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LOT 3044
Outstanding Embellished Winchester Model 1886 Lever Action Rifle with Gold Inlaid Game Scenes and Relief Carved Deluxe Walnut Stock and Forend in .45-70 - Serial no. 151718, 45-70
Government cal., 26 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This is probably the most impressive of the highly embellished examples of this group of lever action rifles. This specific rifle is a Winchester Model 1886 that was originally manufactured in 1912 in the always popular .45-70 cartridge and subsequently custom embellished. This beautiful rifle features a 26 inch full octagon barrel, takedown mechanism, a half-length magazine tube, a pistol grip stock, and a crescent buttplate. It has a beautiful rust blued metal finish and a color casehardened hammer, loading lever, and crescent buttplate. This rifle exhibits the most extensive engraving and solid gold game animal scenes that are enhanced with huge amounts of both gold and platinum wire inlays that both form the borders on the rifle as well as enhance the overall themes. There are six gold inlaid game animals; one bear and two dogs on the left side in a single panel scene, a mountain lion stalking a large buck on the right side, and a large bull moose in a separate scene on the underside of the receiver. All six animals have wonderful highlighted detail and symmetrical appearances and features. Five of the game animals are depicted in their appropriate forest or mountain habitats, and all of the animals are enhanced by both large and small English type scroll engraving and geometric accents and borders. This rifle also includes numerous and extensive gold and platinum filled wire borders around the game scenes, the sides and borders of the receivers, as well as on the barrel, the forend cap, the takedown mechanism, loading lever and buttplate. There are also several areas where the engraver intertwined several gold and platinum wires vignettes to help accent the borders. The large gold inlaid game animals and wire borders are masterfully executed throughout. This rifle is pictured in the book “Winchester Highly Finished Arms” on pages 1 and 2. The game animal scenes/engraving depicted are actually copies of the original Winchester number 1 pattern engraving. “A” style pattern of hand carving are on the stock and forend. The rifle has been signed on the right underside of the receiver with an intertwined “D/T” initials. The fine scroll engraving is also on the muzzle and breech end of the barrel, underside of the receiver, sides of the forend cap, sides of the cocking lever and heel and toe area of the buttplate. The engraving and inlays cover approximately 65% of the rifle’s metal surface. The intricate and detailed
gold wire inlays are found on the rear of the forend cap, the front edge of the receiver,
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both sides (the flats) of the receiver and on the heel of the buttplate. Additionally, the muzzle and breech end of the barrel have
double barrel bands; one gold and the other band platinum. The rifle is fitted with an extra fancy, deluxe pistol grip walnut stock and forend beautifully hand carved in the Winchester “A” style noted above. The wood has been highly hand polished and varnished.