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LOT 1025
Outstanding Special Order Factory Game Panel Scene Engraved Marlin Deluxe Model 1895 Lever Action Takedown Rifle - Serial no. 140978, 40-65 cal., 28 inch part octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, deluxe checkered walnut stock. Manufactured in 1896, the second year of production. The rifle is richly engraved with a factory No. 2 pattern consisting of scrollwork, borders, and wonderful game panel scenes. The left side of the receiver is decorated with a hound chasing down an stag scene inside an oval panel. A circular panel depicting a standing stag is engraved on the right side. Flourishes of scrollwork extend to the top and bottom of the receiver, upper tang, bolt, exposed barrel flats at the breech, takedown collar, and forend cap. At the time this rifle was manufactured Conrad Friedrich Ulrich Jr. was the engraver for Marlin and did a majority of the engraving for Marlin from 1881 until 1910 when he left for Winchester, spending a lifetime embellishing some of the finest high art firearms of the period. The rifle is fitted with a German silver blade front sight and an elevation adjustable rear sight. The top barrel flat is stamped with the two-line Marlin legend ahead of the rear sight and the caliber designation “40-60” at the breech. The 28 inch part octagon barrel and half magazine are special order features. The top of the receiver is marked “MARLIN SAFETY.” The upper tang is marked “MODEL/1895.” The highly figured deluxe walnut forearm and pistol grip stock have factory “B” multi-point checkering. The buttstock is fitted with a checkered hard rubber Marlin buttplate. These early production big frame factory engraved lever action Marlins saw hard use in such remote places like the Great plains, Rocky Mountains, and Alaska region. Rarely are these models found in high condition.