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LOT 3037
Attractive, Documented, Factory Exhibition Panel Scene Engraved, Gold/Nickel Plated
and Brown Finished Antique Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1894 Lever
Action Takedown Rifle with Factory Letter - Serial no. 11797, 30 WCF cal., 26 inch round
bbl., brown/gold/nickel finish, maple stock. Manufactured in 1895, this is a very attractive
example of the iconic Winchester Model 1894 rifle, which was specifically, special order built for
exhibition display to show off a variety of different features and finishes that the company had
to offer. This particular example has a plethora of extremely rare special order features all on
one gun and is documented as having been a factory exhibition piece, making it an extremely
scarce, possibly one-of-a-kind, highly desirable collectors piece. The included factory letter lists
this rifle in .30 W.C.F. caliber with a round barrel, plain trigger, takedown configuration, “$4.00”
engraved, gold trims and balance nickel, and a browned barrel and magazine when received
at the warehouse on 10 March 1896. The letter has the additional notation “NY Ex”, “Returned”,
received at warehouse 16 June 1896, shipped from warehouse 19 June 1896 in order 12814,
and repair and return on 25 November 1896 in order number 24416. A few of the features
on this particular rifle are extremely rare to see on a ‘94 on their own, while seeing them all
together on one gun is almost unheard of. No records appear to be available regarding how
many Model 1894s were produced with a brown finished barrel and magazine, but it is an
extreme rarity, with the writer having never seen another example. The research by Oswalt and
Hawk published in “Armax Vol. V” gives statistics on the first 353,999 Model 1894s produced,
with them listing only 56 guns with gold plating, only 117 with nickel plating, and only 336
engraved rifles.
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