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LOT 13
Highly Desirable Documented P. Orr & Sons Madras, India, Marked and Shipped Special
Order Winchester Model 1886 Lever Action “Tiger” Rifle in .50 Express with Factory Letter
- Serial no. 125157, 50 Express cal., 26 inch part octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This is a
fine example of a special ordered Winchester Model 1886 rifle from 1901 in the highly desirable
.50 Express caliber which made its way to one of the 19th and 20th century world’s famous
hunting grounds. This example is marked for P. Orr & Sons, a high end retailer in India, to
be marketed to sportsmen looking to hunt dangerous game. The firm was established by
Scotsman Peter Orr in 1846 in Madras, India (now known as Chennai), and it was primarily
known as a retailer of luxury items, similar to the American firm Tiffany & Co. The included factory
letter lists the rifle in .50 Express with a half octagon barrel, set trigger, half magazine, Lyman front sight, and a shotgun
butt and notes the rifle as received at the warehouse on 13 December 1901 and as shipped on 23 December 1901 “ticket
number 7983, to Mark P. Orr & Sons, along with 6 other Model 1886s.” A rifle such as this would have been highly prized for
hunting essentially any thin-skinned game the sub-continent had to offer, including the dangerous Bengal tiger. Though it
is a special order rifle, this 1886 is clearly a pure, no frills hunting rifle, with essentially all of its features being functional. The
top barrel flat is marked with the standard two-line address and desirable “50 EX” caliber marking at the breech. The upper
left flat of the barrel is stamped “MADE FOR P.ORR & SONS. MADRAS.” The upper tang has the model marking and the lower
tang is marked with the two-line patent dates as well as the serial number. It is fitted with a German silver No. 21 “Sporting”
blade front sight (not Lyman as listed in the letter), a three-leaf “express” rear sight with platinum inlaid centerlines, and a
close-coupled set trigger. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a smooth steel shotgun buttplate.
CONDITION: Fine, retains 40% of the thinned original blue finish, strong traces of the original case colors, and faint traces
of original nitre blue on the loading gate with the balance having thinned to a smooth brown or grey patina, typical of a
well-cared for, hard worked hunting rifle used in India. The wood is also fine with minor dings and scratches throughout.
Mechanically excellent. A fine example of a documented Indian retailer marked and shipped Winchester Model 1886 “tiger” rifle
in the desirable .50 Express!
Estimate: 18,000 - 27,500
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