicate the grade and figure of the walnut used, “38” for the caliber and “S” for shotgun butt. Serial number is applied in the small font horizontal format as is typical of all pistol grip variants.
This rare and ornate “Gun that Won the West” was originally purchased new by a banker in Minnesota and was acquired from his great granddaughter. It is fresh to market and will not be found in prior auction catalogs or on dealer’s lists.
Conditions; Antique Excellent with 85% of the original 4 to 6 micron thick gold wash remaining. Details to game scenes are crisp. Hammer, trigger and lever still retain almost all their vibrant case colored hues.
Barrel and magazine tube show about 92-94% of their factory blue with just minor toning and light edge wear to finish.
Iron shotgun butt-plate with light detail engraving at top of widow’s peak, minimal traces of gold wash remain with light to just moderate pin prick pitting overall.
Stock with very light flattening to check and one small pressure ding to left side as well as a very thin light fissure from shrinkage which detracts little and appears quite stable. Lovely matching fore-end with very crisp checkering, minor shrinkage showing at contact point with fore-end cap, light scuffs and some minor finish thinning at balance point. The action remains crisp, and the nitre blue screws and loading gate retain much of the original color with all screw slots remaining straight and true. Bore is mirror bright.
A beautiful survivor of a rifle scarcer and more ornate than the touted One of One Thousand.
