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By 1880, Winchester was already the dominant force in the American
repeating long gun market, having released three successive, highly
successful models in the 1866, 1873, and 1876. Seeing the immense
market share that Winchester boasted should have been enough to
scare anyone out of trying to produce a lever action long gun, but not
the audacious John M. Marlin. Around this time, with patents by Andrew
Burgess, H.F. Wheeler, E.A.F. Toepperwein, and himself, Marlin assembled
the design for what would become known as the Model 1881 rifle.
The Marlin 1881 was an extremely robust repeater, stronger even than
Winchester’s large Model 1876, which was capable of handling some of
the most powerful cartridges of the time including .38-55 and .45-70. The
Marlin ‘81 set a solid foundation for the company to develop many more
innovative models and go head-to-head with Winchester for roughly a
century. In 1893, Marlin launched its first lever action design to handle the
new, more powerful smokeless powder, which incorporated earlier designs
from L.L. Hepburn, such as side ejection. The Marlin Model 1893 was
destined to compete with Winchester’s, legendary, John Moses Browning
designed, Model 1894, and while never quite out-selling the ‘94, the Marlin
certainly provided an admirable challenge and kept relative pace with the
Winchester. The ‘93 went on to become one of Marlin’s most successful
models, with approximately 900,000 produced between 1893 and 1935,
when it was slightly improved and re-released as the Model 36, which
again happened in 1948 leading to the Model 336, never failing to rise
to the challenge, and continuing to compete with the Winchester Model
1894 all the way.
This Marlin Model 1893 in particular is in an incredibly scarce special
ordered, high-grade deluxe, three barreled set configuration, which is
truly a treasure among both Marlin and turn of the century American
arms collecting. The rifle exhibits Marlin’s No. 5-3 oak leaf engraving
pattern, one of the most rarely ordered factory patterns. It is estimated
that around ten of Marlin’s No. 5-4 pattern engraving, featuring more
standard scroll motifs, are seen to every one of the No. 5-3 pattern. This
engraving pattern alone makes this an incredibly scarce rifle, without
even factoring in the other rare features. The engraving encompasses
nearly all the surfaces of the action and its components, with a detailed
scene of a bull and cow moose in a forest on the left and an elaborate
“WV” monogram on the right, both surrounded by broad non-engraved/
negative space borders, creating a beautiful contrast. The remaining space
on the sides of the receiver are engraved with panels of oak leaf and acorn
clusters, which continue on the bottom of the receiver, the lever lug, and
the buttplate. There are flourishes of more traditional scroll on the forearm
cap, takedown collar, top of the receiver, lever, and hammer. This rifle is
in a very desirable “takedown short rifle configuration” with an 18 inch
barrel. The rarity does not end there however, as this particular example
was special ordered as a factory three-barrel set, having barrels in .25-36
Marlin, .38-55 W.C.F., and .32-40 W.C.F., all with matching markings, sights,
engraving, and deluxe forearms. The tops of the barrels are marked with
the standard two-line address, the previously mentioned “WV” monogram,
and the caliber markings at the breeches, while the upper left flats have
the smokeless steel marking. The top of the receiver has the standard
Marlin safety marking, while the upper tang has the model designation.
The matching serial number is marked on the bottom of the receiver, left
side of the upper tang, inside the stock inlet, and inside the buttplate.
The barrels are fitted with Lyman beaded blade “Hunting” front sights and
elevation adjustable “Rocky Mountain” notch rear sights. It is mounted with
a highly figured forearms and an incredibly figured pistol grip stock that is
fitted with a smooth, steel crescent buttplate. The wood, including all three
forearms and the buttstock, shows a very intricate, special ordered, high
grade checkering pattern featuring spade shapes at the wrist and forearm
near the receiver, dagging patterns on the front of the forearm and pistol
grip, a fine ribbon through the wrist area, and non-checkered ovals on
both the wrist and forearm grip areas. This checkering pattern is believed
to have never been specifically listed in Marlin catalogs, though it is
believed to have been shown in their 1899 catalog on rifles exhibiting No.
5 engraving. This scarce Model 1893 short rifle is truly a treasure of Marlin
collecting as a highly embellished, factory special ordered three-barrel set.
CONDITION: Extremely fine, retains 75% plus of the original blue finish,
80% plus of the vibrant original case colors, and 90% plus of the original
nitre blue on the loading gate with the balance generally a smooth grey
patina on high spots and handling areas, some light scratches, and crisp
engraving throughout. The two additional barrels are fine with 50% plus of
the original blue finish some mild wear, light spotting, and a few patches
of polished light pitting. The wood is all very fine apart from raised long
hairline grain splits on the sides of the buttstock, scattered light handling
marks, and crisp checkering overall. Mechanically excellent. This is an
incredible, factory special ordered three-barrel set, deluxe engraved Marlin
Model 1893 that could easily be a centerpiece for some of even the most
prestigious Marlin or American arms collections!
Estimate: 65,000 - 95,000
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