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LOT 1009
Incredibly Rare Documented Special Order Factory Panel Scene Engraved Deluxe Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Short Rifle with Birdseye Maple Stock and Factory Letter - Serial no. 236703, 38-40 WCF cal., 20 inch round bbl., blue/nickel finish, checkered birdseye maple pistol grip stock. Overall, this stunning rifle hosts an incredible array of special order features and is most likely
one-of-a-kind. It is also in extraordinary condition. The factory letter lists this rifle in .38 caliber with a 1/2 octagon barrel, 1/2 magazine, 1/2 nickel finish, “Engraved $3.20,” set trigger, and checkered birdseye maple pistol grip stock and also confirms the rifle was received in the warehouse on April 21, 1887, and shipped from the warehouse the next day in order 16663. In addition to the rare special order features listed in the letter, the rifle also sports a 20 inch barrel making it a very rare “short rifle.” The combined rarity of this rifle’s features are hard to quantify, but the individual features alone are already scarce. The birdseye maple stock on this rifle is particularly rare. The number known is extremely limited, and we have only one other in our records (Sn. 212466 sold by RIAC in December 2020). The table on page 681 of “Winchester’s New Model of 1873: A Tribute” by James D. Gordon estimates only 1,279 Model 1873s had special wood (1/600th of a percent of production) and of those only 475 survive. He also indicates that in his survey of 3,847 guns there were only 11 rifles with 22 inch barrels and only 103 rifles with short barrels more broadly. Also keep in mind that this rifle has a short, half-octagon barrel, again a rarity.